Inpharma 1580 - 24 Mar 2007

■ Morphine is an effective antitussive agent forpatients with chronic cough, report researchers fromthe UK. In their randomised, crossover study, 27 suchpatients received 4 weeks of treatment with slow-release morphine 5mg twice daily and 4 weeks oftreatment with placebo; a 3-month, open-labelextension of the study allowed dose escalation to10mg twice daily. The mean Leicester CoughQuestionnaire score improved from 12.3 at baseline to13.5 with placebo and 15.5 with morphine; theimprovement with morphine was significant,compared with baseline and placebo. Of 18 patientsentering the study extension, two-thirds chose amaintenance dose of morphine 10mg twice daily; atstudy completion both groups had similar assessmentsof cough severity.Morice AH, et al. Opiate therapy in chronic cough. American Journal ofRespiratory and Critical Care Medicine 175: 312-315, No. 4, 15 Feb2007 801070482

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Inpharma 24 Mar 2007 No. 15801173-8324/10/1580-0001/$14.95 Adis © 2010 Springer International Publishing AG. All rights reserved