Korean J Hosp Palliat Care.  2015 Jun;18(2):105-111. 10.14475/kjhpc.2015.18.2.105.

The Relationship between Opioids Use, Cortisol and DHEAS

• Jung JH
• Choi YS
• Kim SM
• Lee JY
• Kim EH
• Kim JE
• Kim EY
• Park HJ
• Yoon DJ

• KMID: 2305259
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.14475/kjhpc.2015.18.2.105

Abstract

PURPOSE
Fatigue, energy loss, feeling of helplessness, poor appetite, pain besides general weakness are major symptoms presented to terminally ill cancer patients. These symptoms are similar to those that appeared with adrenal insufficiency. Also, for terminally ill cancer patients who are hospitalized for palliative care, opioid agents are prescribed to control moderate to severe pain. We studied the relationship of opioid agents and adrenal insufficiency.
METHODS
From November 2013 through June 2014, we monitored the serum level of cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS, serum) in 55 cancer patients who were over 18 years old and were treated at a hospice center. We also checked the treatment period and dosage of opioid agents.
RESULTS
The DHEAS level, treatment period and dosage of opioid agents did not have significant correlation. Correlation between the serum cortisol level and the opioid agent treatment period was not significant either, but the serum cortisol level was positively correlated with the dosage of opioid agents (P value 0.0322).
CONCLUSION
This study did not identify a novel link between treatment period, dosage of opioid agents and adrenal insufficiency. But, the DHEAS level was mostly below the normal level in patients who were treated with opioid agents.

Keyword

Opioid analgesics; Adrenal insufficiency; Hydrocortisone; Dehydroepiandrosterone

MeSH Terms

Adrenal Insufficiency
Analgesics, Opioid*
Appetite
Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate
Dehydroepiandrosterone*
Fatigue
Hospices
Humans
Hydrocortisone*
Palliative Care
Terminally Ill
Analgesics, Opioid
Dehydroepiandrosterone
Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate
Hydrocortisone