| Paracetamol plus opioid compared with the same dose of opioid alone for cancer pain |
| Patient or population: people with cancer pain Settings: inpatient or outpatient Intervention: paracetamol plus opioid Comparison: same dose of opioid alone |
| Participants with at least 30% or at least 50% reduction in pain | No data | No data | N/A | | Very low | Very low quality because no or inadequate data |
| PGIC much or very much improved | No data | No data | N/A | | Very low | Very low quality because no or inadequate data |
| Mean pain intensity at end of study | No difference between treatment groups | | 3 studies, 93 participants | Very low | Very low quality because no or inadequate data |
| Pain no worse than mild at one or two weeks (or equivalent) | No data | No data | N/A | | Very low | Very low quality because no or inadequate data |
| Mean quality of life or "well‐being" | No difference between treatment groups | N/A | 3 studies, 93 participants | Very low | Very low quality because no or inadequate data |
| Participant preference | Better: 15/52 | Better: 9/52 (No different: 28/52) | Not calculated | 2 studies, 52 participants | Very low | Very low quality because no or inadequate data |
| Adverse events | No difference between groups for specific opioid‐related adverse events | N/A | 2 studies, 80 participants (maximum) | Very low | Very low quality because no or inadequate data |
| Serious adverse events | None specifically reported. 1 death due to underlying disease ‐ treatment unclear | N/A | 3 studies, 93 participants | Very low | Very low quality because no or inadequate data |
| CI: Confidence interval; RR: Risk Ratio |
| Descriptors for levels of evidence (EPOC 2015):
High quality: This research provides a very good indication of the likely effect. The likelihood that the effect will be substantially different† is low.
Moderate quality: This research provides a good indication of the likely effect. The likelihood that the effect will be substantially different† is moderate.
Low quality: This research provides some indication of the likely effect. However, the likelihood that it will be substantially different† is high.
Very low quality: This research does not provide a reliable indication of the likely effect. The likelihood that the effect will be substantially different† is very high. † Substantially different: a large enough difference that it might affect a decision. |
