Awareness and pattern of pentazocine use in patients with sickle cell disease in two sickle cell clinics in Lagos state, Nigeria
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Date
2021
Authors
Ayeni, F.A
Ogbo, P.U
Onwuchuluba, E.E
Haruna, M.R
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Nigerian Journal of Pharmacy
Abstract
Background: Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a genetic disorder which leads to acute or chronic pain and
thus requires the use of opioids and non-opioid medications. Pentazocine is a commonly used opioid
among sickle cell patients for the management of moderate to severe pain. Patients understanding of the
purpose and pattern of pentazocine use will encourage rational use and discourage misuse, especially
outside the hospital setting. This study was set to assess the awareness and pattern of use of pentazocine
among SCD patients.
Methods: The study was a cross-sectional, descriptive, questionnaire-based study conducted in two
sickle cell clinics in Lagos State. A pretested questionnaire based on extant literature was employed to
obtain patients sociodemographic data. Data was also obtained regarding prescribed medications, as
well as patients' awareness and use of pentazocine. These data were analyzed using descriptive and
inferential statistics in SPSS, version 21.0.
Results: Of the eighty respondents interviewed, most, 68 (85.0%) were single, 42 (52.5%) were
females, and 50 (62.5%) had tertiary education. Mean age was 26.49 8.16 years. Commonly prescribed
painkillers were Ibuprofen (31.4%), Paracetamol (28.9%), Diclofenac (26.9%) and Pentazocine
(20.0%). Less than half, 32 (40%) were aware of pentazocine use in managing moderate to severe pain.
Of these, 16 (50%) used it outside the clinic. 56.3% of those who used pentazocine outside the clinics
used it because they had “unbearable pain”. There was a significant association between age and
Pentazocine awareness (p = 0.02) but not use (p = 0.54). Respondents aged 21-30 years had better
awareness of Pentazocine use compared to other age groups.
Conclusion: The awareness of pentazocine use among SCD patients in the two centers studied in Lagos,
Nigeria was found to be inadequate despite its wide spread use outside the clinic without clinicians'
supervision. Proper education on disease condition and its management should be encouraged among
SCD patients to encourage appropriate use of pentazocine, as well as other analgesics used in the
management of SCD and discourage misuse.
Description
Scholarly articles
Keywords
Sickle cell disease , Pentazocine use , Awareness , Analgesic , Opioids , Research Subject Categories::PHARMACY
Citation
Ayeni, F., Ogbo, P., Onwuchuluba, E., & Haruna, M. (2021). Awareness and pattern of pentazocine use in patients with sickle cell disease in two sickle cell clinics in Lagos state, Nigeria. Nigerian Journal Of Pharmacy, 55(2), 83-91. doi: 10.51412/psnnjp.2021.19