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Azad TD, Zhang Y, Stienen MN, Vail D, Bentley JP, Ho AL, Fatemi P, Herrick D, Kim LH, Feng A, Varshneya K, Jin M, Veeravagu A, Bhattacharya J, Desai M, Lembke A, Ratliff JK. Patterns of Opioid and Benzodiazepine Use in Opioid-Naïve Patients with Newly Diagnosed Low Back and Lower Extremity Pain. J Gen Intern Med 2020; 35:291-297. [PMID: 31720966 PMCID: PMC6957597 DOI: 10.1007/s11606-019-05549-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2019] [Revised: 08/07/2019] [Accepted: 10/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The morbidity and mortality associated with opioid and benzodiazepine co-prescription is a pressing national concern. Little is known about patterns of opioid and benzodiazepine use in patients with acute low back pain or lower extremity pain. OBJECTIVE To characterize patterns of opioid and benzodiazepine prescribing among opioid-naïve, newly diagnosed low back pain (LBP) or lower extremity pain (LEP) patients and to investigate the relationship between benzodiazepine prescribing and long-term opioid use. DESIGN/SETTING We performed a retrospective analysis of a commercial database containing claims for more than 75 million enrollees in the USA. PARTICIPANTS Participants were adult patients newly diagnosed with LBP or LEP between 2008 and 2015 who did not have a red flag diagnosis, had not received an opioid prescription in the 6 months prior to diagnosis, and had 12 months of continuous enrollment after diagnosis. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Among patients receiving at least one opioid prescription within 12 months of diagnosis, we defined discrete patterns of benzodiazepine prescribing-continued use, new use, stopped use, and never use. We tested the association of these prescription patterns with long-term opioid use, defined as six or more fills within 12 months. RESULTS We identified 2,497,653 opioid-naïve patients with newly diagnosed LBP or LEP. Between 2008 and 2015, 31.9% and 11.5% of these patients received opioid and benzodiazepine prescriptions, respectively, within 12 months of diagnosis. Rates of opioid prescription decreased from 34.8% in 2008 to 27.0% in 2015 (P < 0.001); however, prescribing of benzodiazepines only decreased from 11.6% in 2008 to 10.8% in 2015. Patients with continued or new benzodiazepine use consistently used more opioids than patients who never used or stopped using benzodiazepines during the study period (one-way ANOVA, P < 0.001). For patients with continued and new benzodiazepine use, the odds ratio of long-term opioid use compared with those never prescribed a benzodiazepine was 2.99 (95% CI, 2.89-3.08) and 2.68 (95% CI, 2.62-2.75), respectively. LIMITATIONS This study used administrative claims analyses, which rely on accuracy and completeness of diagnostic, procedural, and prescription codes. CONCLUSION Overall opioid prescribing for low back pain or lower extremity pain decreased substantially during the study period, indicating a shift in management within the medical community. Rates of benzodiazepine prescribing, however, remained at approximately 11%. Concurrent prescriptions of benzodiazepines and opioids after LBP or LEP diagnosis were associated with increased risk of long-term opioid use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tej D Azad
- Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Yi Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Martin N Stienen
- Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.,Department of Neurosurgery & Clinical Neuroscience Center, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Daniel Vail
- Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Jason P Bentley
- Quantitative Sciences Unit, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Allen L Ho
- Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Paras Fatemi
- Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Daniel Herrick
- Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Lily H Kim
- Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Austin Feng
- Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Kunal Varshneya
- Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Michael Jin
- Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Anand Veeravagu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Jayanta Bhattacharya
- Quantitative Sciences Unit, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Manisha Desai
- Quantitative Sciences Unit, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Anna Lembke
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - John K Ratliff
- Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
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Sujan AC, Quinn PD, Rickert ME, Wiggs KK, Lichtenstein P, Larsson H, Almqvist C, Öberg AS, D’Onofrio BM. Maternal prescribed opioid analgesic use during pregnancy and associations with adverse birth outcomes: A population-based study. PLoS Med 2019; 16:e1002980. [PMID: 31790390 PMCID: PMC6886755 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1002980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2019] [Accepted: 11/04/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Published research on prescribed opioid analgesic (POA) use during pregnancy and birth outcomes is limited in scope and has not adequately adjusted for potential confounding factors. To help address these gaps, we estimated associations between maternal POAs during pregnancy and two adverse birth outcomes using a large population-based dataset, multiple definitions of POA exposure, and several methods to evaluate the influence of both measured and unmeasured confounding factors. METHODS AND FINDINGS We obtained data by linking information from several Swedish registers and conducted a retrospective cohort study on a population-based sample of 620,458 Swedish births occurring between 2007 and 2013 (48.6% female; 44.4% firstborn). We evaluated associations between prenatal POA exposure and risk for preterm birth (PTB; <37 gestational weeks) and small for gestational age (SGA; birth weight 2 standard deviations below the expected weight for gestational age or lower). We evaluated the influence of confounding by adjusting for a wide range of measured covariates while comparing exposed and unexposed infants. Additionally, we adjusted for unmeasured confounding factors by using several advanced epidemiological designs. Infants exposed to POAs anytime during pregnancy were at increased risk for PTB compared with unexposed infants (6.4% exposed versus 4.4% unexposed; adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 1.38, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.31-1.45, p < 0.001). This association was attenuated when we compared POA-exposed infants with acetaminophen-exposed infants (OR = 1.18, 95% CI 1.07-1.30, p < 0.001), infants born to women who used POAs before pregnancy only (OR = 1.05, 95% CI 0.96-1.14, p = 0.27), and unexposed siblings (OR = 0.99, 95% CI 0.85-1.14, p = 0.92). We also evaluated associations with short-term versus persistent POA use during pregnancy and observed a similar pattern of results, although the magnitudes of associations with persistent exposure were larger than associations with any use or short-term use. Although short-term use was not associated with SGA (adjusted ORsingle-trimester = 0.95, 95% CI 0.87-1.04, p = 0.29), persistent use was associated with increased risk for SGA (adjusted ORmultiple-trimester = 1.40, 95% CI 1.17-1.67, p < 0.001) compared with unexposed infants. The association with persistent exposure was attenuated when we used alternative comparison groups (e.g., sibling comparison OR = 1.22, 95% CI 0.60-2.48, p = 0.58). Of note, our study had limitations, including potential bias from exposure misclassification, an inability to adjust for all sources of confounding, and uncertainty regarding generalizability to countries outside of Sweden. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggested that observed associations between POA use during pregnancy and risk of PTB and SGA were largely due to unmeasured confounding factors, although we could not rule out small independent associations, particularly for persistent POA use during pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayesha C. Sujan
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Indiana University Bloomington, Bloomington, Indiana, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Patrick D. Quinn
- Department of Applied Health Science, School of Public Health, Indiana University Bloomington, Bloomington, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Martin E. Rickert
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Indiana University Bloomington, Bloomington, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Kelsey K. Wiggs
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Indiana University Bloomington, Bloomington, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Paul Lichtenstein
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Henrik Larsson
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- School of Medical Sciences, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Catarina Almqvist
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Astrid Lindgren Children’s Hospital, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - A. Sara Öberg
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Epidemiology, T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard, Boston, United States of America
| | - Brian M. D’Onofrio
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Indiana University Bloomington, Bloomington, Indiana, United States of America
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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Musich S, Wang SS, Slindee LB, Ruiz J, Yeh CS. Concurrent Use of Opioids with Other Central Nervous System-Active Medications Among Older Adults. Popul Health Manag 2019; 23:286-296. [PMID: 31765280 PMCID: PMC7406999 DOI: 10.1089/pop.2019.0128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The primary objective was to determine the prevalence and characteristics of older adults concurrently using opioids and other central nervous system (CNS)-active medications, and the specialties of providers who ordered the medications. A secondary objective was to document medication-related adverse effects associated with such concurrent drug use. Study populations were identified as older adults aged ≥65 years with 1 year continuous medical and drug plan enrollment during 2017 and opioid use of ≥2 prescriptions for ≥15 days' supply. CNS-active medications included benzodiazepines, non-benzodiazepine hypnotics, muscle relaxants, antipsychotics, and gabapentinoids. Provider specialties were identified from the National Provider Identification database. Characteristics associated with opioids only, opioids plus 1, and opioids plus ≥2 additional CNS-active medications were determined using multinomial logistic regression. Outcome measures during 2017 included injurious falls/fractures and ≥3 emergency room (ER) visits. Among eligible insureds (N = 209,947), 57% used opioids only, 28% used opioids plus 1 additional CNS medication, and 15% used ≥2 additional medications. About 60% of opioids and other concurrent CNS medications were prescribed by the same provider, generally a primary care provider. Benzodiazepines and gabapentinoids were most often used concurrently with opioids. Health status, insomnia, anxiety, depression, and low back pain had the strongest associations with concurrent medication use. Overall, concurrent use with ≥2 CNS medications increased the likelihood of injurious falls/fractures or ≥3 ER visits in this population by about 18% and 21%, respectively. Both patients and providers may benefit from an awareness of adverse outcomes associated with concurrent opioid and other CNS-active medication use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shirley Musich
- Research for Aging Populations, Optum, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Shaohung S Wang
- Research for Aging Populations, Optum, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Luke B Slindee
- Informatics & Data Science, Optum, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Joann Ruiz
- Medicare & Retirement, UnitedHealthcare, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
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Cho SK, Jung SY, Choi S, Im SG, Kim H, Choi WS, Jang EJ, Sung YK. Factors related to the use of opioids as early treatment in patients with knee osteoarthritis. Arthritis Res Ther 2019; 21:222. [PMID: 31685008 PMCID: PMC6827242 DOI: 10.1186/s13075-019-2004-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2019] [Accepted: 09/13/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective To examine factors related to the use of opioids as an early treatment option for knee OA patients Methods Using the Korean nationwide claim database, we selected knee OA patients between 2013 and 2015. Among them, patients without any claim of knee OA for 2 years before the index date were included as our study population. We analyzed their first claim for prescriptions, including tramadol and stronger opioids, at the index date of each patient. Using a multinomial model, we identified factors associated with the early use of tramadol and stronger opioids in knee OA patients. Results Among a total of 2,857,999 knee OA patients, 12.2% (n = 348,516) were treated with opioids as their first treatment. However, the prevalence of stronger opioid use was only 0.07% (n = 1972). Male sex (OR 1.28 in tramadol, OR 1.13 in stronger opioids) and comorbidities with depression (OR 1.05, 1.46), low back pain (OR 1.13, 1.30), intervertebral disc disorder (OR 1.11, 1.40), and spinal stenosis (OR 1.27, 1.55) were the factors for the early use of tramadol or stronger opioids in knee OA patients. Patients in a tertiary referral hospital tended to use tramadol or stronger opioids than those in clinics (OR 1.04, 56.63, respectively). Conclusion In Korea, 12.2% of knee OA patients were treated with opioids as an early treatment, and tramadol was used more commonly than stronger opioids. Male sex and having comorbidities such as depression or musculoskeletal disease are patient factors associated with the early use of opioids in knee OA patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soo-Kyung Cho
- Department of Rheumatology, Hanyang University Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases, 222-1 wangsimni-ro, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea
| | - Sun-Young Jung
- College of Pharmacy, Chung-Ang University, 84, Heukseok-ro, Dongjak-gu, Seoul, 06974, Republic of Korea
| | - Seongmi Choi
- Department of Statistics, Kyungpook National University, 80, Daehak-ro, Buk-gu, Daegu, 41566, Republic of Korea
| | - Seul Gi Im
- Department of Statistics, Kyungpook National University, 80, Daehak-ro, Buk-gu, Daegu, 41566, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyoungyoung Kim
- Department of Rheumatology, Hanyang University Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases, 222-1 wangsimni-ro, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea
| | - Woo Seok Choi
- Department of Statistics, Kyungpook National University, 80, Daehak-ro, Buk-gu, Daegu, 41566, Republic of Korea
| | - Eun Jin Jang
- Department of Information Statistics, Andong National University, 1375, Gyeongdong-ro, Andong-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do, 36729, Republic of Korea
| | - Yoon-Kyoung Sung
- Department of Rheumatology, Hanyang University Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases, 222-1 wangsimni-ro, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea.
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Chen L, Chubak J, Yu O, Pocobelli G, Ziebell RA, Aiello Bowles EJ, Fujii MM, Sterrett AT, Boggs JM, Burnett-Hartman AN, Ritzwoller DP, Hubbard RA, Boudreau DM. Changes in use of opioid therapy after colon cancer diagnosis: a population-based study. Cancer Causes Control 2019; 30:1341-1350. [PMID: 31667710 DOI: 10.1007/s10552-019-01236-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2019] [Accepted: 09/28/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE To describe patterns of opioid use in cancer survivors. METHODS In a cohort study of colon cancer patients diagnosed during 1995-2014 and enrolled at two Kaiser Permanente regions, we constructed quarterly measures of opioid use from 1 year before cancer diagnosis through 5 years after diagnosis to examine changes in use. Measures included any use, incident use, regular use (use ≥ 45 days in a 91-day quarter), and average daily dose (converted to morphine milligram equivalent, MME). We also assessed temporal trends of opioid use. RESULTS Of 2,039 colon cancer patients, 11-15% received opioids in the four pre-diagnosis quarters, 68% in the first quarter after diagnosis, and 15-17% in each subsequent 19 quarters. Regular opioid use increased from 3 to 5% pre-diagnosis to 5-7% post diagnosis. Average dose increased from 15 to 17 MME/day pre-diagnosis to 14-22 MME/day post diagnosis (excluding the quarter in which cancer was diagnosed). Among post-diagnosis opioid users, 73-95% were on a low dose (< 20 MME/day). Over years, regular use of opioids increased in survivorship with no change in dosage. CONCLUSION Opioid use slightly increased following a colon cancer diagnosis, but high-dose use was rare. Research is needed to differentiate under- versus over-treatment of cancer pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Chen
- Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute, 1730 Minor Avenue, Suite 1600, Seattle, WA, 98101, USA.
| | - Jessica Chubak
- Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute, 1730 Minor Avenue, Suite 1600, Seattle, WA, 98101, USA.,Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Onchee Yu
- Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute, 1730 Minor Avenue, Suite 1600, Seattle, WA, 98101, USA
| | - Gaia Pocobelli
- Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute, 1730 Minor Avenue, Suite 1600, Seattle, WA, 98101, USA
| | - Rebecca A Ziebell
- Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute, 1730 Minor Avenue, Suite 1600, Seattle, WA, 98101, USA
| | - Erin J Aiello Bowles
- Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute, 1730 Minor Avenue, Suite 1600, Seattle, WA, 98101, USA
| | - Monica M Fujii
- Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute, 1730 Minor Avenue, Suite 1600, Seattle, WA, 98101, USA
| | - Andrew T Sterrett
- Kaiser Permanente Colorado Institute for Health Research, Denver, CO, USA
| | - Jennifer M Boggs
- Kaiser Permanente Colorado Institute for Health Research, Denver, CO, USA
| | | | - Debra P Ritzwoller
- Kaiser Permanente Colorado Institute for Health Research, Denver, CO, USA
| | - Rebecca A Hubbard
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Denise M Boudreau
- Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute, 1730 Minor Avenue, Suite 1600, Seattle, WA, 98101, USA.,Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.,Department of Pharmacy, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
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Tamraz B, Reisner L, French AL, King ST, Fischl MA, Ofotokun I, Kashuba A, Milam J, Murphy K, Augenbraun M, Liu C, Finley PR, Aouizerat B, Cocohoba J, Gange S, Bacchetti P, Greenblatt RM. Association between Use of Methadone, Other Central Nervous System Depressants, and QTc Interval-Prolonging Medications and Risk of Mortality in a Large Cohort of Women Living with or at Risk for Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection. Pharmacotherapy 2019; 39:899-911. [PMID: 31332819 PMCID: PMC7000174 DOI: 10.1002/phar.2312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
STUDY OBJECTIVE To evaluate the association between use of methadone, other central nervous system (CNS) depressants, and QTc interval-prolonging medications and risk of mortality among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected and at-risk HIV-uninfected women. DESIGN Multicenter, prospective, observational cohort study (Women's Interagency HIV Study [WIHS]). PARTICIPANTS A total of 4150 women enrolled in the WIHS study between 1994 and 2014 who were infected (3119 women) or not infected (1031 women) with HIV. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Data on medication utilization were collected from all study participants via interviewer-administered surveys at 6-month intervals (1994-2014). Mortality was confirmed by National Death Index data. With age defining the time scale for the analysis, Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) for all-cause mortality in HIV-infected and -uninfected women and non-acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) deaths in HIV-infected women. A total of 1046 deaths were identified, of which 429 were considered non-AIDS deaths. Use of benzodiazepines, CNS depressants (excluding methadone), and number of medications with conditional QTc interval-prolonging effects were each associated with all-cause mortality in multivariate models of HIV-infected women: hazard ratio (HR) 1.28, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.01-1.60, p=0.037; HR 1.61, 95% CI 1.35-1.92, p<0.0001; and HR 1.15 per drug, 95% CI 1.00-1.33, p=0.047, respectively. Other explanatory variables for all-cause mortality in this model included HIV viral load, CD4+ cell count, renal function, hemoglobin and albumin levels, HIV treatment era, employment status, existence of depressive symptoms, ever use of injection drugs, and tobacco smoking. Of interest, use of CNS depressants (excluding methadone) was also associated with non-AIDS deaths (HR 1.49, 95% CI 1.49-2.2, p<0.0001). Although use of benzodiazepines and conditional QT interval-prolonging medications were associated with increased risk of non-AIDS mortality (HR 1.32 and 1.25, respectively), the effect was not statistically significant (p>0.05). CONCLUSION In this cohort of HIV-infected and at-risk HIV-uninfected women, use of benzodiazepines, CNS depressants, and conditional QTc interval-prolonging medications were associated with a higher risk of mortality independent of methadone and other well-recognized mortality risk factors. Care must be taken to assess risk when prescribing these medications in this underserved and at-risk patient population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bani Tamraz
- University of California, San Francisco, School of Pharmacy, San Francisco, CA
| | - Lori Reisner
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, CA
| | - Audrey L. French
- Infectious Diseases, CORE Center/Stroger Hospital of Cook County, Chicago, IL
| | - S. Travis King
- University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacy Practice, Jackson, MS
| | - Margaret A. Fischl
- Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL
| | - Igho Ofotokun
- Emory University, School of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases Atlanta, GA
| | - Angela Kashuba
- University of North Carolina (UNC) Center for AIDS Research, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Joel Milam
- Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Kerry Murphy
- Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY
| | - Michael Augenbraun
- Infectious Diseases, State University of New York, Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY
| | - Chenglong Liu
- Department of Medicine, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC
| | - Patrick R. Finley
- University of California, San Francisco, School of Pharmacy, San Francisco, CA
| | - Bradley Aouizerat
- New York University School of Dentistry and Bluestone Center for Clinical Research, New York, NY
| | - Jennifer Cocohoba
- University of California, San Francisco, School of Pharmacy, San Francisco, CA
| | - Stephen Gange
- John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
| | - Peter Bacchetti
- University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, San Francisco, CA
| | - Ruth M. Greenblatt
- University of California, San Francisco, School of Pharmacy, San Francisco, CA
- University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, San Francisco, CA
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Kursumovic A, Muir JM, Ammerman J, Bostelmann R. The Disability Cascade: A Preventable Consequence of the Loss of Disc Height following Lumbar Microdiscectomy. Cureus 2019; 11:e5169. [PMID: 31528519 PMCID: PMC6743668 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.5169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Lumbar discectomy is a mainstay surgical treatment for herniation of the lumbar discs and is effective at treating radicular symptomology. Despite the overall success of the procedure; the potential for reherniation and reoperation is significant. To avoid this potential recurrence, surgeons often perform discectomy more aggressively, removing a larger volume of nuclear material in the hopes of minimizing the likelihood of reherniation. This approach, while beneficial in minimizing the chance of reherniation, is associated with a volumetric reduction of the nucleus within the disc space, making the disc more prone to collapse and thus inducing a significant post-operative loss of disc height. While potentially minor in isolation, the loss of disc height, in fact, impacts several aspects of overall patient well-being. We hypothesize that the loss of disc height following discectomy causes an increase in pain and subsequent disability, the combination of which ultimately impacts socioeconomic factors affecting both the patient and the healthcare system as a whole. In this report, we outline the evidence in support of this disability cascade and provide recommendations on methods for limiting its impact. Given the current focus on cost-effectiveness in healthcare decision-making, methods for limiting this potentially damaging sequence of events must be investigated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adisa Kursumovic
- Neurosurgery, Schwarzwald - Baar Klinikum, Villingen-Schwenningen, DEU
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Frenk SM, Lukacs SL, Gu Q. Factors Associated with Prescription Opioid Analgesic Use in the US Population, 2011-2014. PAIN MEDICINE (MALDEN, MASS.) 2019; 20:1338-1346. [PMID: 30202987 PMCID: PMC6699916 DOI: 10.1093/pm/pny158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study examined factors associated with prescription opioid analgesic use in the US population using data from a nationally representative sample. It focused on factors previously shown to be associated with opioid use disorder or overdose. Variations in the use of different strength opioid analgesics by demographic subgroup were also examined. METHODS Data came from respondents aged 16 years and older who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2011-2014). Respondents were classified as opioid users if they reported using one or more prescription opioid analgesics in the past 30 days. RESULTS Opioid users reported poorer self-perceived health than those not currently using opioids. Compared with those not using opioids, opioid users were more likely to rate their health as being "fair" or "poor" (40.4% [95% confidence interval {CI} = 34.9%-46.2%] compared with 15.6% [95% CI = 14.3%-17.1%]), experienced more days of pain during the past 30 days (mean = 14.3 [95% CI = 12.9-15.8] days compared with 2.3 [95% CI = 2.0-2.7] days), and had depression (22.5% [95% CI = 17.3%-28.7%] compared with 7.1% [95% CI = 6.2%-8.0%]). Among those who reported using opioids during the past 30 days, 18.8% (95% CI = 14.4%-24.1%) reported using benzodiazepine medication during the same period and 5.2% (95% CI = 3.5%-7.7%) reported using an illicit drug during the past six months. When opioid strength was examined, a smaller percentage of adults aged 60 years and older used stronger-than-morphine opioids compared with adults aged 20-39 and 40-59 years. CONCLUSIONS Higher percentages of current opioid users than nonusers reported having many of the factors associated with opioid use disorder and overdose.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven M Frenk
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, Hyattsville, Maryland, USA
| | - Susan L Lukacs
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, Hyattsville, Maryland, USA
| | - Qiuping Gu
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, Hyattsville, Maryland, USA
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Kim B, Nolan S, Beaulieu T, Shalansky S, Ti L. Inappropriate opioid prescribing practices: A narrative review. Am J Health Syst Pharm 2019; 76:1231-1237. [DOI: 10.1093/ajhp/zxz092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Purpose
Results of a literature review to identify indicators of inappropriate opioid prescribing are presented.
Summary
While prescription opioids can be effective for the treatment of acute pain, inappropriate prescribing practices can increase the risk of opioid-related harms, including overdose and mortality. To date, little research has been conducted to determine how best to define inappropriate opioid prescribing. Five electronic databases were searched to identify studies (published from database inception to January 2017) that defined inappropriate opioid prescribing practices. Search terms varied slightly across databases but included opioid, analgesics, inappropriate prescribing, practice patterns, and prescription drug misuse. Gray literature and references of published literature reviews were manually searched to identify additional relevant articles. From among the 4,665 identified articles, 41 studies were selected for data extraction and analysis. Fourteen studies identified high-daily-dose opioid prescriptions, 14 studies identified coadministration of benzodiazepines and opioids, 10 studies identified inappropriate opioid prescribing in geriatric populations, 8 studies identified other patient-specific factors, 4 studies identified opioid prescribing for the wrong indication, and 4 studies identified factors such as initiation of long-acting opioids in opioid-naive patients as indicators of inappropriate opioid prescribing.
Conclusion
A literature review identified various indicators of inappropriate opioid prescribing, including the prescribing of high daily doses of opioids, concurrent benzodiazepine administration, and geriatric-related indicators. Given the significant contribution of inappropriate opioid prescribing to opioid-related harms, identification of these criteria is important to inform and improve opioid prescribing practices among healthcare providers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian Kim
- Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada, and St. Paul’s Hospital, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Seonaid Nolan
- Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada, and British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, St. Paul’s Hospital, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Tara Beaulieu
- British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, Vancouver, Canada, and Graduate Programs in Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Stephen Shalansky
- Pharmacy Department, Providence Health Care, St. Paul’s Hospital, Vancouver, Canada, and Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Lianping Ti
- British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, Vancouver, Canada, and Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
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Thorlund JB, Turkiewicz A, Prieto-Alhambra D, Englund M. Opioid use in knee or hip osteoarthritis: a region-wide population-based cohort study. Osteoarthritis Cartilage 2019; 27:871-877. [PMID: 30682417 DOI: 10.1016/j.joca.2019.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2018] [Revised: 11/07/2018] [Accepted: 01/08/2019] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To quantify opioid use in knee and hip osteoarthritis (OA) patients, and to estimate the proportion of opioids in the population attributable to OA patients. DESIGN Population-based cohort study. METHODS We included 751,579 residents in southern Sweden, aged ≥35 years in 2015. Doctor-diagnosed knee or hip OA between 1998 and 2015 was the exposure. Dispensed weak and strong opioids were identified between November 2013 and October 2015 from the Swedish Prescribed Drug Register (SPDR). We determined age- and sex-standardized 12-month period prevalence of opioid use from November 2014 until October 2015 and calculated prevalence ratios and incidence rate ratios adjusted for age, sex, and other socio-demographic variables. We estimated the population attributable fraction (PAF) of incident opioid use attributable to OA patients. RESULTS The 12-month prevalence of opioid use among OA patients was 23.7% [95% confidence intervals (CI) 23.3-24.2], which was two-fold higher compared to individuals without knee or hip OA: prevalence ratio: 2.1 [95% CI 2.1-2.1]. Similarly, OA patients were more likely to have an incident opioid dispensation, especially for strong opioids (incidence rate ratio: 2.6 [95% CI 2.5-2.7]). Population attributable tractions (PAF) of incident opioid use attributable to OA patients was 12%, 9% for weak and 17% for strong opioids. CONCLUSIONS Every fourth patient with knee or hip OA has opioids dispensed over a 1-year period, and 12% of incident opioid dispensations are attributable to OA and/or its related comorbidities. These results highlight that patients with knee and hip OA constitute a group of patients with an alarmingly high use of opioids.
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Affiliation(s)
- J B Thorlund
- Lund University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Orthopedics, Clinical Epidemiology Unit, Lund, Sweden; Department of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
| | - A Turkiewicz
- Lund University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Orthopedics, Clinical Epidemiology Unit, Lund, Sweden
| | - D Prieto-Alhambra
- GREMPAL (Grup de Recerca en Epidemiologia de Les Malalties Prevalents de L'Aparell Locomotor), Idiap Jordi Gol Primary Care Research Institute and CIBERFes, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona and Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Barcelona, Spain; Pharmaco- and Device Epidemiology, Centre for Statistics in Medicine - Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology, And Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, UK
| | - M Englund
- Lund University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Orthopedics, Clinical Epidemiology Unit, Lund, Sweden; Clinical Epidemiology Research and Training Unit, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
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Musich S, Wang SS, Slindee L, Kraemer S, Yeh CS. The association of pain locus of control with pain outcomes among older adults. Geriatr Nurs 2019; 41:521-529. [PMID: 31078323 DOI: 10.1016/j.gerinurse.2019.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2019] [Revised: 04/24/2019] [Accepted: 04/26/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Our primary objective was to 1) determine the prevalence of pain locus of control (LOC) subscales in a population of older adults with pain conditions, and 2) estimate their associated protective effects on pain outcomes. A mailed survey was sent to a stratified sample of older adults age≥65 with diagnosed back pain, osteoarthritis and/or rheumatoid arthritis. Multivariate logistic regression modeling was used to determine the relative protective associations of positive resources, including LOC, resilience and social networks, on pain outcomes. Among respondents (N = 3,824), 31% were identified as internal; 34% as powerful others; and 35% as chance. In adjusted models, internal was associated with outcomes of lower pain severity, reduced chronic opioid use and increased physical functionality. Powerful others was partially protective; chance was associated with the poorest outcomes. Multidimensional pain programs should incorporate the enhancement of positive resources, including LOC, to maximize the effectiveness of pain management strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shirley Musich
- Research for Aging Populations, Optum, 315 E. Eisenhower Parkway, Suite 305, Ann Arbor, MI 48108, United States.
| | - Shaohung S Wang
- Research for Aging Populations, Optum, 315 E. Eisenhower Parkway, Suite 305, Ann Arbor, MI 48108, United States.
| | - Luke Slindee
- Informatics & Data Science, Optum, 12700 Whitewater Drive, Minnetonka, MN 55343, United States.
| | - Sandra Kraemer
- Medicare & Retirement, UnitedHealthcare Alliances, PO Box 9472, Minneapolis, MN 55440, United States.
| | - Charlotte S Yeh
- AARP Services, Inc., 601 E. Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20049, United States.
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Lupattelli A, Chambers CD, Bandoli G, Handal M, Skurtveit S, Nordeng H. Association of Maternal Use of Benzodiazepines and Z-Hypnotics During Pregnancy With Motor and Communication Skills and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms in Preschoolers. JAMA Netw Open 2019; 2:e191435. [PMID: 30951155 PMCID: PMC6450329 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.1435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE The reproductive safety of benzodiazepine/z-hypnotic exposure on child longer-term developmental risks remains unresolved. OBJECTIVE To quantify the association of motor, communication, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms in preschoolers with gestational benzodiazepine/z-hypnotic exposure by timing and duration and coexposure to opioids or antidepressants. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Nationwide, population-based Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study, recruiting pregnant women from 1999 to 2008, with child follow-up from ages 6, 18, and 36 months to ages 5, 7, and 8 years. Follow-up of teenagers is ongoing. The study included women with depressive/anxiety (n = 4195), sleeping (n = 5260), or pain-related (n = 26 631) disorders before and/or during pregnancy. EXPOSURES For the timing analyses, children exposed to benzodiazepines/z-hypnotics in midpregnancy (weeks 17-28) or late pregnancy (week 29 or later) vs those born to nonmedicated women. For the duration and coexposure analyses, benzodiazepine/z-hypnotic treatment for multiple 4-week intervals vs 1 and co-use of benzodiazepine/z-hypnotic with opioids or antidepressants vs sole benzodiazepine/z-hypnotic use. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Parent-reported motor and communication skills (Ages and Stages Questionnaires) and ADHD symptoms (Conners' Parent Rating Scale-Revised) at child median age of 5.1 years (interquartile range, 5.0-5.3 years) as standardized mean scores. General linear propensity score-adjusted and marginal structural models were fitted. Analyses were stratified by maternal disorder. RESULTS Of 41 146 eligible pregnancy-child dyads, 36 086 children (18 330 boys and 17 756 girls) were included, of whom 283 (0.8%) were prenatally exposed to benzodiazepines/z-hypnotics (134 in the depressive/anxiety, 60 in the sleeping, and 89 in the pain-related disorders). There was no increased risk for greater ADHD symptoms or fine motor deficits after intrauterine benzodiazepine/z-hypnotic exposure at different time points. Children born to women with depressive/anxiety disorders who took benzodiazepines/z-hypnotics in late pregnancy had greater gross motor (weighted β, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.21-1.13) and communication (weighted β, 0.35; 95% CI, 0.04-0.65) deficits than unexposed children. There was no evidence for substantial duration or coexposure associations. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE These findings suggest no substantial detrimental risk on child fine motor and ADHD symptoms after prenatal benzodiazepine/z-hypnotic exposure alone or in combination with opioids or antidepressants. Residual confounding by indication and/or a higher drug dose regimen among women with anxiety/depression may explain the moderate association of gross motor and communication deficits with late-pregnancy benzodiazepine/z-hypnotic use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela Lupattelli
- PharmacoEpidemiology and Drug Safety Research Group, Department of Pharmacy, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- PharmaTox Strategic Research Initiative, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Cristina D. Chambers
- Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla
| | - Gretchen Bandoli
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla
| | - Marte Handal
- Department of Mental Disorders, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Svetlana Skurtveit
- Department of Mental Disorders, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Hedvig Nordeng
- PharmacoEpidemiology and Drug Safety Research Group, Department of Pharmacy, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- PharmaTox Strategic Research Initiative, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Child Health and Development, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
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Gil JA, Gunaseelan V, DeFroda SF, Brummett CM, Bedi A, Waljee JF. Risk of Prolonged Opioid Use Among Opioid-Naïve Patients After Common Shoulder Arthroscopy Procedures. Am J Sports Med 2019; 47:1043-1050. [PMID: 30735622 PMCID: PMC7303922 DOI: 10.1177/0363546518819780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Opioid-related morbidity and mortality are major public health concerns, and the risk of long-term opioid use after shoulder arthroscopy is not well defined. HYPOTHESIS Substance abuse disorders, pain disorders, and psychiatric conditions increase the risk for prolonged opioid use. STUDY DESIGN Case-control study, Level of evidence, 3. METHODS Insurance claims data from the Truven Health MarketScan Research Databases was used to identify patients who underwent shoulder arthroscopy between January 1, 2010, and March 31, 2015. Opioid-naïve patients were included. New prolonged opioid use was defined as continued opioid use between 91 and 180 days after the index procedure. The authors used a multivariable logistic regression model to identify patient factors associated with the risk of new prolonged opioid use. RESULTS In this cohort of 104,154 opioid-naïve adult patients, 8686 (8.3%) developed new prolonged opioid use as defined in this study. A total of 31,768 (30.5%) filled an opioid prescription in the 30 days before surgery. Patients who had limited debridement had the highest prolonged use rate (9.0%), followed by rotator cuff repair (8.5%), anterior labrum lesion repair (8.5%), and extensive debridement (8.2%). Patient characteristics associated with the highest odds ratios (ORs) of prolonged opioid use included those who had a total opioid dose during the perioperative period that was ≥743 oral morphine equivalents (ie, at least 149 tablets of 5-mg hydrocodone) (OR, 2.0; 95% CI, 1.9-2.1), followed by patients with a suicide and self-harm disorder (OR, 2.0; 95% CI, 1.1-3.4), a history of alcohol dependence or abuse (OR, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.3-1.9), a mood disorder (OR, 1.3; 95% CI, 1.2-1.4), an opioid prescription filled in the 30 days before surgery (OR, 1.3; 95% CI, 1.2-1.4), female sex (OR, 1.3; 95% CI, 1.2-1.3), an anxiety disorder (OR, 1.2; 95% CI, 1.1-1.3), and a history of a pain diagnosis (OR, 1.2; 95% CI, 1.1-1.2). CONCLUSION The risk of prolonged opioid use after arthroscopic shoulder procedures is 8.3%, and it is higher among women and among those with greater opioid use in the early postoperative period, mental health conditions, substance dependence and abuse, and preexisting pain disorders. Patients at high risk warrant close surveillance after surgery for early recognition and management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph A Gil
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Vidhya Gunaseelan
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Steven F DeFroda
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Chad M Brummett
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Asheesh Bedi
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Jennifer F Waljee
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Opioid misuse occurs commonly among obese patients and after bariatric surgery. However, the risk of new persistent use following postbariatric body contouring procedures remains unknown. METHODS The authors examined insurance claims from Clinformatics Data Mart (OptumInsight, Eden Prairie, Minn.) between 2001 and 2015 for opioid-naive patients undergoing five body contouring procedures: abdominoplasty/panniculectomy, breast reduction, mastopexy, brachioplasty, and thighplasty (n = 11,257). Their primary outcomes included both new persistent opioid use, defined as continued prescription fills between 90 and 180 days after surgery, and the prevalence of high-risk prescribing. They used multilevel logistic regression to assess the risk of new persistent use, adjusting for relevant covariates. RESULTS In this cohort, 6.1 percent of previously opioid-naive patients developed new persistent use, and 12.9 percent were exposed to high-risk prescribing. New persistent use was higher in patients with high-risk prescribing (9.2 percent). New persistent use was highest after thighplasty (17.7 percent; 95 percent CI, 0.03 to 0.33). Increasing Charlson comorbidity indices (OR, 1.11; 95 percent CI, 1.05 to 1.17), mood disorders (OR, 1.27; 95 percent CI, 1.05 to 1.54), anxiety (OR, 1.41; 95 percent CI, 1.16 to 1.73), tobacco use (OR, 1.22; 95 percent CI, 1.00 to 1.49), neck pain (OR, 1.23; 95 percent CI, 1.04 to 1.46), arthritis (OR, 1.30; 95 percent CI, 1.08 to 1.58), and other pain disorders (OR, 1.36; 95 percent CI, 1.16 to 1.60) were independently associated with persistent use. CONCLUSIONS Similar to other elective procedures, 6 percent of opioid-naive patients developed persistent use, and 12 percent were exposed to high-risk prescribing practices. Plastic surgeons should remain aware of risk factors and offer opioid alternatives. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Risk, III.
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Nahin RL, Sayer B, Stussman BJ, Feinberg TM. Eighteen-Year Trends in the Prevalence of, and Health Care Use for, Noncancer Pain in the United States: Data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. THE JOURNAL OF PAIN 2019; 20:796-809. [PMID: 30658177 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpain.2019.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2018] [Revised: 11/09/2018] [Accepted: 01/07/2019] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
We used data from the nationally representative Medical Expenditure Panel Survey to determine the 18-year trends in the overall rates of noncancer pain prevalence and pain-related interference, as well as in health care use attributable directly to pain management. The proportion of adults reporting painful health condition(s) increased from 32.9% (99.7% confidence interval [CI] = 31.6-34.2%;120 million adults) in 1997/1998 to 41.0% (99.7% CI = 39.2-42.4%; 178 million adults) in 2013/2014 (Ptrend < .0001). Among adults with severe pain-related interference associated with their painful health condition(s), the use of strong opioids specifically for pain management more than doubled from 11.5% (99.7% CI = 9.6-13.4%) in 2001/2002 to 24.3% (99.7% CI = 21.3-27.3%) in 2013/2014 (Ptrend < .0001). A smaller increase (Pinteraction < .0001) in strong opioid use was seen in those with minimal pain-related interference: 1.2% (99.7% CI = 1.0-1.4%) in 2001/2002 to 2.3% (99.7% CI = 1.9-2.7%) in 2013/2014. Small but statistically significant decreases (Ptrend < .0001) were seen in 1) the percentage of adults with painful health condition(s) who had ≥1 ambulatory office visit for their pain: 56.1% (99.7% CI = 54.2-58.0%) in 1997/1998 and 53.3% (99.7% CI = 51.4-55.4%) in 2013/2014; 2) the percentage who had ≥1 emergency room visit for their pain; 9.9% (99.7% CI = 8.6-11.2%) to 8.8% (99.7% CI = 7.9-9.7%); and 3) the percentage with ≥1 overnight hospitalization for their pain: 3.2% (99.7% CI = 2.6-4.0%) to 2.3% (99.7% CI = 1.8-2.8%). PERSPECTIVE: Our data illustrate changes in the management of painful health conditions over the last 2 decades in the United States. Strong opioid use remains high, especially in those with severe pain-related interference. Additional education of health care providers and the public concerning the risk/benefit ratio of opioids appears warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard L Nahin
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland.
| | - Bryan Sayer
- Social & Scientific Systems, Silver Spring, Maryland
| | - Barbara J Stussman
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Termeh M Feinberg
- Yale University School of Medicine, Yale Center for Medical Informatics, New Haven Connecticut; Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, Connecticut; University of Maryland Baltimore School of Medicine, Center for Integrative Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
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Takaki H, Ieiri I, Shibuta H, Onozuka D, Hagihara A. The association of tobacco use with prescription of muscle relaxants, benzodiazepines, and opioid analgesics for non-cancer pain. Am J Addict 2019; 28:63-70. [PMID: 30623502 DOI: 10.1111/ajad.12830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2018] [Revised: 09/15/2018] [Accepted: 11/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Tobacco use and co-prescription of sedative hypnotics are risk factors for misuse of prescribed opioids among patients with non-cancer pain. However, the association between tobacco use and these co-prescriptions has not been clarified. We aimed to assess differences in the prescription and co-prescription rates of opioid analgesics with muscle relaxants and/or benzodiazepines between tobacco users and non-users. METHODS Visit data were obtained from the 2006 to 2009 National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, an annual cross-sectional survey of visits to office-based physicians in outpatient settings in the United States. Our sample patients were aged ≥18 years and diagnosed with non-cancer back and neck pain. The χ2 test and multiple logistic regression analysis were used to assess bivariate and multivariate associations between prescription or co-prescription rates and tobacco use status. RESULTS We analyzed a total of 114,199,536 weighted visits (unweighted number: 3,521). Significant odds ratios (ORs) of tobacco users (vs non-users) for medical prescriptions were as follows: opioid analgesics, OR 2.14, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.64-2.80; muscle relaxants and opioid analgesics, OR 2.57, 95%CI 1.76-3.74; benzodiazepines and opioid analgesics, OR 3.66, 95%CI 2.11-6.35, and muscle relaxants, benzodiazepines, and opioid analgesics, OR 7.02, 95%CI 2.98-16.57. CONCLUSIONS AND SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE Tobacco users were more likely to receive prescriptions for opioid analgesics with muscle relaxants and/or benzodiazepines than non-users. Healthcare professionals need to limit co-prescription of opioid analgesics with muscle relaxants and/or benzodiazepines among tobacco users and provide a comprehensive approach to pain management. (Am J Addict 2019;XX:1-8).
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroko Takaki
- Department of Pharmaceutical Health Care and Sciences, Kyushu University Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Ichiro Ieiri
- Department of Pharmaceutical Health Care and Sciences, Kyushu University Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Hidetoshi Shibuta
- Department of Life and Welfare Information, Kindai University Kyushu Junior College, Iizuka, Japan
| | - Daisuke Onozuka
- Department of Health Care Administration and Management, Kyushu University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Akihito Hagihara
- Department of Health Care Administration and Management, Kyushu University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Fukuoka, Japan
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Argoff CE, Alford DP, Fudin J, Adler JA, Bair MJ, Dart RC, Gandolfi R, McCarberg BH, Stanos SP, Gudin JA, Polomano RC, Webster LR. Rational Urine Drug Monitoring in Patients Receiving Opioids for Chronic Pain: Consensus Recommendations. PAIN MEDICINE 2019; 19:97-117. [PMID: 29206984 PMCID: PMC6516588 DOI: 10.1093/pm/pnx285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Objective To develop consensus recommendations on urine drug monitoring (UDM) in patients with chronic pain who are prescribed opioids. Methods An interdisciplinary group of clinicians with expertise in pain, substance use disorders, and primary care conducted virtual meetings to review relevant literature and existing guidelines and share their clinical experience in UDM before reaching consensus recommendations. Results Definitive (e.g., chromatography-based) testing is recommended as most clinically appropriate for UDM because of its accuracy; however, institutional or payer policies may require initial use of presumptive testing (i.e., immunoassay). The rational choice of substances to analyze for UDM involves considerations that are specific to each patient and related to illicit drug availability. Appropriate opioid risk stratification is based on patient history (especially psychiatric conditions or history of opioid or substance use disorder), prescription drug monitoring program data, results from validated risk assessment tools, and previous UDM. Urine drug monitoring is suggested to be performed at baseline for most patients prescribed opioids for chronic pain and at least annually for those at low risk, two or more times per year for those at moderate risk, and three or more times per year for those at high risk. Additional UDM should be performed as needed on the basis of clinical judgment. Conclusions Although evidence on the efficacy of UDM in preventing opioid use disorder, overdose, and diversion is limited, UDM is recommended by the panel as part of ongoing comprehensive risk monitoring in patients prescribed opioids for chronic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles E Argoff
- Department of Neurology, Albany Medical Center, Albany, New York
| | - Daniel P Alford
- Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine and Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Jeffrey Fudin
- Scientific and Clinical Affairs, Remitigate, LLC, Delmar, New York
| | - Jeremy A Adler
- Pacific Pain Medicine Consultants, Encinitas, California
| | - Matthew J Bair
- HSR&D Center for Health Information and Communication, Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center, Indiana University School of Medicine, and Regenstrief Institute, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | | | | | - Bill H McCarberg
- Department of Family Medicine, University of California at San Diego School of Medicine, San Diego, California
| | - Steven P Stanos
- Swedish Pain Services, Swedish Health System, Seattle, Washington
| | - Jeffrey A Gudin
- Department of Pain Management and Palliative Care, Englewood Hospital and Medical Center, Englewood, New Jersey
| | - Rosemary C Polomano
- Department of Biobehavioral Health Sciences, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Lynn R Webster
- Scientific Affairs, PRA International, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
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Abstract
IMPORTANCE Benzodiazepines are implicated in a growing number of overdose-related deaths. OBJECTIVES To quantify patterns in outpatient benzodiazepine prescribing and to compare them across specialties and indications. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This serial cross-sectional study (January 1, 2003, through December 31, 2015) used nationally representative National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey data. The yearly population-based sample of outpatient visits among adults, ranging from 20 884 visits in 2003 (representing 737 million visits) to 24 273 visits in 2015 (representing 841 million visits) was analyzed. Prescribing patterns were examined by specialty and indication and used to calculate the annual coprescribing rate of benzodiazepines with other sedating medications. Data were analyzed from July 1, 2017, through November 30, 2018. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Annual benzodiazepine visit rate. RESULTS Among the 386 457 ambulatory care visits from 2003 through 2015, a total of 919 benzodiazepine visits occurred in 2003 and 1672 in 2015, nationally representing 27.6 million and 62.6 million visits, respectively. The benzodiazepine visit rate doubled from 3.8% (95% CI, 3.2%-4.4%) to 7.4% (95% CI, 6.4%-8.6%; P < .001) of visits. Visits to primary care physicians accounted for approximately half of all benzodiazepine visits (52.3% [95% CI, 50.0%-54.6%]). The benzodiazepine visit rate did not change among visits to psychiatrists (29.6% [95% CI, 23.3%-36.7%] in 2003 to 30.2% [95% CI, 25.6%-35.2%] in 2015; P = .90), but increased among all other physicians, including primary care physicians (3.6% [95% CI, 2.9%-4.4%] to 7.5% [95% CI, 6.0%-9.5%]; P < .001). The benzodiazepine visit rate increased slightly for anxiety and depression (26.6% [95% CI, 22.6%-31.0%] to 33.5% [95% CI, 28.8%-38.6%]; P = .003) and neurologic conditions (6.8% [95% CI, 4.8%-9.5%] to 8.7% [95% CI, 6.2%-12.1%]; P < .001), but more so for back and/or chronic pain (3.6% [95% CI, 2.6%-4.9%] to 8.5% [95% CI, 6.0%-11.9%]; P < .001) and other conditions (1.8% [95% CI, 1.4%-2.2%] to 4.4% [95% CI, 3.7%-5.2%]; P < .001); use did not change for insomnia (26.9% [95% CI, 19.3%-36.0%] to 25.6% [95% CI, 15.3%-39.6%]; P = .72). The coprescribing rate of benzodiazepines with opioids quadrupled from 0.5% (95% CI, 0.3%-0.7%) in 2003 to 2.0% (95% CI, 1.4%-2.7%) in 2015 (P < .001); the coprescribing rate with other sedating medications doubled from 0.7% (95% CI, 0.5%-0.9%) to 1.5% (95% CI, 1.1%-1.9%) (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE The outpatient use of benzodiazepines has increased substantially. In light of increasing rates of overdose deaths involving benzodiazepines, understanding and addressing prescribing patterns may help curb the growing use of benzodiazepines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sumit D. Agarwal
- Division of General Internal Medicine and Primary
Care, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston,
Massachusetts
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Bruce E. Landon
- Department of Health Care Policy, Harvard Medical
School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Division of General Medicine and Primary Care,
Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts
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Low Back Pain. Pain 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-99124-5_138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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70
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Veiga DR, Mendonça L, Sampaio R, Castro-Lopes JM, Azevedo LF. A Two-Year Prospective Multicenter Study of Opioid Therapy for Chronic Noncancer Pain: Prescription Trends and Predictors. PAIN MEDICINE 2018; 20:2166-2178. [DOI: 10.1093/pm/pny275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Objectives
Opioid use in chronic pain has increased worldwide in recent years. The aims of this study were to describe the trends and patterns of opioid therapy over two years of follow-up in a cohort of chronic noncancer pain (CNCP) patients and to assess predictors of long-term opioid use and clinical outcomes.
Methods
A prospective cohort study with two years of follow-up was undertaken in four multidisciplinary chronic pain clinics. Demographic data, pain characteristics, and opioid prescriptions were recorded at baseline, three, six, 12, and 24 months.
Results
Six hundred seventy-four CNCP patients were recruited. The prevalence of opioid prescriptions at baseline was 59.6% (N = 402), and 13% (N = 86) were strong opioid prescriptions. At 24 months, opioid prescription prevalence was as high as 74.3% (N = 501), and strong opioid prescription was 31% (N = 207). Most opioid users (71%, N = 479) maintained their prescription during the two years of follow-up. Our opioid discontinuation was very low (1%, N = 5). Opioid users reported higher severity and interference pain scores, both at baseline and after two years of follow-up. Opioid use was independently associated with continuous pain, pain location in the lower limbs, and higher pain interference scores.
Conclusions
This study describes a pattern of increasing opioid prescription in chronic pain patients. Despite the limited improvement of clinical outcomes, most patients keep their long-term opioid prescriptions. Our results underscore the need for changes in clinical practice and further research into the effectiveness and safety of chronic opioid therapy for CNPC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dalila R Veiga
- Anesthesiology Department-Chronic Pain Center, Centro Hospitalar Universitário do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Liliane Mendonça
- Centro Nacional de Observação em Dor – OBSERVDOR, Porto, Portugal
| | - Rute Sampaio
- Departamento de Biomedicina - Unidade de Biologia Experimental, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade do Porto, Portugal
- i3S—Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- IBMC—Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Porto, Portugal
| | - José M Castro-Lopes
- Centro Nacional de Observação em Dor – OBSERVDOR, Porto, Portugal
- Departamento de Biomedicina - Unidade de Biologia Experimental, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade do Porto, Portugal
- i3S—Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- IBMC—Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Luís F Azevedo
- Centro Nacional de Observação em Dor – OBSERVDOR, Porto, Portugal
- CINTESIS - Center for Health Technology and Services Research, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- MEDCIDS - Departamento de Medicina da Comunidade Informação e Decisão em Saúde, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
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Heins SE, Sorbero MJ, Jones CM, Dick AW, Stein BD. High-Risk Prescribing to Medicaid Enrollees Receiving Opioid Analgesics: Individual- and County-Level Factors. Subst Use Misuse 2018; 53:1591-1601. [PMID: 29303393 PMCID: PMC6033690 DOI: 10.1080/10826084.2017.1416407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prescription opioid overdoses have increased dramatically in recent years, with the highest rates among Medicaid enrollees. High-risk prescribing includes practices associated with overdoses and a range of additional opioid-related problems. OBJECTIVES To identify individual- and county-level factors associated with high-risk prescribing among Medicaid enrollees receiving opioids. METHODS In a four-states, cross-sectional claims data study, Medicaid enrollees 18-64 years old with a new opioid analgesic treatment episode 2007-2009 were identified. Multivariate regression analyses were conducted to identify factors associated with high-risk prescribing, defined as high-dose opioid prescribing (morphine equivalent daily dose ≥100 mg for >6 days), opioid overlap, opioid-benzodiazepine overlap. RESULTS High-risk prescribing occurred in 39.4% of episodes. Older age, rural county of residence, white race, and major depression diagnosis were associated with higher rates of all types of high-risk prescribing. Individuals with prior opioid, alcohol, and hypnotic/sedative use disorder diagnoses had lower odds of high-dose opioid prescribing but higher odds of opioid overlap and opioid-benzodiazepine overlap than individuals without such disorders. High-dose opioid prescribing in Massachusetts was less common than in California, Illinois, and New York, whereas the rate of benzodiazepine overlap in Massachusetts was more common than in other states. Conclusions/Importance: High-risk prescribing was common and associated with several important demographic, clinical, and community factors. Findings can be used to inform targeted interventions designed to reduce such prescribing, and given state variation observed, further research is needed to better understand the effects of state policies on high-risk prescribing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara E Heins
- a RAND Corporation , Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania , USA.,b Department of Health Policy and Management , Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health , Baltimore , Maryland , USA
| | | | - Christopher M Jones
- c Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services , Washington , DC , USA
| | - Andrew W Dick
- a RAND Corporation , Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania , USA
| | - Bradley D Stein
- a RAND Corporation , Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania , USA.,d Department of Psychiatry , University of Pittsburgh , Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania , USA
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Zhu Y, Coyle DT, Mohamoud M, Zhou E, Eworuke E, Dormitzer C, Staffa J. Concomitant use of buprenorphine for medication-assisted treatment of opioid use disorder and benzodiazepines: Using the prescription behavior surveillance system. Drug Alcohol Depend 2018; 187:221-226. [PMID: 29680678 PMCID: PMC8978454 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2018.02.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2017] [Revised: 02/20/2018] [Accepted: 02/25/2018] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite clinical guidelines discouraging the practice, it is well-documented that the concomitant use of benzodiazepines and opioid analgesics occurs regularly. Information on concomitant use of buprenorphine for medication-assisted treatment (MAT) of opioid use disorder (OUD) and benzodiazepines, however, is limited. Thus, we aimed to describe real-world drug dispensing patterns for the concomitant use of buprenorphine products approved for MAT and benzodiazepines. METHODS We examined concomitant use of buprenorphine for MAT and benzodiazepines using the 2013 Prescription Behavior Surveillance System data from eight states. For prescription-level analysis, we estimated the proportion of concomitant buprenorphine and benzodiazepine prescriptions and the proportions of concomitant prescriptions prescribed by the same provider (co-prescribing) and dispensed by the same pharmacy (co-dispensing) for each state. For patient-level analysis, we calculated the proportion of patients with ≥1 buprenorphine therapy episode overlapping with a benzodiazepine episode, i.e., concomitant users, and the proportion of concomitant users who experienced co-prescribing or co-dispensing. RESULTS In 2013, 1,925,072 prescriptions of buprenorphine products for MAT were dispensed to 190,907 patients in eight states. Approximately 1 in 8 buprenorphine prescriptions was used concomitantly with ≥1 benzodiazepine prescription(s). Co-prescribing proportions ranged from 22.2 to 64.6% across states, while co-dispensing proportions ranged from 54.7 to 91.0%. Approximately 17.7% of patients had >1 buprenorphine episode overlapping a benzodiazepine episode for ≥7 cumulative days' supply. Among these patients, 33.1-65.2% experienced co-prescribing, and 65.1-93.3% experienced co-dispensing. CONCLUSIONS The concomitant use of buprenorphine for MAT and benzodiazepines occurs frequently, with variations by state in co-prescribing and co-dispensing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanmin Zhu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, 1225 Center Drive, HPNP Building, Rm 3334, P.O. Box 100496, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA.
| | - D. Tyler Coyle
- Office of Surveillance and Epidemiology, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, United States Food and Drug Administration, 10903 New Hampshire Avenue, Silver Spring MD 20993, USA
| | - Mohamed Mohamoud
- Office of Surveillance and Epidemiology, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, United States Food and Drug Administration, 10903 New Hampshire Avenue, Silver Spring MD 20993, USA
| | - Esther Zhou
- Office of Surveillance and Epidemiology, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, United States Food and Drug Administration, 10903 New Hampshire Avenue, Silver Spring MD 20993, USA
| | - Efe Eworuke
- Office of Surveillance and Epidemiology, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, United States Food and Drug Administration, 10903 New Hampshire Avenue, Silver Spring MD 20993, USA
| | - Catherine Dormitzer
- Office of Surveillance and Epidemiology, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, United States Food and Drug Administration, 10903 New Hampshire Avenue, Silver Spring MD 20993, USA
| | - Judy Staffa
- Office of Surveillance and Epidemiology, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, United States Food and Drug Administration, 10903 New Hampshire Avenue, Silver Spring MD 20993, USA
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Landsman-Blumberg PB, Katz N, Gajria K, Coutinho AD, Yeung PP, White R. Burden of Alcohol Abuse or Dependence Among Long-Term Opioid Users with Chronic Noncancer Pain. J Manag Care Spec Pharm 2018. [PMID: 28650247 PMCID: PMC10397637 DOI: 10.18553/jmcp.2017.23.7.718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Substance abuse disorders among chronic noncancer pain (CNCP) patients add to the clinical challenges and economic burden of caring for such patients. Despite potential risks, some CNCP patients with a history of alcohol abuse or dependence (AAD) and pain that is refractory to nonopioid treatment options may still need opioids for pain management. However, there is a lack of data on adverse outcomes in long-term opioid users with CNCP and a history of substance abuse or AAD disorders. OBJECTIVE To compare adverse outcomes and all-cause health care costs among CNCP patients on long-term opioid treatment with and without a previous diagnosis of AAD. METHODS Using MarketScan claims databases (2006-2012), CNCP patients with ≥ 90 days of opioid supply after CNCP diagnosis and continuous enrollment 12 months before CNCP diagnosis (baseline period) and 12 months after opioid start (post-index period) were identified. AAD was defined by diagnosis codes at any time before opioid initiation. Outcomes included opioid overdose, accident, and injury episodes identified by ICD-9-CM diagnoses codes. T-tests and Mann-Whitney tests compared continuous measures, and chi-square and Fisher's exact tests compared categorical measures between those with and without AAD. Multivariable analyses for outcomes were conducted, adjusting for baseline differences between cohorts. RESULTS Of 21,203 CNCP patients with long-term opioid treatment, 750 (3.5%) had an AAD diagnosis before opioid initiation. AAD patients were significantly younger (48.4 [SD ± 11.4] years vs. 52.8 [SD ± 14.8] years), less likely to be enrolled in Medicare (17% commercial vs. 4% Medicare), and more likely to be male (67% vs. 48%; all P < 0.001). There were no differences in type or number of CNCP diagnoses or Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) scores. Patients with AAD had significantly higher rates of depression and anxiety diagnoses, antidepressant and benzodiazepine use, and drug abuse/dependence diagnoses in the baseline period. Twelvemonth post-index rates of opioid overdose (1.2% vs. 0.2%), accident (7.3% vs. 2.8%), and injury (46.1% vs. 36.8%) were greater in the AAD cohort (all P < 0.001). The differences were nonsignificant for accidents in multivariable analyses. While mean prescription costs were similar ($3,562 vs. $3,312; P = 0.212), AAD patients had significantly higher mean all-cause medical costs ($28,429 vs. $22,082; P < 0.001) and significantly higher all-cause total health care costs ($31,991 vs. $25,395; P < 0.001). The cost differences remained significant in multivariable analyses. CONCLUSIONS In the first year after long-term opioid initiation, CNCP patients with a previous AAD diagnosis had 5 times the rate of opioid overdose, 2.3 times the rate of accidents, 1.2 times the rate of injury, and higher all-cause health care costs compared with those not diagnosed with AAD. DISCLOSURES Funding for this research study and resultant publication was provided by Teva Global Health Economics and Outcomes Research, which fully reviewed the manuscript. Gajria and Yeung are employees of Teva Pharmaceuticals. White was an employee of Teva Pharmaceuticals at the time this research was conducted. Blumberg and Coutinho are employees of Xcenda, which received research funding from Teva Pharmaceuticals for the conduct of this study and for the preparation of this manuscript. Katz has received research funding and consulting fees from Teva Pharmaceuticals unrelated to this study. Study concept and design were contributed by Katz, White, and Blumberg, along with Coutinho and Yeung. Coutinho took the lead in data collection, assisted by the other authors. Data interpretation was performed by Blumberg, Katz, and Gajria, along with the other authors. The manuscript was written by Gajria, Yeung, Coutinho, and Blumberg, along with Katz and White, and revised by Gajria, Blumberg, Katz, and Coutinho, along with Yeung and White.
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Dwyer MK, Tumpowsky CM, Hiltz NL, Lee J, Healy WL, Bedair HS. Characterization of Post-Operative Opioid Use Following Total Joint Arthroplasty. J Arthroplasty 2018; 33:668-672. [PMID: 29128235 DOI: 10.1016/j.arth.2017.10.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2017] [Revised: 10/04/2017] [Accepted: 10/04/2017] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The purpose of our study is to examine post-operative opioid use in total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) patients and describe factors associated with the need for refill prescriptions. METHODS Using online prescription information, we calculated the number of filled prescriptions, total morphine equivalent dose (MED) and quantity of pills, and date of last opioid prescription (days) for 197 TKA and 186 THA patients. Patients were classified based on refill status. Opioid data were compared between TKA and THA patients. Relationships between comorbidities and refill status were examined. RESULTS Number of prescriptions (P < .001), total quantity (P < .001) and MED (P < .001), and days on opioids (P < .001) were greater for TKA patients. TKA patients required more refills (P < .001) for a greater quantity of pills (P = .007). The presence of a comorbidity (P = .003) or anxiety/depression (P = .004) were correlated with refills for TKA patients only. A comorbidity increased the risk of refills by 3.1 times, while anxiety/depression had a 2.5 times greater risk of refills. CONCLUSION Compared to THA patients, TKA patients were twice as likely to require refill opioid prescriptions and were prescribed a greater total MED for a longer period of time post-operatively. Patients undergoing TKA who present with a comorbidity or are currently being treated for anxiety or depression are more likely to require a refill.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maureen K Dwyer
- Kaplan Joint Center, Newton-Wellesley Hospital, Newton, Massachusetts; Department of Orthopedics, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | | | - Nancy L Hiltz
- Kaplan Joint Center, Newton-Wellesley Hospital, Newton, Massachusetts
| | - JoAnn Lee
- Kaplan Joint Center, Newton-Wellesley Hospital, Newton, Massachusetts
| | - William L Healy
- Kaplan Joint Center, Newton-Wellesley Hospital, Newton, Massachusetts
| | - Hany S Bedair
- Kaplan Joint Center, Newton-Wellesley Hospital, Newton, Massachusetts; Department of Orthopedics, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
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Inacio MCS, Cashman K, Pratt NL, Gillam MH, Caughey G, Graves SE, Roughead EE. Prevalence and changes in analgesic medication utilisation 1 year prior to total joint replacement in an older cohort of patients. Osteoarthritis Cartilage 2018; 26:356-362. [PMID: 29258881 DOI: 10.1016/j.joca.2017.11.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2017] [Revised: 10/24/2017] [Accepted: 11/01/2017] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To evaluate the prevalence and change in analgesic medications use prior to joint replacement in older patients between 2001 and 2012. METHODS A population based epidemiological study was conducted. Opioids, non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs), paracetamol, corticosteroid injections, medications for neuropathic pain, hypnotics, and muscle relaxants supplied 1 year prior to total knee replacement (TKR, n = 15,517) and hip replacement (THR, n = 10,018) were assessed. Patient characteristics and surgical indication adjusted prevalence ratios (PRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) are provided. RESULTS From 2001 to 2012, in the TKR cohort (median age 78.9) the prevalence of opioid use prior to surgery increased from 37% to 49% (PR = 1.01, 95% CI 1.00-1.01, P = 0.01), while in the THR cohort (median age 81.1) it increased from 44% to 54% (PR = 1.01, 95% CI 1.01-1.02, P < 0.001). Paracetamol use increased from 52% to 61% (PR = 1.0, 95% CI 1.0-1.0, P = 0.913) in the TKR cohort and from 55% to 67% (PR = 1.01, 95% CI 1.00-1.01, P = 0.005) in the THR cohort. Neuropathic pain medication use increased from 5% to 11% in the TKR cohort (PR = 1.04, 95% CI 1.02-1.06, P < 0.0001) and from 6% to 12% in the THR cohort (PR = 1.06, 95% CI 1.04-1.09, P < 0.0001). NSAID use decreased from 76% to 50% in the TKR cohort (PR = 0.96, 95% CI 0.95-0.96, P < 0.0001), and from 81% to 47% in THR cohort (PR = 0.95, 95% CI 0.94-0.95, P < 0.0001). Corticosteroid injections prevalence also decreased (TKR: 21-18%, PR = 0.97, 95% CI 0.96-0.97, P < 0.001, THR: 18-17%, PR = 0.97, 95% CI 0.96-0.98, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION Pain medication utilization prior to joint replacement surgery changed significantly in this national older cohort of patients during the 2000s.
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Affiliation(s)
- M C S Inacio
- Medicine and Device Surveillance Centre of Research Excellence, Sansom Institute, School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia
| | - K Cashman
- Medicine and Device Surveillance Centre of Research Excellence, Sansom Institute, School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia
| | - N L Pratt
- Medicine and Device Surveillance Centre of Research Excellence, Sansom Institute, School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia
| | - M H Gillam
- Medicine and Device Surveillance Centre of Research Excellence, Sansom Institute, School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia
| | - G Caughey
- Medicine and Device Surveillance Centre of Research Excellence, Sansom Institute, School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia.
| | - S E Graves
- Australian Orthopaedic Association, National Total Joint Replacement Registry, Adelaide, Australia
| | - E E Roughead
- Medicine and Device Surveillance Centre of Research Excellence, Sansom Institute, School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia
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Sabatino MJ, Kunkel ST, Ramkumar DB, Keeney BJ, Jevsevar DS. Excess Opioid Medication and Variation in Prescribing Patterns Following Common Orthopaedic Procedures. J Bone Joint Surg Am 2018; 100:180-188. [PMID: 29406338 PMCID: PMC6818977 DOI: 10.2106/jbjs.17.00672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 223] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Postoperative pain management in orthopaedic surgery accounts for a substantial portion of opioid medications prescribed in the United States. Understanding prescribing habits and patient utilization of these medications following a surgical procedure is critical to establishing appropriate prescribing protocols that effectively control pain while minimizing unused opioid distribution. We evaluated prescribing habits and patient utilization following elective orthopaedic surgical procedures to identify ways of improving postoperative opioid-prescribing practices. METHODS We performed a review of prescribing data of 1,199 procedures and gathered telephone survey results from 557 patients to determine the number of opioid pills prescribed postoperatively and the number of unused pills. The data were collected from adult patients who underwent 1 of the 5 most common elective orthopaedic procedures at our institution in fiscal year 2015: total hip arthroplasty, total knee arthroplasty, endoscopic carpal tunnel release, arthroscopic rotator cuff repair, or lumbar decompression. We converted all dosages to opioid equivalents of oxycodone 5 mg and performed analyses of prescribing patterns, patient utilization, and patient disposal of unused opioids. RESULTS Prescribing patterns following the 5 orthopaedic procedures showed wide variation. The median numbers of oxycodone 5-mg equivalent opioid pills prescribed upon discharge were 90 pills (range, 20 to 330 pills) for total hip arthroplasty, 90 pills (range, 10 to 200 pills) for total knee arthroplasty, 20 pills (range, 0 to 168 pills) for endoscopic carpal tunnel release, 80 pills (range, 18 to 100 pills) for arthroscopic rotator cuff repair, and 80 pills (range, 10 to 270 pills) for lumbar decompression. Thirty-seven percent of patients overall requested and received at least 1 refill. The mean number of total pills prescribed (and standard deviation) including refills was 113.6 ± 75.7 for total hip arthroplasty, 176.4 ± 108.0 for total knee arthroplasty, 24.3 ± 29.0 for carpal tunnel release, 98.2 ± 59.6 for rotator cuff repair, and 107.4 ± 64.4 for lumbar decompression. Participants reported unused opioid medication in 61% of cases. During the study year, >43,000 unused opioid pills were prescribed. Forty-one percent of patients reported appropriate disposal of unused opioid pills. CONCLUSIONS Prescribing patterns vary widely, and a large amount of opioid medications remains unused following elective orthopaedic surgical procedures. Effective prescribing protocols are needed to limit this source of potential abuse and opioid diversion within the community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J. Sabatino
- Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire,E-mail address for M.J. Sabatino:
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Kim HS, McCarthy DM, Hoppe JA, Mark Courtney D, Lambert BL. Emergency Department Provider Perspectives on Benzodiazepine-Opioid Coprescribing: A Qualitative Study. Acad Emerg Med 2018; 25:15-24. [PMID: 28791786 DOI: 10.1111/acem.13273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2017] [Revised: 07/21/2017] [Accepted: 08/04/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Benzodiazepines and opioids are prescribed simultaneously (i.e., "coprescribed") in many clinical settings, despite guidelines advising against this practice and mounting evidence that concomitant use of both medications increases overdose risk. This study sought to characterize the contexts in which benzodiazepine-opioid coprescribing occurs and providers' reasons for coprescribing. METHODS We conducted focus groups with emergency department (ED) providers (resident and attending physicians, advanced practice providers, and pharmacists) from three hospitals using semistructured interviews to elicit perspectives on benzodiazepine-opioid coprescribing. Discussions were audio-recorded and transcribed. We performed qualitative content analysis of the resulting transcripts using a consensual qualitative research approach, aiming to identify priority categories that describe the phenomenon of benzodiazepine-opioid coprescribing. RESULTS Participants acknowledged coprescribing rarely and reluctantly and often provided specific discharge instructions when coprescribing. The decision to coprescribe is multifactorial, often isolated to specific clinical and situational contexts (e.g., low back pain, failed solitary opioid therapy) and strongly influenced by a provider's beliefs about the efficacy of combination therapy. The decision to coprescribe is further influenced by a self-imposed pressure to escalate care or avoid hospital admission. When considering potential interventions to reduce the incidence of coprescribing, participants opposed computerized alerts but were supportive of a pharmacist-assisted intervention. Many providers found the process of participating in peer discussions on prescribing habits to be beneficial. CONCLUSIONS In this qualitative study of ED providers, we found that benzodiazepine-opioid coprescribing occurs in specific clinical and situational contexts, such as the treatment of low back pain or failed solitary opioid therapy. The decision to coprescribe is strongly influenced by a provider's beliefs and by self-imposed pressure to escalate care or avoid admission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Howard S. Kim
- Department of Emergency Medicine Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine Chicago IL
| | - Danielle M. McCarthy
- Department of Emergency Medicine Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine Chicago IL
| | - Jason A. Hoppe
- Department of Emergency Medicine University of Colorado School of Medicine Aurora CO
- Rocky Mountain Poison & Drug Center Denver CO
| | - D. Mark Courtney
- Department of Emergency Medicine Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine Chicago IL
| | - Bruce L. Lambert
- Department of Communication Studies Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine Chicago IL
- Department of Medical Social Sciences Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine Chicago IL
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Hirschtritt ME, Delucchi KL, Olfson M. Outpatient, combined use of opioid and benzodiazepine medications in the United States, 1993-2014. Prev Med Rep 2017; 9:49-54. [PMID: 29340270 PMCID: PMC5766756 DOI: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2017.12.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2017] [Revised: 12/12/2017] [Accepted: 12/18/2017] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The combined use of opioid and benzodiazepine medications increases the risk of hazardous effects, such as respiratory depression. Although recent increases in outpatient use of opioid prescriptions have been documented, there are limited data regarding rates and correlates of combined opioid and benzodiazepines among adults in outpatient settings. Our objective was to examine annual trends in outpatient visits including opioids, benzodiazepines, and their combination among adults as well as clinical and demographic correlates. We used data from the 1993–2014 National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS) among non-elderly (i.e., ages 18–64 years) adults to examine the probability of a visit including an opioid, benzodiazepine, or their combination, in addition to clinical and demographic correlates. From 1993 to 2014, benzodiazepines-with-opioids visits increased from 9.8 to 62.5 (OR = 9.23, 95% CI = 5.45–15.65) per 10,000 visits. Highest-represented groups among benzodiazepines-with-opioids visits were older (50–64 years) (49.1%), white (88.8%), commercially insured (58.0%) patients during their first visit (87.6%) to a primary-care physician (41.9%). We identified a significant increase in the outpatient co-prescription of opioids and benzodiazepines, notably among adults aged 50–64 years during primary-care visits. Educational and policy changes to provide alternatives to benzodiazepine-with-opioid co-prescription and limiting opioid prescription to pain specialists may reduce rates of this potentially hazardous combination. Current guidelines for prescribing opioids recommend against co-administration with benzodiazepines Concurrent use of opioids and benzodiazepines increases the risk of overdose, respiratory depression, and death. We examined 22 years of outpatient prescribing patterns of opioids and benzodiazepines using a survey of US physicians. Over this period, visits with both opioids and benzodiazepines increased from roughly 9.8 to 62.5 per 10,000 visits. These visits were more likely among older (50–64 years), white, privately insured patients with a low-back pain diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew E Hirschtritt
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, 401 Parnassus Ave, Box 0984-RTP, San Francisco, CA 94143, United States
| | - Kevin L Delucchi
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, 401 Parnassus Ave, Box 0984, San Francisco, CA 94143, United States
| | - Mark Olfson
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University and New York State Psychiatric Institute, 1051 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10032, United States
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Knight KR. Women on the Edge: Opioids, Benzodiazepines, and the Social Anxieties Surrounding Women's Reproduction in the U.S. "Opioid Epidemic". CONTEMPORARY DRUG PROBLEMS 2017; 44:301-320. [PMID: 31537950 PMCID: PMC6752216 DOI: 10.1177/0091450917740359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The current "opioid epidemic" provides an opportunity to identify age-old social anxieties about drug use while opening up new lines of inquiry about how and why drug use epidemics become gendered. This paper reflects on the intertwined phenomena of opioid and benzodiazepine prescribing to U.S. women to examine how gender, race, and class inform social anxieties about reproduction and parenting. Multiple discourses abound about the relationship between women and the "opioid epidemic." Epidemiological reports attribute premature death among White women to the deadly combination of opioids and antianxiety medications. The National Institute on Drug Abuse reports that "every 25 minutes a baby is born suffering from opioid withdrawal," leading to costly hospital stays for infants and the potential for mother-child separation and other forms of family adjudication postpartum. Primary care providers are reluctant to distinguish diagnoses of chronic noncancer pain from anxiety among their female patients. Taken together, these discourses beg the question: What exactly are we worried about? I compare and contrast the narratives of two anxious women on opioids to raise larger structural questions about pregnancy, parenting, and drug use and to interrogate the public narrative that women on opioids threaten the American family and thwart the American Dream.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly R. Knight
- Department of Anthropology, History, and Social Medicine (DAHSM), University of California–San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
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80
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Long-term use of opioids for nonmalignant pain among community-dwelling persons with and without Alzheimer disease in Finland: a nationwide register-based study. Pain 2017; 158:252-260. [PMID: 28092324 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000000752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Persons with Alzheimer disease (AD) commonly present with chronic nonmalignant pain, but long-term use of opioids among this population has not been studied previously. Our aim was to investigate the prevalence of long-term (≥180 days) use of opioids for nonmalignant pain and associated factors among community-dwelling persons with AD and to compare the prevalence with a matched cohort without AD. The Medication use and Alzheimer's disease (MEDALZ) cohort was used for this study, comprising all community-dwelling persons diagnosed with AD in Finland during 2005 to 2011 and their matched comparison persons without AD. After exclusion of persons with active cancer treatment, 62,074 persons with and 62,074 persons without AD were included in this study. Data were collected from nationwide registers. Opioids were used by 13,111 persons with and by 16,659 without AD. Overall long-term opioid use was more common among persons without AD (8.7%) than among persons with AD (7.2%, P < 0.0001). However, among opioid users, prevalence of long-term opioid use was slightly higher among persons with AD than among those without AD (34.2% vs 32.3%, respectively, P = 0.0004). Long-term use of transdermal opioids was more than 2-fold among opioid users with AD (13.2%) compared with users without AD (5.5%). Factors associated with long-term opioid use included AD, age ≥80 years, female sex, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, low socioeconomic position, history of substance abuse, and long-term benzodiazepine use. Prevalence of long-term opioid use was somewhat similar among both groups. Among persons with AD, long-term opioid use was strongly associated with transdermal opioids.
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81
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Quinn PD, Hur K, Chang Z, Krebs EE, Bair MJ, Scott EL, Rickert ME, Gibbons RD, Kroenke K, D'Onofrio BM. Incident and long-term opioid therapy among patients with psychiatric conditions and medications: a national study of commercial health care claims. Pain 2017; 158:140-148. [PMID: 27984526 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000000730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
There is growing evidence that opioid prescribing in the United States follows a pattern in which patients who are at the highest risk of adverse outcomes from opioids are more likely to receive long-term opioid therapy. These patients include, in particular, those with substance use disorders (SUDs) and other psychiatric conditions. This study examined health insurance claims among 10,311,961 patients who filled prescriptions for opioids. Specifically, we evaluated how opioid receipt differed among patients with and without a wide range of preexisting psychiatric and behavioral conditions (ie, opioid and nonopioid SUDs, suicide attempts or other self-injury, motor vehicle crashes, and depressive, anxiety, and sleep disorders) and psychoactive medications (ie, antidepressants, benzodiazepines, hypnotics, mood stabilizers, antipsychotics, and medications used for SUD, tobacco cessation, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder). Relative to those without, patients with all assessed psychiatric conditions and medications had modestly greater odds of subsequently filling prescriptions for opioids and, in particular, substantially greater risk of long-term opioid receipt. Increases in risk for long-term opioid receipt in adjusted Cox regressions ranged from approximately 1.5-fold for prior attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder medication prescriptions (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.53; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.48-1.58) to approximately 3-fold for prior nonopioid SUD diagnoses (HR = 3.15; 95% CI, 3.06-3.24) and nearly 9-fold for prior opioid use disorder diagnoses (HR = 8.70; 95% CI, 8.20-9.24). In sum, we found evidence of greater opioid receipt among commercially insured patients with a breadth of psychiatric conditions. Future studies assessing behavioral outcomes associated with opioid prescribing should consider preexisting psychiatric conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick D Quinn
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, MN, USA.,Center for Health Statistics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Kwan Hur
- Center for Health Statistics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Zheng Chang
- Center for Health Statistics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.,Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Erin E Krebs
- VA HSR&D Center for Chronic Disease Outcomes Research, Minneapolis VA Health Care System, Minneapolis, MN, USA.,University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Matthew J Bair
- VA HSR&D Center for Health Information and Communication, Roudebush VA Medical Center, Indianapolis, IN, USA.,Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA.,Regenstrief Institute, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Eric L Scott
- Department of Pediatrics and Communicable Diseases and Department of Anesthesiology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Martin E Rickert
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, MN, USA
| | - Robert D Gibbons
- Center for Health Statistics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Kurt Kroenke
- VA HSR&D Center for Health Information and Communication, Roudebush VA Medical Center, Indianapolis, IN, USA.,Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA.,Regenstrief Institute, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Brian M D'Onofrio
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, MN, USA
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Opioid Prescription Drug Use and Expenditures in US Outpatient Physician Offices: Evidence from Two Nationally Representative Surveys. CANCER THERAPY & ONCOLOGY INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL 2017; 3. [PMID: 28845476 DOI: 10.19080/ctoij.2017.03.555611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Opioids are widely prescribed for their analgesic properties. Chronic opioid use is a persistent problem in the US. Nevertheless, little is known about its prescribing and utilization patterns and overall expenditures. OBJECTIVE This study examined secular trends in opioid prescription drug utilization and expenditures, along with factors associated with opioid prescription drug use in US physician offices. METHODS National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS) and Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) data (2006-2010), both nationally representative surveys, were used to assess the trend, predictors of opioid prescription among US adults (more than 18 years) and the opioid-associated expenditures as a whole and borne by the patients in outpatient settings. RESULTS Opioid prescription drugs use among US adults in outpatient settings, as a percentage of all prescription drugs, showed a gradual increase since 2006, leveling off in 2010. Opioid prescription drug expenditures showed an upward trend from 2009 after declining over three years. Mean out-of-pocket payments per prescription steadily declined over study period. LIMITATIONS Cross-sectional nature and visit based information of NAMCS do not provide the actual prevalence and the reason for opioid prescription. CONCLUSIONS Given the upward trend in opioid prescription drug utilization and associated expenditures, clinicians may benefit from evidence-based methods of monitoring prescription opioid use to prevent misuse, abuse, and other adverse patient outcomes. FUNDING Drs. Qureshi, Haider, Ball, Horner and Bennett's efforts are partially supported by the University of South Carolina's ASPIRE I. Dr. Wooten's effort is funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (K01DA037412).
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83
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84
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Mosher HJ, Richardson KK, Lund BC. Sedative Prescriptions Are Common at Opioid Initiation: An Observational Study in the Veterans Health Administration. PAIN MEDICINE 2017; 19:788-792. [DOI: 10.1093/pm/pnx031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Hilary J Mosher
- Center for Comprehensive Access and Delivery Research and Evaluation (CADRE), Iowa City VA Healthcare System, Iowa City, Iowa
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - Kelly K Richardson
- Center for Comprehensive Access and Delivery Research and Evaluation (CADRE), Iowa City VA Healthcare System, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - Brian C Lund
- Center for Comprehensive Access and Delivery Research and Evaluation (CADRE), Iowa City VA Healthcare System, Iowa City, Iowa
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Iowa College of Public Health, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
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85
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Kim HS, McCarthy DM, Mark Courtney D, Lank PM, Lambert BL. Benzodiazepine-opioid co-prescribing in a national probability sample of ED encounters. Am J Emerg Med 2017; 35:458-464. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ajem.2016.11.054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2016] [Revised: 11/21/2016] [Accepted: 11/28/2016] [Indexed: 10/20/2022] Open
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86
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Chronic pain is usually managed by various pharmacotherapies after exhausting the conservative modalities such as over-the-counter choices. The goal of this review is to investigate current state of opioids and non-opioid medication overuse that includes NSAIDs, skeletal muscle relaxants, antidepressants, membrane stabilization agents, and benzodiazepine. How to minimize medication overuse and achieve better outcome in chronic pain management? RECENT FINDINGS Although antidepressants and membrane stabilization agents contribute to the crucial components for neuromodulation, opioids were frequently designated as a rescue remedy in chronic pain since adjunct analgesics usually do not provide instantaneous relief. The updated CDC guideline for prescribing opioids has gained widespread attention via media exposure. Both patients and prescribers are alerted to respond to the opioid epidemic and numerous complications. However, there has been overuse of non-opioid adjunct analgesics that caused significant adverse effects in addition to concurrent opioid consumption. It is a common practice to extrapolate the WHO three-step analgesic ladder for cancer pain to apply in non-cancer pain that emphasizes solely on pharmacologic therapy which may result in overuse and escalation of opioids in non-cancer pain. There has been promising progress in non-pharmacologic therapies such as biofeedback, complementary, and alternative medicine to facilitate pain control instead of dependency on pharmacologic therapies. This review article presents the current state of medication overuse in chronic pain and proposes precaution to balance the risk and benefit ratio. It may serve as a premier for future study on clinical pathway for comprehensive chronic pain management and reduce medication overuse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric S Hsu
- Comprehensive Pain Center, Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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87
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Johnson SP, Chung KC, Zhong L, Shauver MJ, Engelsbe MJ, Brummett C, Waljee JF. Risk of Prolonged Opioid Use Among Opioid-Naïve Patients Following Common Hand Surgery Procedures. J Hand Surg Am 2016; 41:947-957.e3. [PMID: 27692801 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhsa.2016.07.113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 275] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2016] [Revised: 07/25/2016] [Accepted: 07/29/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE To evaluate prolonged opioid use in opioid-naïve patients after common hand surgery procedures in the United States. METHODS We studied insurance claims from the Truven MarketScan databases to identify opioid-naïve adult patients (no opioid exposure 11 months before the perioperative period) who underwent an elective (carpal tunnel release, carpometacarpal arthroplasty/arthrodesis, cubital tunnel release, or trigger finger release) or trauma-related (closed distal radius fracture fixation, flexor tendon repair, metacarpal fracture fixation, or phalangeal fracture fixation) hand surgery procedure between 2010 and 2012 (N = 77,573 patients). Patients were observed for 6 months to determine the number, timing, duration, and oral morphine equivalent dosage of postoperative opioid prescriptions. We assessed prolonged postoperative opioid use, defined as patients who filled a perioperative opioid prescription followed by a prescription between 90 and 180 days after surgery, and evaluated associated risk factors using multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS In this cohort, 59,725 opioid-naïve patients (77%) filled a perioperative opioid prescription. Of these, 13% of patients continued to fill prescriptions between 90 and 180 days after surgery. Elective surgery patients were more likely to continue to fill opioid prescriptions after 90 days compared with trauma patients (13.5% vs 10.5%). Younger age, female gender, lower income, comprehensive insurance, higher Elixhauser comorbidity index, mental health disorders, and tobacco dependence or abuse were associated with prolonged opioid use. CONCLUSIONS Approximately 13% of opioid-naïve patients continue to fill opioid prescriptions after hand surgery procedures 90 days after surgery. Preoperative interventions centered on opioid alternatives and early cessation, particularly among patients at risk for long-term use, is critical to addressing the prescription opioid crisis in the United States. CLINICAL RELEVANCE The current national opioid use epidemic requires an assessment of the prevalence of hand surgery patients who receive and fill opioid prescriptions after common hand surgery procedures.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kevin C Chung
- Department of Surgery, Section of Plastic Surgery, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, MI
| | - Lin Zhong
- Department of Surgery, Section of Plastic Surgery, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, MI
| | - Melissa J Shauver
- Department of Surgery, Section of Plastic Surgery, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, MI
| | - Michael J Engelsbe
- Department of Surgery, Section of Transplant Surgery, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, MI
| | - Chad Brummett
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, MI
| | - Jennifer F Waljee
- Department of Surgery, Section of Plastic Surgery, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, MI.
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88
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Kripke DF. Hypnotic drug risks of mortality, infection, depression, and cancer: but lack of benefit. F1000Res 2016; 5:918. [PMID: 27303633 PMCID: PMC4890308 DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.8729.2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/09/2017] [Indexed: 09/02/2023] Open
Abstract
This is a review of hypnotic drug risks and benefits, reassessing and updating advice presented to the Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (United States FDA). Almost every month, new information appears about the risks of hypnotics (sleeping pills). The most important risks of hypnotics include excess mortality, especially overdose deaths, quiet deaths at night, infections, cancer, depression and suicide, automobile crashes, falls, and other accidents, and hypnotic-withdrawal insomnia. Short-term use of one-two prescriptions is associated with greater risk per dose than long-term use. Hypnotics have usually been prescribed without approved indication, most often with specific contraindications, but even when indicated, there is little or no benefit. The recommended doses objectively increase sleep little if at all, daytime performance is often made worse, not better, and the lack of general health benefits is commonly misrepresented in advertising. Treatments such as the cognitive behavioral treatment of insomnia and bright light treatment of circadian rhythm disorders offer safer and more effective alternative approaches to insomnia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel F. Kripke
- University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92037-2226, USA
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89
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Kripke DF. Hypnotic drug risks of mortality, infection, depression, and cancer: but lack of benefit. F1000Res 2016; 5:918. [PMID: 27303633 PMCID: PMC4890308 DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.8729.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/11/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
This is a review of hypnotic drug risks and benefits, reassessing and updating advice presented to the Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (United States FDA). Almost every month, new information appears about the risks of hypnotics (sleeping pills). This review includes new information on the growing USA overdose epidemic, eight new epidemiologic studies of hypnotics' mortality not available for previous compilations, and new emphasis on risks of short-term hypnotic prescription. The most important risks of hypnotics include excess mortality, especially overdose deaths, quiet deaths at night, infections, cancer, depression and suicide, automobile crashes, falls, and other accidents, and hypnotic-withdrawal insomnia. The short-term use of one-two prescriptions is associated with greater risk per dose than long-term use. Hypnotics are usually prescribed without approved indication, most often with specific contraindications, but even when indicated, there is little or no benefit. The recommended doses objectively increase sleep little if at all, daytime performance is often made worse, not better, and the lack of general health benefits is commonly misrepresented in advertising. Treatments such as the cognitive behavioral treatment of insomnia and bright light treatment of circadian rhythm disorders might offer safer and more effective alternative approaches to insomnia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel F. Kripke
- University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92037-2226, USA
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90
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Abstract
This is a review of hypnotic drug risks and benefits. Almost every month, new information appears about the risks of hypnotics (sleeping pills). The most important risks of hypnotics include excess mortality (especially overdose deaths, quiet deaths at night, and suicides), infections, cancer, depression, automobile crashes, falls, other accidents, and hypnotic-withdrawal insomnia. Short-term use of one-two prescriptions is associated with even greater risk per dose than long-term use. Hypnotics have usually been prescribed without approved indication, most often with specific contraindications, but even when indicated, there is little or no benefit. The recommended doses objectively increase sleep little if at all, daytime performance is often made worse (not better) and the lack of general health benefits is commonly misrepresented in advertising. Treatments such as the cognitive behavioral treatment of insomnia and bright light treatment of circadian rhythm disorders offer safer and more effective alternative approaches to insomnia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel F. Kripke
- University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92037-2226, USA
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91
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Chronic opioid therapy for chronic pain treatment has increased. Hospital physicians, including hospitalists and medical/surgical resident physicians, care for many hospitalized patients, yet little is known about opioid prescribing at hospital discharge and future chronic opioid use. OBJECTIVE We aimed to characterize opioid prescribing at hospital discharge among 'opioid naïve' patients. Opioid naïve patients had not filled an opioid prescription at an affiliated pharmacy 1 year preceding their hospital discharge. We also set out to quantify the risk of chronic opioid use and opioid refills 1 year post discharge among opioid naïve patients with and without opioid receipt at discharge. DESIGN This was a retrospective cohort study. PARTICIPANTS From 1 January 2011 to 31 December 2011, 6,689 opioid naïve patients were discharged from a safety-net hospital. MAIN MEASURE Chronic opioid use 1 year post discharge. KEY RESULTS Twenty-five percent of opioid naïve patients (n = 1,688) had opioid receipt within 72 hours of discharge. Patients with opioid receipt were more likely to have diagnoses including neoplasm (6.3% versus 3.5%, p < 0.001), acute pain (2.7% versus 1.0 %, p < 0.001), chronic pain at admission (12.1% versus 3.3%, p < 0.001) or surgery during their hospitalization (65.1% versus 18.4%, p < 0.001) compared to patients without opioid receipt. Patients with opioid receipt were less likely to have alcohol use disorders (15.7% versus 20.7%, p < 0.001) and mental health disorders (23.9% versus 31.4%, p < 0.001) compared to patients without opioid receipt. Chronic opioid use 1 year post discharge was more common among patients with opioid receipt (4.1% versus 1.3%, p < 0.0001) compared to patients without opioid receipt. Opioid receipt was associated with increased odds of chronic opioid use (AOR = 4.90, 95% CI 3.22-7.45) and greater subsequent opioid refills (AOR = 2.67, 95% CI 2.29-3.13) 1 year post discharge compared to no opioid receipt. CONCLUSION Opioid receipt at hospital discharge among opioid naïve patients increased future chronic opioid use. Physicians should inform patients of this risk prior to prescribing opioids at discharge.
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92
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Inacio MCS, Hansen C, Pratt NL, Graves SE, Roughead EE. Risk factors for persistent and new chronic opioid use in patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty: a retrospective cohort study. BMJ Open 2016; 6:e010664. [PMID: 27130165 PMCID: PMC4853994 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2015-010664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 155] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2015] [Revised: 03/17/2016] [Accepted: 03/23/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To determine chronic opioid use pre-THA (total hip arthroplasty) and post-THA, and risk factors for persistent or new chronic opioid use post-THA. DESIGN Retrospective cohort study. SETTING Australian Government Department of Veterans' Affairs health claims database. PARTICIPANTS 9525 patients who had an elective unilateral THA between 1/01/2001 and 12/31/2012. PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURE Chronic opioid use. Defined as 90 days of continuous opioid use or 120 days of non-continuous use. RESULTS Pre-THA, 6.2% (n=593) of patients were chronic users, while 5.2% (n=492) were post-THA. Among the 492 postoperative chronic users, 302 (61%) were chronic users pre-THA and post-THA and 190 (39%) became new chronic users after surgery. Risk factors for persistent chronic use were younger age (OR=0.96, 95% CI 0.93 to 0.99/1-year increment), back pain (OR=1.99, 95% CI 1.20 to 3.23), diabetes (OR=3.52, 95% CI 1.05 to 11.8), hypnotics use (OR=2.52, 95% CI 1.48 to 4.30) and higher pre-THA opioid exposure (compared with opioid use for 94-157 days, 157-224 days (OR=3.75, 95% CI 2.28 to 6.18), 225+ days (OR=5.18, 95% CI 2.92 to 9.19). Risk factors for new chronic opioid use post-THA were being a woman (OR=1.40, 95% CI 1.00 to 1.96), back pain (OR=3.90, 95% CI 2.85 to 5.33), depression (OR=1.70, 95% CI 1.20 to 2.41), gastric acid disease (OR=1.62, 95% CI 1.16 to 2.25), migraine (OR=5.11, 95% CI 1.08 to 24.18), liver disease (OR=4.33, 95% CI 1.08 to 17.35), weight loss (OR=2.60, 95% CI 1.06 to 6.39), dementia (OR=2.19, 95% CI 1.04 to 4.61), hyperlipidaemia (OR=1.38, 95% CI 1.00 to 1.91), hypnotics (OR=1.56, 95% CI 1.13 to 2.16) and antineuropathic pain medication use (OR=3.11, 95% CI 2.05 to 4.72). CONCLUSIONS Patients undergoing THA are exposed to opioids for long periods of time, putting them at high risk of harm related to opioid use. We identified groups at risk of chronic opioid use, including younger patients and women, as well as modifiable risk factors of chronic opioid use, including level of opioid exposure presurgery and hypnotic use. These indicators of chronic opioid use can be used by clinicians to target patient groups for suitable pain management interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria C S Inacio
- Medicine and Device Surveillance Centre of Research Excellence, Sansom Institute, School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Craig Hansen
- Medicine and Devices Surveillance Centre of Research Excellence, School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, University of South Australia, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Nicole L Pratt
- Medicine and Device Surveillance Centre of Research Excellence, Sansom Institute, School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Stephen E Graves
- Australian Orthopaedic Association National Total Joint Replacement Registry, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Elizabeth E Roughead
- Medicine and Device Surveillance Centre of Research Excellence, Sansom Institute, School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
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93
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Bachhuber MA, Hennessy S, Cunningham CO, Starrels JL. Increasing Benzodiazepine Prescriptions and Overdose Mortality in the United States, 1996-2013. Am J Public Health 2016; 106:686-8. [PMID: 26890165 DOI: 10.2105/ajph.2016.303061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 280] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To describe trends in benzodiazepine prescriptions and overdose mortality involving benzodiazepines among US adults. METHODS We examined data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey and multiple-cause-of-death data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. RESULTS Between 1996 and 2013, the percentage of adults filling a benzodiazepine prescription increased from 4.1% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 3.8%, 4.5%) to 5.6% (95% CI = 5.2%, 6.1%), with an annual percent change of 2.5% (95% CI = 2.1%, 3.0%). The quantity of benzodiazepines filled increased from 1.1 (95% CI = 0.9, 1.2) to 3.6 (95% CI = 3.0, 4.2) kilogram lorazepam equivalents per 100 000 adults (annual percent change = 9.0%; 95% CI = 7.6%, 10.3%). The overdose death rate increased from 0.58 (95% CI = 0.55, 0.62) to 3.07 (95% CI = 2.99, 3.14) per 100 000 adults, with a plateau seen after 2010. CONCLUSIONS Benzodiazepine prescriptions and overdose mortality have increased considerably. Fatal overdoses involving benzodiazepines have plateaued overall; however, no evidence of decreases was found in any group. Interventions to reduce the use of benzodiazepines or improve their safety are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcus A Bachhuber
- Marcus A. Bachhuber, Chinazo O. Cunningham, and Joanna L. Starrels are with Division of General Internal Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY. Sean Hennessy is with Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics and Center for Pharmacoepidemiology Research and Training, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Sean Hennessy
- Marcus A. Bachhuber, Chinazo O. Cunningham, and Joanna L. Starrels are with Division of General Internal Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY. Sean Hennessy is with Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics and Center for Pharmacoepidemiology Research and Training, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Chinazo O Cunningham
- Marcus A. Bachhuber, Chinazo O. Cunningham, and Joanna L. Starrels are with Division of General Internal Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY. Sean Hennessy is with Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics and Center for Pharmacoepidemiology Research and Training, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Joanna L Starrels
- Marcus A. Bachhuber, Chinazo O. Cunningham, and Joanna L. Starrels are with Division of General Internal Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY. Sean Hennessy is with Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics and Center for Pharmacoepidemiology Research and Training, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
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94
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Sullivan MD. What are we treating with opioid and sedative-hypnotic combination therapy? Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf 2015; 24:893-5. [DOI: 10.1002/pds.3821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2015] [Revised: 05/18/2015] [Accepted: 05/28/2015] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Mark D. Sullivan
- Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences; University of Washington; Seattle WA USA
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