Comparison of two techniques (intermittent intravenous bolus morphine vs. morphine infusion) for analgesic titration in patients who had advanced cancer with severe pain: a prospective randomised study

ObjectiveTo compare the analgesic efficacy of two techniques of morphine titration (intermittent intravenous bolus vs infusion) by calculating rescue dosage in a day at 1 week after analgesic titration.MethodsOne hundred and forty cancer patients were randomised into two groups. In group 1, intravenous morphine 1.5 mg bolus given every 10 min until Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) pain score ResultsThe rescue dosage in a day at 1-week post discharge from the palliative care unit was significantly higher in group 1 as compared with group 2.ConclusionIntravenous infusion morphine may be a better analgesic titration technique for analgesia in patients with advanced cancer.Trial registration numberCTRI/2018/04/013369.