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Ragan-Burnett KR, Curtis CR, Schmit KM, Mikosz CA, Schieber LZ, Guy GP, Haegerich TM. Physicians' Self-Reported Knowledge and Behaviors Related to Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain and Diagnosing Opioid Use Disorder, DocStyles, 2020. AJPM FOCUS 2024; 3:100269. [PMID: 39345913 PMCID: PMC11426043 DOI: 10.1016/j.focus.2024.100269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/01/2024]
Abstract
Introduction In 2016, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released the Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain (2016 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Guideline) to improve opioid prescribing while minimizing associated risks. This analysis sought to understand guideline-concordant knowledge and self-reported practices among primary care physicians. Methods Data from Spring DocStyles 2020, a cross-sectional, web-based survey of practicing U.S. physicians, were analyzed in 2022 and 2023. Demographic, knowledge, and practice characteristics of primary care physicians overall (N=1,007) and among specific subsets-(1) primary care physicians who provided care for patients with chronic pain (n=600), (2) primary care physicians who did not provide care for patients with chronic pain (n=337), and (3) primary care physicians who reported not obtaining or seeking a buprenorphine waiver (n=624)-were examined. Results A majority of physicians (72.6%) were unable to select a series of options consistent with diagnostic criteria for opioid use disorder; of those physicians, almost half (47.9%) reported treating at least 1 patient with medications for opioid use disorder. A minority of physicians (17.5%) reported having a buprenorphine prescribing waiver. Among physicians who prescribed opioids for chronic pain (88.5%), 54.4% concurrently prescribed benzodiazepines. About one third (33.5%) reported not taking patients with chronic pain. Conclusions There were critical practice gaps among primary care physicians related to 2016 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Guideline topics. Increasing knowledge of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's opioid prescribing recommendations can benefit physician practice, patient outcomes, and public health strategies in addressing the opioid overdose crisis and implementing safer and more effective pain care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen R Ragan-Burnett
- Division of Overdose Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - C Robinette Curtis
- Division of Overdose Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Kristine M Schmit
- Division of Overdose Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Christina A Mikosz
- Division of Overdose Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Lyna Z Schieber
- Division of Overdose Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Gery P Guy
- Division of Overdose Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
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Harless A, Vanhook PM, Shoemaker-Hunt S, Keane N, Childs E. Implementation of a Quality Improvement Learning Collaborative to Support Implementation of the 2016 CDC Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain: Case Study from Nurse-Led Clinics. Pain Manag Nurs 2024:S1524-9042(24)00250-9. [PMID: 39341694 DOI: 10.1016/j.pmn.2024.08.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Revised: 08/21/2024] [Accepted: 08/25/2024] [Indexed: 10/01/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE The authors describe a case study of a quality improvement initiative to implement the 2016 CDC Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain2 ("2016 CDC Guideline") into nurse-led primary care practices in central Appalachia. DESIGN In this controlled pre-post quality improvement study, a policy change, an electronic health record form, and supporting education were implemented. Knowledge change and quality improvement metrics were measured before and after implementation. DATA SOURCES The data comprised pre- and post-knowledge survey and quality improvement metrics from the electronic health record. RESULTS After the implementation of the chronic pain intake form and supporting training and education, marked improvements in documentation and completion of the 2016 CDC Guideline and Tennessee Clinical Practice Guideline-concordant activities were observed, suggesting an increase in compliance with guidelines. CONCLUSIONS Quality improvement efforts that focus on opioid management best practices may be effective at enhancing 2016 CDC Guideline-concordant care in clinics, including nurse-led ones. Similar strategies could be trialed to ensure the 2022 CDC Clinical Practice Guideline recommendations for opioid and pain management are adopted effectively. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS Interventions to improve opioid and pain management through quality improvement efforts require policy changes, clinician and patient education, and electronic record tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela Harless
- East Tennessee State University, College of Nursing, Johnson City, TN.
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3
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Mazurenko O, O'Brien E, Beug A, Smith SM, McCarthy C. Recommendations for managing adults with chronic non-cancer pain in primary care: A systematic clinical guideline review. J Eval Clin Pract 2024. [PMID: 39104080 DOI: 10.1111/jep.14118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2024] [Accepted: 07/18/2024] [Indexed: 08/07/2024]
Abstract
RATIONALE Chronic non-cancer pain (CNCP) is a leading driver of disability. Primary care clinicians treat most patients with CNCP. Yet, they are often unable to identify appropriate pain treatments, mainly due to concerns about the safety and effectiveness of available medications. Clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) can be useful tools to guide primary care clinicians in selecting pain treatments based on the best available evidence. OBJECTIVES To undertake a systematic review of CPGs that address the management of adults with CNCP, regardless of underlying condition type, in primary care. METHOD We systematically reviewed and synthesised current CPGs for managing adults with CNCP in primary care (2013-2023). We followed a stepwise systematic process to synthesise key CPG recommendations: extracted and analysed each recommendation, synthesised by compiling similar recommendations using a thematic analysis approach, and assessed the strength of CPG recommendations to create a final, unified set of recommendations. We focused on identifying CPGs containing recommendations on the following topics: (a) opioid pain management, (b) non-opioid pharmacological pain management, (c) non-pharmacological pain management, and (d) patient-centred communication around pain management, prevention, and organisation of care. RESULTS We included 13 CPGs, 8 of which focused solely on use of opioids, emphasising the lack of long-term effectiveness and safety concerns, being mainly based on the expert consensus. As an exception, high-quality evidence recommended referring patients with suspected opioid use disorder to specialist addiction services for medication-assisted treatment. Recommendations for non-opioid pain management were often contradictory and based on the expert consensus. Patient-centred pain management combined with exercise-based interventions and psychological therapies are appropriate strategies for managing patients with CNCP. CONCLUSION Most CPGs focused on opioid management, with contradictory recommendations for non-opioid management based on low-quality evidence. Additional research is needed to strengthen the evidence for using non-opioid and non-pharmacological interventions to manage patients with CNCP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olena Mazurenko
- Department of Health Policy & Management, Indiana University Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health - Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
- Center for Health Services Research, Regenstrief Institute, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Emer O'Brien
- Department of General Practice, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Mercer Building, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Anna Beug
- School of Medicine, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Susan M Smith
- Discipline of Public Health and Primary Care, School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Caroline McCarthy
- Department of General Practice, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Mercer Building, Dublin, Ireland
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Fipps DC, Oesterle TS, Kolla BP. Opioid Maintenance Therapy: A Review of Methadone, Buprenorphine, and Naltrexone Treatments for Opioid Use Disorder. Semin Neurol 2024; 44:441-451. [PMID: 38848746 DOI: 10.1055/s-0044-1787571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2024]
Abstract
The rates of opioid use and opioid related deaths are escalating in the United States. Despite this, evidence-based treatments for Opioid Use Disorder are underutilized. There are three medications FDA approved for treatment of Opioid Use Disorder: Methadone, Buprenorphine, and Naltrexone. This article reviews the history, criteria, and mechanisms associated with Opioid Use Disorder. Pertinent pharmacology considerations, treatment strategies, efficacy, safety, and challenges of Methadone, Buprenorphine, and Naltrexone are outlined. Lastly, a practical decision making algorithm is discussed to address pertinent psychiatric and medical comorbidities when prescribing pharmacology for Opioid Use Disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- David C Fipps
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
| | - Tyler S Oesterle
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
| | - Bhanu P Kolla
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
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Brown K, Farley J, Golberstein E, Satin D, Harper P, Pereira C, Slattengren AH, Riper KV, Schafer KM. Overcoming challenges of prescribing long-term opioid therapy in residency clinics. J Opioid Manag 2024; 20:297-309. [PMID: 39321050 DOI: 10.5055/jom.0869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/27/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To describe the impact of a standardized opioid prescribing intervention when implemented in three family medicine (FM) residency training - clinics-environments that face operational challenges including regular resident turnover. DESIGN We performed a retrospective cohort study to compare patterns of long-term opioid prescribing between residency and nonresidency clinics. SETTING This study took place within a large, academic, health system. PATIENTS AND PARTICIPANTS Three FM residency clinics were compared with three nonresidency FM clinics. INTERVENTIONS A standardized opioid prescribing process was developed and implemented within the FM residency clinics. Nonresidency clinics used an independent process and were not exposed to the intervention. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Descriptive comparisons were performed for treatment and control clinics' opioid prescribing from 2015 to 2018. The primary outcome was a patient's annual opioid exposure supplied from these select clinics. We also examine coprescribing with high-risk medications that potentiate the overdose risk of opioid prescriptions. Difference-in-difference modeling was used to control for clinic-level variation in practice. RESULTS Statistically significant decreases were observed in both residency and nonresidency clinics for the mean number of opioid prescriptions and the mean daily morphine milligram equivalent. These decreases were comparable between the residency and nonresidency clinics. CONCLUSIONS Residency clinics face unique challenges and require innovative solutions to keep up with best practices in opioid prescribing. Our residency clinics' implementation of a standardized intervention, including electronic health record integration, standardized processes, and metric management, suggests steps that may be valuable in achieving outcomes comparable to nonresidency clinics in large health systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn Brown
- St. John's Family Medicine Residency Program, Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Joel Farley
- Department of Pharmaceutical Care & Health Systems, College of Pharmacy, University of Minnesota, Minneap-olis, Minnesota
| | - Ezra Golberstein
- Division of Health Policy and Management, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - David Satin
- University of Minnesota Medical Center Residency Program, Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Peter Harper
- University of Minnesota Medical Center Residency Program, Department of Family Medicine and Com-munity Health, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Chrystian Pereira
- Department of Pharmaceutical Care & Health Systems, College of Pharmacy, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Andrew H Slattengren
- North Memorial Family Medicine Residency Program, Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Kristi Van Riper
- Operations Strategy Manager, University of Minnesota Physicians, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Katherine Montag Schafer
- John's Family Medicine Residency Program, Department of Family Medicine and Commu-nity Health, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1051-6281
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Padamsee TJ, Montgomery C, Kienzle S, Straughn JB, Elmore A, Fulton-Kehoe DL, Schulman B, Wickizer TM, Franklin GM. Impacts of State-Level Opioid Review Programs on Injured Workers and Their Health Care Providers: A Qualitative Study in Washington and Ohio. Milbank Q 2024. [PMID: 38861655 DOI: 10.1111/1468-0009.12705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Revised: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Policy Points Workers' compensation agencies have instituted opioid review policies to reduce unsafe prescribing. Providers reported more limited and cautious prescribing than in the past; both patients and providers reported collaborative pain-management relationships and satisfactory pain control for patients. Despite the fears articulated by pharmaceutical companies and patient advocates, opioid review programs have not generally resulted in unmanaged pain or reduced function in patients, anger or resistance from patients or providers, or damage to patient-provider relationships or clinical autonomy. Other insurance providers with broad physician networks may want to consider similar quality-improvement efforts to support safe opioid prescribing. CONTEXT Unsafe prescribing practices have been among the central causes of improper reception of opioids, unsafe use, and overdose in the United States. Workers' compensation agencies in Washington and Ohio have implemented opioid review programs (ORPs)-a form of quality improvement based on utilization review-to curb unsafe prescribing. Evidence suggests that such regulations indeed reduce unsafe prescribing, but pharmaceutical companies and patient advocates have raised concerns about negative impacts that could also result. This study explores whether three core sets of problems have actually come to pass: (1) unmanaged pain or reduced function among patients, (2) anger or resistance to ORPs from patients or providers, and (3) damage to patient-provider relationships or clinical autonomy. METHODS In-depth semistructured interviews were conducted with 48 patients (21 from Washington, 27 from Ohio) and 32 providers (18 from Washington, 14 from Ohio) who were purposively sampled to represent a range of injury and practice types. Thematic coding was conducted with codebooks developed using both inductive and deductive approaches. FINDINGS The consequences of opioid regulations have been generally positive: providers report more limited prescribing and a focus on multimodal pain control; patients report satisfactory pain control and recovery alongside collaborative relationships with providers. Participants attribute these patterns to a broad environment of opioid caution; they do not generally perceive workers' compensation policies as distinctly impactful. Both patients and providers comment frequently on the difficult aspects of interacting with workers' compensation agencies; effects of these range from simple inconvenience to delays in care, unmanaged pain, and reduced potential for physical recovery. CONCLUSIONS In general, the three types of feared negative impacts have not come to pass for either patients or providers. Although interacting with workers' compensation agencies involves difficulties typical of interacting with other insurers, opioid controls seem to have generally positive effects and are generally perceived of favorably.
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Black AC, Edmond SN, Frank JW, Abelleira A, Snow JL, Wesolowicz DM, Becker WC. Pain Care at Home to Amplify Function: Protocol Article. SUBSTANCE USE & ADDICTION JOURNAL 2024:29767342241236032. [PMID: 38469833 DOI: 10.1177/29767342241236032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
Guidelines recommend strategies to optimize opioid medication safety, including frequent reassessment of the benefits and harms of long-term opioid therapy. Prescribers, who are predominantly primary care providers (PCPs), may lack the training or resources to implement these guideline-concordant practices. Two interventions have been designed to assist PCPs and tested within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). Telemedicine Collaborative Management (TCM) provides primarily medication management support via care manager-prescriber teams. Cooperative Pain Education and Self-Management (COPES) promotes self-management strategies for chronic pain via cognitive behavior therapy techniques. Each intervention has been shown to improve prescribing and/or patient outcomes. The added value of combining these interventions is untested. With funding and central coordination by the Integrative Management of Chronic Pain and Opioid Use Disorder for Whole Recovery (IMPOWR) Network of the National Institutes of Health Helping to End Addiction Long-term (HEAL) Initiative, we will conduct a multisite patient-level randomized hybrid II effectiveness-implementation trial within VHA to compare TCM to TCM + COPES on the primary composite outcome of pain interference and opioid safety, secondary outcomes of alcohol use, anxiety, depression, and sleep, and other consensus IMPOWR Network measures. Implementation facilitation strategies informed by interviews with healthcare providers will target site-specific needs. The impact of these strategies on TCM implementation will be assessed via established formative and summative evaluation techniques. Economic analyses will evaluate intervention cost-effectiveness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne C Black
- VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA
- Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Sara N Edmond
- VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA
- Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Joseph W Frank
- VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System, Denver, CO, USA
- University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Audrey Abelleira
- VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA
- Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | | | - Danielle M Wesolowicz
- VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA
- Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - William C Becker
- VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA
- Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
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Calabrese MJ, Shaya FT, Palumbo F, McPherson ML, Villalonga-Olives E, Zafari Z, Mutter R. State-level policies and receipt of CDC-informed opioid thresholds among commercially insured new chronic opioid users. J Opioid Manag 2024; 20:149-168. [PMID: 38700395 DOI: 10.5055/jom.0824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To evaluate the association of state-level policies on receipt of opioid regimens informed by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) morphine milligram equivalent (MME)/day recommendations. DESIGN A retrospective cohort study of new chronic opioid users (NCOUs). SETTING Commercially insured plans across the United States using IQVIA PharMetrics® Plus for Academics database with new chronic use between January 2014 and March 2015. PARTICIPANTS NCOUs with ≥60-day coverage of opioids within a 90-day period with ≥30-day opioid-free period prior to the date of the first qualifying opioid prescription. INTERVENTIONS State-level policies including Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) robustness and cannabis policies involving the presence of medical dispensaries and state-wide decriminalization. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES NCOUs were placed in three-tiered risk-based average MME/day thresholds: low (>0 to <50), medium (≥50 to <90), and high (≥90). Multinomial logistic regression was used to estimate the association of state-level policies with the thresholds while adjusting for relevant patient-specific factors. RESULTS NCOUs in states with medium or high PDMP robustness had lower odds of receiving medium (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 0.74; 95 percent confidence interval [CI]: 0.62-0.69) and high (AOR 0.74; 95 percent CI: 0.59-0.92) thresholds. With respect to cannabis policies, NCOUs in states with medical cannabis dispensaries had lower odds of receiving high (AOR 0.75; 95 percent CI: 0.60-0.93) thresholds, while cannabis decriminalization had higher odds of receiving high (AOR 1.24; 95 percent CI: 1.04-1.49) thresholds. CONCLUSION States with highly robust PDMPs and medical cannabis dispensaries had lower odds of receiving higher opioid thresholds, while cannabis decriminalization correlated with higher odds of receiving high opioid thresholds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin J Calabrese
- Department of Practice, Sciences, and Health Outcomes Research, University of Maryland Baltimore School of Pharmacy; Center for Medicare, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Baltimore, Maryland. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4304-396X
| | - Fadia T Shaya
- Department of Practice, Sciences, and Health Outcomes Research, University of Maryland Baltimore School of Pharmacy, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Francis Palumbo
- Department of Practice, Sciences, and Health Outcomes Research, University of Maryland Baltimore School of Pharmacy, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Mary Lynn McPherson
- Department of Practice, Sciences, and Health Outcomes Research, University of Maryland Baltimore School of Pharmacy, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Ester Villalonga-Olives
- Department of Practice, Sciences, and Health Outcomes Research, University of Maryland Baltimore School of Pharmacy, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Zafar Zafari
- Department of Practice, Sciences, and Health Outcomes Research, University of Maryland Baltimore School of Pharmacy, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Ryan Mutter
- Congressional Budget Office, Health Analysis Division, Washington, DC
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Nguyen AP, Palzes VA, Binswanger IA, Ahmedani BK, Altschuler A, Andrade SE, Bailey SR, Clark RE, Haller IV, Hechter RC, Karmali R, Metz VE, Poulsen MN, Roblin DW, Rosa CL, Rubinstein AL, Sanchez K, Stephens KA, Yarborough BJH, Campbell CI. Association of initial opioid prescription duration and an opioid refill by pain diagnosis: Evidence from outpatient settings in ten US health systems. Prev Med 2024; 179:107828. [PMID: 38110159 PMCID: PMC11046737 DOI: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2023.107828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Revised: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/20/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's 2022 Clinical Practice Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Pain cautioned that inflexible opioid prescription duration limits may harm patients. Information about the relationship between initial opioid prescription duration and a subsequent refill could inform prescribing policies and practices to optimize patient outcomes. We assessed the association between initial opioid duration and an opioid refill prescription. METHODS We conducted a retrospective cohort study of adults ≥19 years of age in 10 US health systems between 2013 and 2018 from outpatient care with a diagnosis for back pain without radiculopathy, back pain with radiculopathy, neck pain, joint pain, tendonitis/bursitis, mild musculoskeletal pain, severe musculoskeletal pain, urinary calculus, or headache. Generalized additive models were used to estimate the association between opioid days' supply and a refill prescription. RESULTS Overall, 220,797 patients were prescribed opioid analgesics upon an outpatient visit for pain. Nearly a quarter (23.5%) of the cohort received an opioid refill prescription during follow-up. The likelihood of a refill generally increased with initial duration for most pain diagnoses. About 1 to 3 fewer patients would receive a refill within 3 months for every 100 patients initially prescribed 3 vs. 7 days of opioids for most pain diagnoses. The lowest likelihood of refill was for a 1-day supply for all pain diagnoses, except for severe musculoskeletal pain (9 days' supply) and headache (3-4 days' supply). CONCLUSIONS Long-term prescription opioid use increased modestly with initial opioid prescription duration for most but not all pain diagnoses examined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anh P Nguyen
- Institute for Health Research, Kaiser Permanente Colorado, Aurora, CO, United States of America.
| | - Vanessa A Palzes
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, CA, United States of America
| | - Ingrid A Binswanger
- Institute for Health Research, Kaiser Permanente Colorado, Aurora, CO, United States of America; Colorado Permanente Medical Group, Denver, CO, United States of America; Division of General Internal Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, United States of America; Department of Health Systems Science, Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine, Pasadena, CA, United States of America
| | - Brian K Ahmedani
- Center for Health Policy & Health Services Research, Henry Ford Health, Detroit, MI, United States of America
| | - Andrea Altschuler
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, CA, United States of America
| | - Susan E Andrade
- Meyers Primary Care Health Institute/Fallon Health, Worcester, MA, United States of America
| | - Steffani R Bailey
- Department of Family Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States of America
| | - Robin E Clark
- Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Massachusetts Chan School of Medicine, Worcester, MA, United States of America
| | - Irina V Haller
- Essentia Institute of Rural Health, Duluth, MN, United States of America
| | - Rulin C Hechter
- Department of Health Systems Science, Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine, Pasadena, CA, United States of America; Department of Research and Evaluation, Kaiser Permanente Southern California, Pasadena, CA, United States of America
| | | | - Verena E Metz
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, CA, United States of America
| | - Melissa N Poulsen
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Geisinger, Danville, PA, United States of America
| | - Douglas W Roblin
- Mid-Atlantic Permanente Research Institute, Kaiser Permanente, Rockville, MD, United States of America
| | - Carmen L Rosa
- Center for the Clinical Trials Network, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States of America
| | - Andrea L Rubinstein
- Department of Pain Medicine, The Permanente Medical Group, Santa Rosa, CA, United States of America
| | - Katherine Sanchez
- Baylor Scott & White Research Institute, Dallas, TX, United States of America; School of Social Work, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, United States of America
| | - Kari A Stephens
- Department of Family Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States of America
| | - Bobbi Jo H Yarborough
- Kaiser Permanente Northwest Center for Health Research, Portland, OR, United States of America
| | - Cynthia I Campbell
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, CA, United States of America; Department of Health Systems Science, Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine, Pasadena, CA, United States of America; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States of America
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Crouch TB, Donovan E, Smith WR, Barth K, Becker WC, Svikis D. Patient Motivation to Reduce or Discontinue Opioids for Chronic Pain: Self-efficacy, Barriers, and Readiness to Change. Clin J Pain 2024; 40:18-25. [PMID: 37855333 PMCID: PMC10841444 DOI: 10.1097/ajp.0000000000001167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/17/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This study aimed to assess levels and predictors of self-efficacy and motivation to change opioid use among a community sample of patients using opioids for chronic pain, as well as patient-reported barriers to pursuing opioid discontinuation. METHODS Participants with a variety of chronic pain conditions, recruited from ResearchMatch.org , completed a battery of electronic, self-report questionnaires assessing demographic and medical characteristics, pain treatment history, and levels of readiness, self-efficacy, and other attitudes toward reducing or discontinuing opioid use. Multiple regression analyses and analyses of variance were conducted to examine predictors of readiness and self-efficacy to change opioid use. A modified version of rapid qualitative analysis was utilized to analyze themes in participant responses to an open-ended item about "what it would take" to consider opioid discontinuation. RESULTS The final sample included N=119 participants, the majority of whom were female (78.2%), Caucasian (77.3%), and well-educated. Readiness and self-efficacy to decrease or stop opioid use were fairly low on a 0 to 10 Visual Analog Scale (2.6 to 3.8) and significantly higher to decrease than stop ( P <0.01). Higher readiness to change was predicted by lower pain severity and higher concern about opioids, whereas higher self-efficacy was predicted by shorter pain duration. Results from the qualitative analyses revealed that the availability of an alternative treatment option was the most commonly cited requirement to consider opioid discontinuation. DISCUSSION Patients with lower pain severity, shorter duration of pain, and higher concerns about opioids may be a prime target from a motivation standpoint for interventions addressing opioid tapering and discontinuation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Emily Donovan
- Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA
| | - Wally R Smith
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine
| | - Kelly Barth
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
| | - William C Becker
- Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine
- VA Connecticut Healthcare System, New Haven, CT
| | - Dace Svikis
- Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Institute for Women's Health
- Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA
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Castellanos S, Cooke A, Koenders S, Joshi N, Miaskowski C, Kushel M, Knight KR. Accounting for the interplay of interpersonal and structural trauma in the treatment of chronic non-cancer pain, opioid use disorder, and mental health in urban safety-net primary care clinics. SSM - MENTAL HEALTH 2023; 4:100243. [PMID: 38464953 PMCID: PMC10923552 DOI: 10.1016/j.ssmmh.2023.100243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/12/2024] Open
Abstract
While the epidemiological literature recognizes associations between chronic non-cancer pain (CNCP), opioid use disorder (OUD), and interpersonal trauma stemming from physical, emotional, sexual abuse or neglect, the complex etiologies and interplay between interpersonal and structural traumas in CNCP populations are underexamined. Research has documented the relationship between experiencing multiple adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and the likelihood of developing an OUD as an adult. However, the ACEs framework is criticized for failing to name the social and structural contexts that shape ACE vulnerabilities in families. Social scientific theory and ethnographic methods offer useful approaches to explore how interpersonally- and structurally-produced traumas inform the experiences of co-occurring CNCP, substance use, and mental health. We report findings from a qualitative and ethnographic longitudinal cohort study of patients with CNCP (n = 48) who received care in safety-net settings and their primary care providers (n = 23). We conducted semi-structured interviews and clinical and home-based participant observation from 2018 to 2020. Here we focus our analyses on how patients and providers explained and situated the role of patient trauma in the larger clinical context of reductions in opioid prescribing to highlight the political landscape of the United States opioid overdose crisis and its impact on clinical interactions. Findings reveal the disproportionate burden structurally-produced, racialized trauma places on CNCP, substance use and mental health symptoms that shapes patients' embodied experiences of pain and substance use, as well as their emotional experiences with their providers. Experiences of trauma impacted clinical care trajectories, yet providers and patients expressed limited options for redress. We argue for an adaptation of trauma-informed care approaches that contextualize the structural determinants of trauma and their interplay with interpersonal experiences to improve clinical care outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stacy Castellanos
- Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California - San Francisco, 490 Illinois Street, 7th Floor, San Francisco, CA, 94143-0850, United States
| | - Alexis Cooke
- Department of Community Health Systems, School of Nursing, University of California - San Francisco, 2 Koret Way, N505, San Francisco, CA, 94143-0608, United States
| | - Sedona Koenders
- Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California - San Francisco, 490 Illinois Street, 7th Floor, San Francisco, CA, 94143-0850, United States
| | - Neena Joshi
- Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California - San Francisco, 490 Illinois Street, 7th Floor, San Francisco, CA, 94143-0850, United States
| | - Christine Miaskowski
- Department of Physiological Nursing, School of Nursing, University of California - San Francisco, 2 Koret Way, 631, San Francisco, CA, 94143-0610, United States
| | - Margot Kushel
- Center for Vulnerable Populations at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of California -San Francisco, UCSF Box 1339, San Francisco, CA, 94143-0608, United States
| | - Kelly Ray Knight
- Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California - San Francisco, 490 Illinois Street, 7th Floor, San Francisco, CA, 94143-0850, United States
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Coleman C, Lennon RP, Garza RH, Veasley C, Kuchera J, Edwards R, Zgierska AE. Shifting quality chronic pain treatment measures from processes to outcomes. J Opioid Manag 2023; 19:83-94. [PMID: 37879663 DOI: 10.5055/jom.2023.0802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Misapplication of the 2016 Centers for Disease Control (CDC) opioid prescribing guidelines has led to overem-phasis of morphineequivalent daily dose (MEDD) as a "metric of success" in chronic noncancer pain (CNCP), resulting in unintentional harms to patients. This article reviews CNCP-related guidelines and patient preferences in order to identify pragmatic, patient-centered metrics to assess treatment response and safety in opioid-treated CNCP. METHODS We reviewed the clinical (CDC), research (Initiative on Methods, Measurement, and Pain Assessment in Clinical Trials), and implementability-related guidelines (GuideLine Implementability Appraisal), along with relevant patient-identified treatment goals. From these, we summarize a guideline-concordant, patient-centered, implementable set of measures to aid the clinical management of opioid-treated CNCP. RESULTS We identify metrics across three domains of care: (1) treatment response metrics, which align with the CNCP care goals (pain intensity, pain interference including function and quality of life, and global impression of change); (2) risk assessment ("safety") metrics, eg, MEDD, benzodiazepine-opioid or naloxone-opioid coprescribing, and severity of mental health disorders, which evaluate the risk-benefit profile of opioid therapy; and (3) adherence ("process") metrics, which assess clinician/patient adherence to the guideline-recommended opioid therapy monitoring practices, eg, the presence of completed treatment agreement or urine toxicology testing. All metrics should be informed by implementability principles, eg, be decidable, executable, and measurable. CONCLUSIONS This article summarizes guideline-concordant, patient-centered, implementable metrics for assessing treatment response, safety, and adherence in opioid-treated CNCP. Regardless of which specific treatment guidelines are applied, this approach could help conceptualize and standardize the collection and reporting of CNCP-relevant metrics, compare them across health systems, and optimize care and treatment outcomes in opioid-treated CNCP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christa Coleman
- Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health and Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4255-5592
| | - Robert P Lennon
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey; Affiliate Faculty, Penn State Law, University Park, Pennsylvania
| | - Rose Hennessy Garza
- Joseph J Zilber School of Public Health, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
| | | | - Jay Kuchera
- Specialized Opioid Support Services, Resolute Pain Solutions, Envision Physician Services, Port Saint Lucie, Florida
| | - Robert Edwards
- Department of Anesthesiology, Brigham & Women's Hospital, Harvard School of Medi-cine, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Aleksandra E Zgierska
- Departments of Family and Community Medicine, Public Health Sciences, and Anes-thesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania
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13
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Williams EC, Frost MC, Lodi S, Forman LS, Lira MC, Tsui JI, Lunze K, Kim T, Liebschutz JM, Del Rio C, Samet JH. Influence of patient trust in provider and health literacy on receipt of guideline-concordant chronic opioid therapy in HIV care settings. J Opioid Manag 2023; 19:385-393. [PMID: 37968972 PMCID: PMC11037446 DOI: 10.5055/jom.0812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Persons with HIV (PWH) frequently receive opioids for pain. Health literacy and trust in provider may impact patient-provider communication, and thus receipt of guideline-concordant opioid monitoring. We analyzed baseline data of HIV-positive patients on chronic opioid therapy (COT) in a trial to improve guideline-concordant COT in HIV clinics. DESIGN Retrospective cohort study. SETTING Two hospital-based safetynet HIV clinics in Boston and Atlanta. PATIENTS AND PARTICIPANTS A cohort of patients who were ≥18 years, HIV-positive, had received ≥ 3 opioid prescriptions from a study site ≥21 days apart within a 6-month period during the prior year and had ≥1 visit at the HIV clinic in the prior 18 months. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Adjusted logistic regression models examined whether health literacy and trust in provider (scale scored 11-55, higher indicates more trust) were associated with: (1) ≥ 2 urine drug tests (UDTs) and (2) presence of an opioid treatment agreement. RESULTS Among 166 PWH, mean trust in provider was 47.4 (SD 6.6); 117 (70 percent) had adequate health literacy. Fifty patients (30 percent) had ≥ 2 UDTs and 20 (12 percent) had a treatment agreement. The adjusted odds ratio (aOR) for a one-point increase in trust in provider was 0.97 for having ≥ 2 UDTs (95 percent CI 0.92-1.02) and 1.03 for opioid treatment agreement (95 percent CI 0.95-1.12). The aOR for adequate health literacy was 0.89 for having ≥ 2 UDTs (95 percent CI 0.42-1.88) and 1.66 for an opioid treatment agreement (95 percent CI 0.52-5.31). CONCLUSIONS Health literacy and trust in provider were not associated with chronic opioid therapy quality outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily C. Williams
- University of Washington, Department of Health Systems and Population Health, Seattle, WA
- Veterans Health Administration (VA) Health Services Research and Development, Center of Innovation for Veteran-Centered and Value-Driven Care, Seattle, WA
| | - Madeline C. Frost
- University of Washington, Department of Health Systems and Population Health, Seattle, WA
- Veterans Health Administration (VA) Health Services Research and Development, Center of Innovation for Veteran-Centered and Value-Driven Care, Seattle, WA
| | - Sara Lodi
- Department of Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA
| | - Leah S. Forman
- Biostatistics and Epidemiology Data Analytics Center, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA
| | - Marlene C. Lira
- Clinical Addiction Research and Education (CARE) Unit, Section of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Boston Medical Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA
| | - Judith I. Tsui
- Section of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
| | - Karsten Lunze
- Clinical Addiction Research and Education (CARE) Unit, Section of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Boston Medical Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA
| | - Theresa Kim
- Clinical Addiction Research and Education (CARE) Unit, Section of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Boston Medical Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA
| | - Jane M. Liebschutz
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Center for Research on Health Care, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Carlos Del Rio
- Department of Global Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
- Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
| | - Jeffrey H. Samet
- Clinical Addiction Research and Education (CARE) Unit, Section of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Boston Medical Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA
- Department of Community Health Sciences, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA
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Lo Bianco G, Schatman ME. "The Italian Job": How Social, Family Cohesion, and the Church Have Helped Spare Italy from a Prescription Opioid Crisis. J Pain Res 2023; 16:2939-2942. [PMID: 37664486 PMCID: PMC10473396 DOI: 10.2147/jpr.s435218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Giuliano Lo Bianco
- Anesthesiology and Pain Department, Fondazione Istituto “G. Giglio”, Cefalù, Palermo, Italy
| | - Michael E Schatman
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Population Health - Division of Medical Ethics, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
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15
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Kehne A, Bernstein SJ, Thomas J, Bicket MC, Bohnert ASB, Madden EF, Powell VD, Lagisetty P. Improving Access to Care for Patients Taking Opioids for Chronic Pain: Recommendations from a Modified Delphi Panel in Michigan. J Pain Res 2023; 16:2321-2330. [PMID: 37456356 PMCID: PMC10348368 DOI: 10.2147/jpr.s406034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose About 5-8 million US patients take long-term opioid therapy for chronic pain. In the context of policies and guidelines instituted to reduce inappropriate opioid prescribing, abrupt discontinuations in opioid prescriptions have increased and many primary care clinics will not prescribe opioids for new patients, reducing access to care. This may result in uncontrolled pain and other negative outcomes, such as transition to illicit opioids. The objective of this study was to generate policy, intervention, and research recommendations to improve access to care for these patients. Participants and Methods We conducted a RAND/UCLA Modified Delphi, consisting of workshops, background videos and reading materials, and moderated web-based panel discussions held September 2020-January 2021. The panel consisted of 24 individuals from across Michigan, identified via expert nomination and snowball recruitment, including clinical providers, health science researchers, state-level policymakers and regulators, care coordination experts, patient advocates, payor representatives, and community and public health experts. The panel proposed intervention, policy, and research recommendations, scored the feasibility, impact, and importance of each on a 9-point scale, and ranked all recommendations by implementation priority. Results The panel produced 11 final recommendations across three themes: reimbursement reform, provider education, and reducing racial inequities in care. The 3 reimbursement-focused recommendations were highest ranked (theme average = 4.2/11), including the two top-ranked recommendations: increasing reimbursement for time needed to treat complex chronic pain (ranked #1/11) and bundling payment for multimodal pain care (#2/11). Four provider education recommendations ranked slightly lower (theme average = 6.2/11) and included clarifying the spectrum of opioid dependence and training providers on multimodal treatments. Four recommendations addressed racial inequities (theme average = 7.2/11), such as standardizing pain management protocols to reduce treatment disparities. Conclusion Panelists indicated reimbursement should incentivize traditionally lower-paying evidence-based pain care, but multiple strategies may be needed to meaningfully expand access.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrianne Kehne
- Division of General Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Center for Clinical Management Research, VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Steven J Bernstein
- Division of General Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Center for Clinical Management Research, VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Jennifer Thomas
- Division of General Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Mark C Bicket
- Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Amy S B Bohnert
- Center for Clinical Management Research, VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Erin Fanning Madden
- Department of Family Medicine and Public Health Sciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Victoria D Powell
- Palliative Care Program, Division of Geriatric and Palliative Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Geriatrics Research, Education, and Clinical Center, LTC Charles S. Kettles VA Medical Center, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Pooja Lagisetty
- Division of General Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Center for Clinical Management Research, VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
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16
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Wang H, Cai S, Caprio T, Goulet J, Intrator O. Trends in Risk-Adjusted Initiation and Reduction of Opioid Use among Veterans With Dementia in US Department of Veterans Affairs Community Living Centers. J Am Med Dir Assoc 2023; 24:1061-1067.e4. [PMID: 36963437 DOI: 10.1016/j.jamda.2023.02.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Revised: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2023] [Indexed: 03/26/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Proper initiation and reduction of opioids is important in providing effective and safe pain relief to Veterans with dementia, including in Community Living Centers (CLCs). We examined the trends in aggregated monthly risk-adjusted opioid administration days and dosage over 3 opioid safety regulatory periods: pre-Opioid Safety Initiative period (October 1, 2012-June 30, 2013; period 1), pre-CDC Clinical Practice Guideline period (January 1, 2014-November 30, 2015, period 2) and post-Veterans Affairs Clinical Practice Guideline period (March 1, 2017-September 30, 2018; period 3). DESIGN A retrospective study between October 1, 2012, and September 30, 2018. SETTINGS AND PARTICIPANTS 4995 long-stay CLC residents with dementia who had incident (incident cohort, n = 2609) or continued (continued opioid cohort, n = 2386) opioid administration in CLCs. METHODS CLC Minimum Data Set (MDS) assessments data and bar-code medication administration data were used. Opioid initiation was examined for incident opioid cohort and reduction was examined using continued opioid cohort. We first computed aggregated monthly risk-adjusted opioid administration days, opioid with benzodiazepine administration days and opioid dosage, and then examined risk-adjusted incident and continued opioid administration trends over the regulatory periods controlling for facility-level characteristics. RESULTS Among the incident opioid cohort, compared to period 1, there were 1.9 and 2.1 fewer risk-adjusted opioid administration days per month in periods 2 and 3, respectively; 1.5 fewer risk-adjusted days per month with opioid and benzodiazepine administration in both periods 2 and 3; and 2.2 and 3.7 morphine milligrams equivalent per day (MMED) lower risk-adjusted dosage in periods 2 and 3, respectively. Among the continued opioid cohort, compared to period 1, there were 1.6 and 2.9 fewer risk-adjusted days with opioid and benzodiazepine administration days per month in periods 2 and 3, respectively, and 5.3 MMED lower risk-adjusted dosage per month in period 3. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS CLC providers initiated and reduced opioid administration in fewer days and at lower dosage among Veterans with dementia across the regulatory periods. The result was likely due to systemic efforts from health care professionals, CLC administrators, and policy makers or VA central office, aiming to reduce opioid misuse and improve quality of care in nursing home residents with dementia. What is still unknown is whether pain was well controlled or nonpharmacologic treatments were utilized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huiying Wang
- Geriatrics and Extended Care Data and Analysis Center (GECDAC), Finger Lakes Healthcare System, Canandaigua, NY; Center for Gerontology and Healthcare Research and the Department of Health Services, Policy, and Practice, School of Public Health, Brown University; Public Health Sciences, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY.
| | - Shubing Cai
- Geriatrics and Extended Care Data and Analysis Center (GECDAC), Finger Lakes Healthcare System, Canandaigua, NY; Public Health Sciences, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY
| | - Thomas Caprio
- Department of Medicine, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY
| | - Joseph Goulet
- VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT; Department of Emergency Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Orna Intrator
- Geriatrics and Extended Care Data and Analysis Center (GECDAC), Finger Lakes Healthcare System, Canandaigua, NY; Public Health Sciences, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY
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17
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Glanz JM, Xu S, Narwaney KJ, McClure DL, Rinehart DJ, Ford MA, Nguyen AP, Binswanger IA. Association Between Opioid Dose Reduction Rates and Overdose Among Patients Prescribed Long-Term Opioid Therapy. Subst Abus 2023; 44:209-219. [PMID: 37702046 DOI: 10.1177/08897077231186216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tapering long-term opioid therapy is an increasingly common practice, yet rapid opioid dose reductions may increase the risk of overdose. The objective of this study was to compare overdose risk following opioid dose reduction rates of ≤10%, 11% to 20%, 21% to 30%, and >30% per month to stable dosing. METHODS We conducted a retrospective cohort study in three health systems in Colorado and Wisconsin. Participants were patients ≥18 years of age prescribed long-term opioid therapy between January 1, 2006, and June 30, 2019. Five opioid dosing patterns and drug overdoses (fatal and nonfatal) were identified using electronic health records, pharmacy records, and the National Death Index. Cox proportional hazard regression was conducted on a propensity score-weighted cohort to estimate adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) for follow-up periods of 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after a dose reduction. RESULTS In a cohort of 17 540 patients receiving long-term opioid therapy, 42.7% of patients experienced a dose reduction. Relative to stable dosing, a dose reduction rate of >30% was associated with an increased risk of overdose and the aHR estimates decreased as the follow-up increased; the aHRs for the 1-, 6- and 12-month follow-ups were 5.33 (95% CI, 1.98-14.34), 1.81 (95% CI,1.08-3.03), and 1.49 (95% CI, 0.97-2.27), respectively. The slower tapering rates were not associated with overdose risk. CONCLUSIONS Patients receiving long-term opioid therapy exposed to dose reduction rates of >30% per month had increased overdose risk relative to patients exposed to stable dosing. Results support the use of slow dose reductions to minimize the risk of overdose.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason M Glanz
- Institute for Health Research, Kaiser Permanente Colorado, Aurora, CO, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Stanley Xu
- Department of Research & Evaluation, Kaiser Permanente Southern California, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Komal J Narwaney
- Institute for Health Research, Kaiser Permanente Colorado, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - David L McClure
- Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Population Health, Marshfield Clinic Research Institute, Marshfield, WI, USA
| | - Deborah J Rinehart
- Center for Health Systems Research, Office of Research, Denver Health and Hospital Authority, Denver, CO, USA
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Morgan A Ford
- Institute for Health Research, Kaiser Permanente Colorado, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Anh P Nguyen
- Institute for Health Research, Kaiser Permanente Colorado, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Ingrid A Binswanger
- Institute for Health Research, Kaiser Permanente Colorado, Aurora, CO, USA
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
- Chemical Dependency Treatment Services, Colorado Permanente Medical Group, Aurora, CO, USA
- Department of Health Systems Science, Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine, Pasadena, CA, USA
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Pytell JD, Rubenstein LV. So What Do We Do Now? New Opioid Prescribing Guidelines, Implementation Science, and How to Improve the Care of Patients Receiving Long-Term Opioid Therapy in Primary Care. J Gen Intern Med 2023; 38:1791-1793. [PMID: 36922469 PMCID: PMC10271967 DOI: 10.1007/s11606-023-08138-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/18/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Jarratt D Pytell
- Department of Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Mail Stop B180, 12631 E. 17Th Ave, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA.
| | - Lisa V Rubenstein
- RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, CA, USA
- University of California Los Angeles David Geffen School of Medicine and Fielding School of Public Health, CA, Los Angeles, USA
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Carroll JJ, Cushman PA, Lira MC, Colasanti JA, Del Rio C, Lasser KE, Parker V, Roy PJ, Samet JH, Liebschutz JM. Evidence-Based Interventions to Improve Opioid Prescribing in Primary Care: a Qualitative Assessment of Implementation in Two Studies. J Gen Intern Med 2023; 38:1794-1801. [PMID: 36396881 PMCID: PMC10271994 DOI: 10.1007/s11606-022-07909-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The TOPCARE and TEACH randomized controlled trials demonstrated the efficacy of a multi-faceted intervention to promote guideline-adherent long-term opioid therapy (LTOT) in primary care settings. Intervention components included a full-time Nurse Care Manager (NCM), an electronic registry, and academic detailing sessions. OBJECTIVE This study sought to identify barriers, facilitators, and other issues germane to the wider implementation of this intervention. DESIGN We conducted a nested, qualitative study at 4 primary care clinics (TOPCARE) and 2 HIV primary care clinics (TEACH), where the trials had been conducted. APPROACH We purposively sampled primary care physicians and advanced practice providers (hereafter: PCPs) who had received the intervention. Semi-structured interviews explored perceptions of the intervention to identify unanticipated barriers to and facilitators of implementation. Interview transcripts were analyzed through iterative deductive and inductive coding exercises. KEY RESULTS We interviewed 32 intervention participants, 30 physicians and 2 advanced practice providers, who were majority White (66%) and female (63%). Acceptability of the intervention was high, with most PCPs valuing didactic and team-based intervention elements, especially co-management of LTOT patients with the NCM. Adoption of new prescribing practices was facilitated by proximity to expertise, available behavioral health care, and the NCM's support. Most participants were enthusiastic about the intervention, though a minority voiced concerns about the appropriateness in their particular clinical environments, threats to the patient-provider relationship, or long-term sustainability. CONCLUSION TOPCARE/TEACH participants found the intervention generally acceptable, appropriate, and easy to adopt in a variety of primary care environments, though some challenges were identified. Careful attention to the practical challenges of implementation and the professional relationships affected by the intervention may facilitate implementation and sustainability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer J Carroll
- Department of Sociology and Anthropology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA.
- Warren Alpert School of Medicine, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.
| | - Phoebe A Cushman
- Department of Medicine, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Marlene C Lira
- Clinical Addiction Research and Education (CARE) Unit, Section of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jonathan A Colasanti
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Grady Health System, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Carlos Del Rio
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Grady Health System, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Karen E Lasser
- Clinical Addiction Research and Education (CARE) Unit, Section of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Community Health Sciences, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Victoria Parker
- Department of Management, Peter. T. Paul College of Business & Economics, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, USA
| | - Payel J Roy
- Division of General Internal Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Jeffrey H Samet
- Clinical Addiction Research and Education (CARE) Unit, Section of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jane M Liebschutz
- Division of General Internal Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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Pytell JD, Rubenstein LV. So What Do We Do Now? New Opioid Prescribing Guidelines, Implementation Science, and How to Improve the Care of Patients Receiving Long-Term Opioid Therapy in Primary Care. J Gen Intern Med 2023:10.1007/s11606-023-08111-9. [PMID: 36897541 DOI: 10.1007/s11606-023-08111-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/11/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Jarratt D Pytell
- Department of Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Mail Stop B180, 12631 E. 17Th Ave, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA.
| | - Lisa V Rubenstein
- RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, CA, USA.,David Geffen School of Medicine and Fielding School of Public Health, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, USA
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21
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Prince V. Pain Management in the Opioid Crisis. PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT CLINICS 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cpha.2022.10.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
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22
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Schneider JL, Firemark AJ, Papajorgji-Taylor D, Reese KR, Thorsness LA, Sullivan MD, DeBar LL, Smith DH, Kuntz JL. "I really had somebody in my corner." Patient experiences with a pharmacist-led opioid tapering program. J Am Pharm Assoc (2003) 2023; 63:241-251.e1. [PMID: 35718714 DOI: 10.1016/j.japh.2022.05.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2022] [Revised: 05/16/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Opioid tapering has been identified as an effective strategy to prevent the dangers associated with long-term opioid therapy for patients with chronic pain. However, many patients are resistant to tapering, and conversations about tapering can be challenging for health care providers. Pharmacists can play a role in supporting both providers and patients with the process of opioid tapering. OBJECTIVE Qualitatively describe patient experiences with a unique phone-based and pharmacy-led opioid tapering program implemented within an integrated health care system. METHODS In-depth telephone interviews with patients who completed the program were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed. Themes were identified through a constant comparative approach. RESULTS We completed 25 interviews; 80% of patients were women (20), with a mean age of 58 years, and 72% (18) had been using opioids for pain management for 10 or more years. Most (60%) described a positive and satisfying experience with the tapering program. Strengths of the program reported by patients included a patient-centered and compassionate taper approach, flexible taper pace, easy access to knowledgeable pharmacist advocates, and resultant improvements in quality of life (e.g., increased energy). Challenges reported included: unhelpful or difficult-to-access nonpharmacological pain management options, negative quality of life impacts (e.g., inability to exercise), and lack of choice in the taper process. At the end of tapering, most patients (72%) described their pain as reduced or manageable rather than worse and expressed willingness to use the program in the future if a need should arise. CONCLUSIONS Patients in a pharmacist-led opioid tapering program appreciated the program's individualized approach to care and access to pharmacist' expertise. Most interviewed patients successfully reduced their opioid use and recommended that the program should continue as an offered service. To improve the program, patients suggested increased personalization of the taper process and additional support for withdrawal symptoms and nonpharmacological pain management.
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Maierhofer CN, Ranapurwala SI, DiPrete BL, Fulcher N, Ringwalt CL, Chelminski PR, Ives TJ, Dasgupta N, Go VF, Pence BW. Intended and unintended consequences: Changes in opioid prescribing practices for postsurgical, acute, and chronic pain indications following two policies in North Carolina, 2012-2018 - Controlled and single-series interrupted time series analyses. Drug Alcohol Depend 2023; 242:109727. [PMID: 36516549 PMCID: PMC9801483 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2022.109727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2022] [Revised: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The potential misapplication of current opioid prescribing policies remains understudied and may have substantial adverse implications for patient safety. METHODS We used autoregressive integrated moving average models to assess level and trend changes in monthly 1) prescribing rates, 2) days' supply, and 3) daily morphine milligram equivalents (MME) of incident opioid prescriptions relative to 1) a state medical board initiative to reduce high-dose and -volume opioid prescribing and 2) legislation to limit initial opioid prescriptions for acute and postsurgical pain. We examined outcomes by pain indication overall and by cancer history, using prescribing patterns for benzodiazepines to control for temporal trends. We used large private health insurance claims data to include North Carolina residents, aged 18-64, insured at any point between January 2012 and August 2018. RESULTS After the medical board initiative, prescribing patterns for chronic pain patients did not change; conversely, acute and postsurgical pain patients experienced immediate declines in daily MME. Post-legislation prescription rates did not decline for those with acute, postsurgical, and non-cancer pain, but instead declined among cancer patients with chronic pain. Chronic pain patients experienced the largest days' supply declines post-legislation, instead of acute and postsurgical pain patients. CONCLUSIONS We found mixed evidence on the potential impact of two opioid prescribing policies, with some observed declines in a group not intended to be impacted by the policy. This study provides evidence of the need for clearer opioid prescribing policies to ensure impacts on intended populations and avoid unintended consequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Courtney N Maierhofer
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, 135 Dauer Drive, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
| | - Shabbar I Ranapurwala
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, 135 Dauer Drive, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Injury Prevention Research Center, University of North Carolina, 521S Greensboro St, Carrboro, NC 27510, USA.
| | - Bethany L DiPrete
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, 135 Dauer Drive, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Injury Prevention Research Center, University of North Carolina, 521S Greensboro St, Carrboro, NC 27510, USA.
| | - Naoko Fulcher
- Injury Prevention Research Center, University of North Carolina, 521S Greensboro St, Carrboro, NC 27510, USA.
| | - Christopher L Ringwalt
- Injury Prevention Research Center, University of North Carolina, 521S Greensboro St, Carrboro, NC 27510, USA; Department of Health Behavior, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, 135 Dauer Drive, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
| | - Paul R Chelminski
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 321S. Columbia Street, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
| | - Timothy J Ives
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 321S. Columbia Street, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Division of Practice Advancement and Clinical Education, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 301 Pharmacy Ln, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
| | - Nabarun Dasgupta
- Injury Prevention Research Center, University of North Carolina, 521S Greensboro St, Carrboro, NC 27510, USA.
| | - Vivian F Go
- Department of Health Behavior, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, 135 Dauer Drive, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
| | - Brian W Pence
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, 135 Dauer Drive, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
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Mazurenko O, Blackburn J, Zhang P, Gupta S, Harle CA, Kroenke K, Simon K. Recent tapering from long-term opioid therapy and odds of opioid-related hospital use. Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf 2022; 32:526-534. [PMID: 36479785 DOI: 10.1002/pds.5581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2021] [Revised: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE The number of patients tapered from long-term opioid therapy (LTOT) has increased in recent years in the United States. Some patients tapered from LTOT report improved quality of life, while others face increased risks of opioid-related hospital use. Research has not yet established how the risk of opioid-related hospital use changes across LTOT dose and subsequent tapering. Our objective was to examine associations between recent tapering from LTOT with odds of opioid-related hospital use. METHODS Case-crossover design using 2014-2018 health information exchange data from Indiana. We defined opioid-related hospital use as hospitalizations, and emergency department (ED) visits for a drug overdose, opioid abuse, and dependence. We defined tapering as a 15% or greater dose reduction following at least 3 months of continuous opioid therapy of 50 morphine milligram equivalents (MME)/day or more. We used conditional logistic regression to estimate odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). RESULTS Recent tapering from LTOT was associated with increased odds of opioid-related hospital use (OR: 1.50, 95%CI: 1.34-1.63), ED visit (OR: 1.52; 95%CI: 1.35-1.72), and inpatient hospitalization (OR: 1.40; 95%CI: 1.20-1.65). We found no evidence of heterogeneity of the effect of tapering on opioid-related hospital use by gender, age, and race. Recent tapering among patients on a high baseline dose (>300 MME) was associated with increased odds of opioid-related hospital use (OR: 2.95, 95% CI: 2.12-4.11, p < 0.001) compared to patients on a lower baseline doses. CONCLUSIONS Recent tapering from LTOT is associated with increased odds of opioid-related hospital use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olena Mazurenko
- Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Justin Blackburn
- Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Pengyue Zhang
- School of Medicine, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Sumedha Gupta
- School of Liberal Arts, IUPUI, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Christopher A Harle
- Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Kurt Kroenke
- School of Medicine, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA.,Indiana University Center for Health Services and Outcomes Research, Regenstrief Institute, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Kosali Simon
- Paul O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
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Carlile N, Fuller TE, Benneyan JC, Bargal B, Hunt L, Singer S, Schiff GD. Lessons Learned in Implementing a Chronic Opioid Therapy Management System. J Patient Saf 2022; 18:e1142-e1149. [PMID: 35617623 PMCID: PMC9691784 DOI: 10.1097/pts.0000000000001039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Opioid misuse has resulted in significant morbidity and mortality in the United States, and safer opioid use represents an important challenge in the primary care setting. This article describes a research collaborative of health service researchers, systems engineers, and clinicians seeking to improve processes for safer chronic opioid therapy management in an academic primary care center. We present implementation results and lessons learned along with an intervention toolkit that others may consider using within their organization. METHODS Using iterative improvement lifecycles and systems engineering principles, we developed a risk-based workflow model for patients on chronic opioids. Two key safe opioid use process metrics-percent of patients with recent opioid treatment agreements and urine drug tests-were identified, and processes to improve these measures were designed, tested, and implemented. Focus groups were conducted after the conclusion of implementation, with barriers and lessons learned identified via thematic analysis. RESULTS Initial surveys revealed a lack of knowledge regarding resources available to patients and prescribers in the primary care clinic. In addition, 18 clinicians (69%) reported largely "inheriting" (rather than initiating) their chronic opioid therapy patients. We tracked 68 patients over a 4-year period. Although process measures improved, full adherence was not achieved for the entire population. Barriers included team structure, the evolving opioid environment, and surveillance challenges, along with disruptions resulting from the 2019 novel coronavirus. CONCLUSIONS Safe primary care opioid prescribing requires ongoing monitoring and management in a complex environment. The application of a risk-based approach is possible but requires adaptability and redundancies to be reliable.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Theresa E Fuller
- Healthcare Systems Engineering Institute, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - James C Benneyan
- Healthcare Systems Engineering Institute, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Basma Bargal
- Healthcare Systems Engineering Institute, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts
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Dowell D, Ragan KR, Jones CM, Baldwin GT, Chou R. CDC Clinical Practice Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Pain - United States, 2022. MMWR Recomm Rep 2022; 71:1-95. [PMID: 36327391 PMCID: PMC9639433 DOI: 10.15585/mmwr.rr7103a1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 457] [Impact Index Per Article: 228.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
This guideline provides recommendations for clinicians providing pain care, including those prescribing opioids, for outpatients aged ≥18 years. It updates the CDC Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain - United States, 2016 (MMWR Recomm Rep 2016;65[No. RR-1]:1-49) and includes recommendations for managing acute (duration of <1 month), subacute (duration of 1-3 months), and chronic (duration of >3 months) pain. The recommendations do not apply to pain related to sickle cell disease or cancer or to patients receiving palliative or end-of-life care. The guideline addresses the following four areas: 1) determining whether or not to initiate opioids for pain, 2) selecting opioids and determining opioid dosages, 3) deciding duration of initial opioid prescription and conducting follow-up, and 4) assessing risk and addressing potential harms of opioid use. CDC developed the guideline using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) framework. Recommendations are based on systematic reviews of the scientific evidence and reflect considerations of benefits and harms, patient and clinician values and preferences, and resource allocation. CDC obtained input from the Board of Scientific Counselors of the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (a federally chartered advisory committee), the public, and peer reviewers. CDC recommends that persons with pain receive appropriate pain treatment, with careful consideration of the benefits and risks of all treatment options in the context of the patient's circumstances. Recommendations should not be applied as inflexible standards of care across patient populations. This clinical practice guideline is intended to improve communication between clinicians and patients about the benefits and risks of pain treatments, including opioid therapy; improve the effectiveness and safety of pain treatment; mitigate pain; improve function and quality of life for patients with pain; and reduce risks associated with opioid pain therapy, including opioid use disorder, overdose, and death.
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Silvis J, Rowe CL, Dobbins S, Haq N, Vittinghoff E, McMahan VM, Appa A, Coffin PO. Engagement in HIV care and viral suppression following changes in long-term opioid therapy for treatment for chronic pain. AIDS Behav 2022; 26:3220-3230. [PMID: 35380287 PMCID: PMC11230622 DOI: 10.1007/s10461-022-03671-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Chronic pain is common among persons living with HIV and changes in opioid prescribing practices may complicate HIV care management. Using medical record data from a retrospective cohort study conducted January 1, 2012 to June 30, 2019 for 300 publicly insured HIV-positive primary care patients prescribed opioids for chronic non-cancer pain in San Francisco, we examined associations between opioid dose changes and both time to disengagement from HIV care and experiencing virologic failure using logistic regression. Discontinuation of prescribed opioids was associated with increased odds of disengagement in care at 3, 6, and 9 months after discontinuation. There were no associations with virologic failure. Providers and policy makers must weigh impacts on HIV care when implementing necessary changes in opioid prescribing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janelle Silvis
- University of California San Francisco, 500 Parnassus Ave, 94143, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Christopher L Rowe
- San Francisco Department of Public Health, 25 Van Ness Avenue, Ste. 500, 94102, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Sarah Dobbins
- University of California San Francisco, 500 Parnassus Ave, 94143, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Nimah Haq
- San Francisco Department of Public Health, 25 Van Ness Avenue, Ste. 500, 94102, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Eric Vittinghoff
- University of California San Francisco, 500 Parnassus Ave, 94143, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Vanessa M McMahan
- San Francisco Department of Public Health, 25 Van Ness Avenue, Ste. 500, 94102, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Ayesha Appa
- University of California San Francisco, 500 Parnassus Ave, 94143, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Phillip O Coffin
- University of California San Francisco, 500 Parnassus Ave, 94143, San Francisco, CA, United States.
- San Francisco Department of Public Health, 25 Van Ness Avenue, Ste. 500, 94102, San Francisco, CA, United States.
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O’Gurek DT, Leasy MJ. Guidelines and Policies. Prim Care 2022; 49:507-515. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pop.2022.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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Hayes J, Johnston B, Barenboim H, Tempe M. Evidence based opioid weaning with behavioral support - Forum for Behavioral Science Edition. Int J Psychiatry Med 2022; 57:403-412. [PMID: 35801396 DOI: 10.1177/00912174221114245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Nationally published guidelines state that many patients prescribed chronic opioids would benefit from gradually reducing and/or eliminating their use of these medications. This is easier said than done. Patients are often resistant or fearful, physicians are often uncomfortable prescribing an opioid taper, and patients often do not get the needed behavioral health support in this process. It is critical to develop a comprehensive behavioral and medical plan, however the field lacks practical approaches to guide physicians (and patients) through this challenge. In this manuscript our team of primary care providers and behaviorists walk through a case involving complex opioid weaning in a Family Medicine residency clinic environment. Through the lens of our patient's case, we will discuss best practices for getting patient buy-in, opioid weaning strategies, behavioral support during the wean, identifying co-morbid opioid use disorders, and deciding on acceptable end points for the taper.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Hayes
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, 184705Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Bryan Johnston
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, 184705Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Hernan Barenboim
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, 184705Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Mario Tempe
- Resident Physician, Ascension Columbia St. Mary's Family Medicine Residency Program, Milwaukee, WI, USA
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Warner NS, Mielke MM, Verdoorn BP, Knopman DS, Hooten WM, Habermann EB, Warner DO. Pain, Opioid Analgesics, and Cognition: A Conceptual Framework in Older Adults. PAIN MEDICINE 2022; 24:171-181. [PMID: 35913452 PMCID: PMC9890310 DOI: 10.1093/pm/pnac113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2022] [Revised: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Chronic pain is highly prevalent in older adults and is associated with poor functional outcomes. Furthermore, opioid analgesics are commonly utilized for the treatment of pain in older adults despite well-described adverse effects. Importantly, both chronic pain and opioid analgesics have been linked with impairments in cognitive function, though data are limited. In this manuscript we summarize the evidence and critical knowledge gaps regarding the relationships between pain, opioid analgesics, and cognition in older adults. Furthermore, we provide a conceptual framework to guide future research in the development, implementation, and evaluation of strategies to optimize analgesic outcomes in older adults while minimizing deleterious effects on cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nafisseh S Warner
- Correspondence to: Nafisseh S. Warner, MD, Department of Anesthesiology, Mayo Clinic, 200 First St SW, Rochester, MN 55905, USA. Tel: (507)284-2511; Fax: (507)266-7732; E-mail:
| | - Michelle M Mielke
- Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | | | - David S Knopman
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - William M Hooten
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Elizabeth B Habermann
- Robert D. and Patricia E. Kern Center for the Science of Health Care Delivery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA,Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - David O Warner
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
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Tafreshi S, Steiner A, Sud A. Shifting interpretations in evidence and guidance in pain and opioids research: A bibliometric analysis of a highly cited case series from 1986. J Eval Clin Pract 2022; 28:509-519. [PMID: 35445499 DOI: 10.1111/jep.13680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2022] [Revised: 03/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
UNLABELLED RATIONALE, AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: Portenoy and Foley's 1986 landmark case series 'Chronic use of opioid analgesics in non-malignant pain: report of 38 cases' has been reproached for opening the floodgates of opioid prescribing for chronic non-cancer pain and the attendant harms. This influential article has been cited over 500 times in the scientific literature over the last four decades. This study seeks to understand the impact of Portenoy and Foley's article on subsequent discussions and research about opioids. METHODS We conducted a multi-method bibliometric analysis of all citations of this article from 1986 through 2019 using quantitative relational and qualitative content analysis to determine how uses and interpretations of this case series and associated prescribing guidance have changed over time, in relationship to the evolution of the North American opioid crises. RESULTS Using time series analysis, we identified three periods with distinct interpretations and uses of the index article. In the first 'exploration' period (1986-1996), the index article was well-received by the scientific community and motivated further study of the effects of opioids. In the second 'implementation' period (1997-2003, coinciding with the release of OxyContin®), this case series was used as evidence to support widespread prescribing of opioid analgesics, even while it was recognized that long-term effects had not yet been evaluated. The third 'reassessment' period (2004-2019) focused on how opioid-related harms had been overlooked, and in many cases, these harms were directly attributed to this article. CONCLUSION These changes in interpretation demonstrate shifting currents of the use and mobilization of evidence regarding pain and opioids, and how these currents both impact and are impacted by clinical practices and major sociohistorical phenomena such as the opioid crisis. Researchers and clinicians must account for these shifting dynamics when developing and interpreting scientific knowledge, including in the form of clinical practice guidelines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sina Tafreshi
- School of Medicine, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, UK
| | - Adam Steiner
- Faculty of Arts, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Abhimanyu Sud
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Salloum RG, Bilello L, Bian J, Diiulio J, Paz LG, Gurka MJ, Gutierrez M, Hurley RW, Jones RE, Martinez-Wittinghan F, Marcial L, Masri G, McDonnell C, Militello LG, Modave F, Nguyen K, Rhodes B, Siler K, Willis D, Harle CA. Study protocol for a type III hybrid effectiveness-implementation trial to evaluate scaling interoperable clinical decision support for patient-centered chronic pain management in primary care. Implement Sci 2022; 17:44. [PMID: 35841043 PMCID: PMC9287973 DOI: 10.1186/s13012-022-01217-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The US continues to face public health crises related to both chronic pain and opioid overdoses. Thirty percent of Americans suffer from chronic noncancer pain at an estimated yearly cost of over $600 billion. Most patients with chronic pain turn to primary care clinicians who must choose from myriad treatment options based on relative risks and benefits, patient history, available resources, symptoms, and goals. Recently, with attention to opioid-related risks, prescribing has declined. However, clinical experts have countered with concerns that some patients for whom opioid-related benefits outweigh risks may be inappropriately discontinued from opioids. Unfortunately, primary care clinicians lack usable tools to help them partner with their patients in choosing pain treatment options that best balance risks and benefits in the context of patient history, resources, symptoms, and goals. Thus, primary care clinicians and patients would benefit from patient-centered clinical decision support (CDS) for this shared decision-making process. Methods The objective of this 3-year project is to study the adaptation and implementation of an existing interoperable CDS tool for pain treatment shared decision making, with tailored implementation support, in new clinical settings in the OneFlorida Clinical Research Consortium. Our central hypothesis is that tailored implementation support will increase CDS adoption and shared decision making. We further hypothesize that increases in shared decision making will lead to improved patient outcomes, specifically pain and physical function. The CDS implementation will be guided by the Exploration, Preparation, Implementation, Sustainment (EPIS) framework. The evaluation will be organized by the Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance (RE-AIM) framework. We will adapt and tailor PainManager, an open source interoperable CDS tool, for implementation in primary care clinics affiliated with the OneFlorida Clinical Research Consortium. We will evaluate the effect of tailored implementation support on PainManager’s adoption for pain treatment shared decision making. This evaluation will establish the feasibility and obtain preliminary data in preparation for a multi-site pragmatic trial targeting the effectiveness of PainManager and tailored implementation support on shared decision making and patient-reported pain and physical function. Discussion This research will generate evidence on strategies for implementing interoperable CDS in new clinical settings across different types of electronic health records (EHRs). The study will also inform tailored implementation strategies to be further tested in a subsequent hybrid effectiveness-implementation trial. Together, these efforts will lead to important new technology and evidence that patients, clinicians, and health systems can use to improve care for millions of Americans who suffer from pain and other chronic conditions. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT05256394, Registered 25 February 2022. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13012-022-01217-4.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramzi G Salloum
- Department of Health Outcomes and Biomedical Informatics, University of Florida College of Medicine, 2004 Mowry Road, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - Lori Bilello
- Department of Medicine, University of Florida College of Medicine, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Jiang Bian
- Department of Health Outcomes and Biomedical Informatics, University of Florida College of Medicine, 2004 Mowry Road, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | | | - Laura Gonzalez Paz
- Department of Health Outcomes and Biomedical Informatics, University of Florida College of Medicine, 2004 Mowry Road, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - Matthew J Gurka
- Department of Health Outcomes and Biomedical Informatics, University of Florida College of Medicine, 2004 Mowry Road, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - Maria Gutierrez
- Department of Medicine, University of Florida College of Medicine, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Robert W Hurley
- Department of Anesthesiology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Ross E Jones
- Department of Community Health and Family Medicine, University of Florida College of Medicine, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Francisco Martinez-Wittinghan
- Department of Community Health and Family Medicine, University of Florida College of Medicine, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | | | - Ghania Masri
- Department of Medicine, University of Florida College of Medicine, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Cara McDonnell
- Department of Health Outcomes and Biomedical Informatics, University of Florida College of Medicine, 2004 Mowry Road, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | | | - François Modave
- Department of Health Outcomes and Biomedical Informatics, University of Florida College of Medicine, 2004 Mowry Road, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - Khoa Nguyen
- Department of Pharmacotherapy and Translational Research, University of Florida College of Pharmacy, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | | | - Kendra Siler
- CommunityHealth IT, Kennedy Space Center, Merritt Island, FL, USA
| | - David Willis
- CommunityHealth IT, Kennedy Space Center, Merritt Island, FL, USA
| | - Christopher A Harle
- Department of Health Outcomes and Biomedical Informatics, University of Florida College of Medicine, 2004 Mowry Road, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA.
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Cangadis-Douglass H, Jung M, Xia T, Buchbinder R, Lalic S, Russell G, Andrew N, Pearce C, Bell JS, Ilomäki J, Nielsen S. Using primary care data to understand opioid prescribing, policy impacts and clinical outcomes: A protocol for the OPPICO study. Res Social Adm Pharm 2022; 18:4129-4137. [DOI: 10.1016/j.sapharm.2022.07.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 07/24/2022] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
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Kleykamp BA, Dworkin RH, Turk DC, Bhagwagar Z, Cowan P, Eccleston C, Ellenberg SS, Evans SR, Farrar JT, Freeman RL, Garrison LP, Gewandter JS, Goli V, Iyengar S, Jadad AR, Jensen MP, Junor R, Katz NP, Kesslak JP, Kopecky EA, Lissin D, Markman JD, McDermott MP, Mease PJ, O'Connor AB, Patel KV, Raja SN, Rowbotham MC, Sampaio C, Singh JA, Steigerwald I, Strand V, Tive LA, Tobias J, Wasan AD, Wilson HD. Benefit-risk assessment and reporting in clinical trials of chronic pain treatments: IMMPACT recommendations. Pain 2022; 163:1006-1018. [PMID: 34510135 PMCID: PMC8904641 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Chronic pain clinical trials have historically assessed benefit and risk outcomes separately. However, a growing body of research suggests that a composite metric that accounts for benefit and risk in relation to each other can provide valuable insights into the effects of different treatments. Researchers and regulators have developed a variety of benefit-risk composite metrics, although the extent to which these methods apply to randomized clinical trials (RCTs) of chronic pain has not been evaluated in the published literature. This article was motivated by an Initiative on Methods, Measurement, and Pain Assessment in Clinical Trials consensus meeting and is based on the expert opinion of those who attended. In addition, a review of the benefit-risk assessment tools used in published chronic pain RCTs or highlighted by key professional organizations (ie, Cochrane, European Medicines Agency, Outcome Measures in Rheumatology, and U.S. Food and Drug Administration) was completed. Overall, the review found that benefit-risk metrics are not commonly used in RCTs of chronic pain despite the availability of published methods. A primary recommendation is that composite metrics of benefit-risk should be combined at the level of the individual patient, when possible, in addition to the benefit-risk assessment at the treatment group level. Both levels of analysis (individual and group) can provide valuable insights into the relationship between benefits and risks associated with specific treatments across different patient subpopulations. The systematic assessment of benefit-risk in clinical trials has the potential to enhance the clinical meaningfulness of RCT results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bethea A Kleykamp
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, United States
| | - Robert H Dworkin
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, United States
- Department of Neurology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, United States
- Center for Health and Technology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, United States
| | - Dennis C Turk
- Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Zubin Bhagwagar
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, CT, United States
| | - Penney Cowan
- American Chronic Pain Association, Rocklin, CA, United States
| | | | - Susan S Ellenberg
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Scott R Evans
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States
| | - John T Farrar
- Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Roy L Freeman
- Harvard Medical School, Center for Autonomic and Peripheral Nerve Disorders, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Louis P Garrison
- School of Pharmacy, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Jennifer S Gewandter
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, United States
| | - Veeraindar Goli
- Pfizer, Inc, New York, NY, United States. Dr. Goli is now with the Emeritus Professor, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Smriti Iyengar
- Division of Translational Research, NINDS, NIH, Rockville, MD, United States
| | - Alejandro R Jadad
- Department of Anesthesia, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Beati, Inc, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Mark P Jensen
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | | | - Nathaniel P Katz
- Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
- Analgesic Solutions, Wayland, MA, United States
| | | | | | - Dmitri Lissin
- DURECT Corporation, Cupertino, CA, United States. Dr. Lissin is now woth the Scilex Pharmaceuticals, Inc., San Diego, CA, United States
| | - John D Markman
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, United States
| | - Michael P McDermott
- Department of Biostatistics and Computational Biology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, United States
| | - Philip J Mease
- Division of Rheumatology Research, Swedish Medical Center/Providence St. Joseph Health and University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Alec B O'Connor
- Department of Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, United States
| | - Kushang V Patel
- Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Srinivasa N Raja
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Michael C Rowbotham
- Department of Anesthesia, UCSF School of Medicine, Research Institute, CPMC Sutter Health, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Cristina Sampaio
- Clinical Pharmacology Lab, Faculdade de Medicina de Lisboa, University Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Jasvinder A Singh
- Medicine Service, VA Medical Center, Birmingham, AL, United States
- Department of Medicine at the School of Medicine, University of Alabama (UAB) at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
- Department of Epidemiology at the UAB School of Public Health, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Ilona Steigerwald
- Chief Medical Officer SVP Neumentum, Inc, Morristown NJ, United States
| | - Vibeke Strand
- Division of Immunology/Rheumatology, Stanford University, Palo Alto CA, United States
| | - Leslie A Tive
- Department of Biopharmaceuticals, Pfizer, Inc, New York, NY, United States
| | | | - Ajay D Wasan
- Departments of Anesthesiology & Perioperative Medicine, and Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, United States
| | - Hilary D Wilson
- Patient Affairs and Engagement, Boehringer Ingelheim, Ridgefield, CT, United States
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Hadlandsmyth K, Mosher HJ, Bayman EO, Mares JG, Odom AS, Lund BC. Opioid Prescribing Patterns for Acute Pain. Eur J Pain 2022; 26:1523-1531. [PMID: 35607721 DOI: 10.1002/ejp.1980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2021] [Revised: 05/16/2022] [Accepted: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE The current study aimed to identify patients presenting with acute pain who may be at risk for a complicated trajectory, via identifying clusters of early opioid prescribing patterns. METHODS National Veterans Affairs administrative data were utilized to build a cohort of outpatients with acute pain presentations and no more than minimal opioid use in the prior year. Latent Class Analyses (LCA) identified clusters of early opioid prescribing patterns. Risk of progression to long-term opioid use was contrasted between LCA clusters using log-binomial regression, adjusting for confounding variables. RESULTS The 2018 cohort included N = 191,283. Among the 27,890 who received an initial opioid prescription, LCA classes were identified using: first supply day, total days dispensed across 30 days, opioid type, dose, and number of prescriptions across the first 30 days. In the three-class model: class 1 indicated an immediate, low-dose, brief supply; class 2 included delayed, low-dose and longer duration prescriptions; and class 3 included delayed high-dose, and moderate duration. Adjusted relative risk ratios for progression to long-term opioid use in the following year were 3.33 (95% CI: 2.71-4.10) for class 1 (absolute risk 1.1%); 7.76 (95% CI: 6.69-8.99) for class 2 (3.1%); and 6.81 (95% CI: 5.72 - 8.12) for class 3 (2.4%); compared to patients who did not receive an acute opioid prescription (0.3%). CONCLUSIONS These clusters of acute opioid prescribing could facilitate identification of patients who may benefit from enhanced pain care earlier in the pain trajectory and decrease future reliance on long-term opioid therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine Hadlandsmyth
- Center for Access and Delivery Research and Evaluation (CADRE), Iowa City VA Health Care System, Iowa City, IA, USA.,Office of Rural Health, Veterans Rural Health Resource Center, Iowa City VA Health Care System, Iowa City, IA, USA.,University of Iowa, Carver College of Medicine, Department of Anesthesia, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Hilary J Mosher
- Center for Access and Delivery Research and Evaluation (CADRE), Iowa City VA Health Care System, Iowa City, IA, USA.,Office of Rural Health, Veterans Rural Health Resource Center, Iowa City VA Health Care System, Iowa City, IA, USA.,University of Iowa, Carver College of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Iowa City, USA
| | - Emine O Bayman
- University of Iowa, Carver College of Medicine, Department of Anesthesia, Iowa City, IA, USA.,University of Iowa, College of Public Health, Department of Biostatistics, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Jasmine G Mares
- University of Iowa, Carver College of Medicine, Department of Anesthesia, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Annie S Odom
- Center for Access and Delivery Research and Evaluation (CADRE), Iowa City VA Health Care System, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Brian C Lund
- Center for Access and Delivery Research and Evaluation (CADRE), Iowa City VA Health Care System, Iowa City, IA, USA.,Office of Rural Health, Veterans Rural Health Resource Center, Iowa City VA Health Care System, Iowa City, IA, USA
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Walker DM, Childerhose JE, Chen S, Coovert N, Jackson RD, Kurien N, McAlearney AS, Volney J, Alford DP, Bosak J, Oyler DR, Stinson LK, Behrooz M, Christopher MC, Drainoni ML. Exploring perspectives on changing opioid prescribing practices: A qualitative study of community stakeholders in the HEALing Communities Study. Drug Alcohol Depend 2022; 233:109342. [PMID: 35151024 PMCID: PMC8957585 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2022.109342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2021] [Revised: 01/27/2022] [Accepted: 01/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Community-based perspectives are needed to more broadly inform policy-makers, public health practitioners, prescribers, and pharmacists about community-led and broader efforts to reduce opioid overprescribing, and ultimately reduce prescription opioid use disorder, overdoses and fatalities. The aim of this study is to explore community-based perspectives on efforts to change opioid prescribing practices in their communities. METHODS Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 388 community stakeholders across four states (Kentucky, Massachusetts, New York, Ohio) from November 2019 to January 2020 about community approaches and goals of community-led responses to the opioid crisis. Data analysis combined deductive and inductive approaches to identify themes and sub-themes related to improving opioid prescribing practices. RESULTS Three major themes and different subthemes were characterized: (1) acknowledging progress (i.e., healthcare providers being part of the solution, provider education, and prescription drug monitoring programs); (2) emergent challenges (i.e., physician nonadherence with safer opioid prescribing guidelines, difficulty identifying appropriate use of opioids, and concerns about accelerating the progression from opioid misuse to drug abuse); and (3) opportunities for change (i.e., educating patients about safer use and proper disposal of opioids, expanding prescriber and pharmacist education, changing unrealistic expectations around eliminating pain, expanding and increasing insurance coverage for alternative treatment options). CONCLUSIONS Community stakeholders appeared to support specific opportunities to reduce prescription opioid misuse and improve safer prescribing. The opportunities included culture change around pain expectations, awareness of safe disposal, additional provider education, and increased coverage and acceptability of non-opioid treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel M. Walker
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, 460 Medical Center Dr., Suite 530, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA,CATALYST, The Center for the Advancement of Team Science, Analytics, and Systems Thinking in Health Services and Implementation Science Research, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, 700 Ackerman Road, Suite 4000, Columbus, OH, 43202, USA
| | - Janet E. Childerhose
- CATALYST, The Center for the Advancement of Team Science, Analytics, and Systems Thinking in Health Services and Implementation Science Research, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, 700 Ackerman Road, Suite 4000, Columbus, OH, 43202, USA,Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Martha Morehouse Pavilion, 2050 Kenny Road, Suite 2428, Columbus, OH, 43221, USA
| | - Sadie Chen
- CATALYST, The Center for the Advancement of Team Science, Analytics, and Systems Thinking in Health Services and Implementation Science Research, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, 700 Ackerman Road, Suite 4000, Columbus, OH, 43202, USA
| | - Nicolette Coovert
- CATALYST, The Center for the Advancement of Team Science, Analytics, and Systems Thinking in Health Services and Implementation Science Research, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, 700 Ackerman Road, Suite 4000, Columbus, OH, 43202, USA
| | - Rebecca D. Jackson
- Center for Clinical and Translational Science and the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, The Ohio State University, 376 W. 10 Ave, Suite 205, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Natasha Kurien
- CATALYST, The Center for the Advancement of Team Science, Analytics, and Systems Thinking in Health Services and Implementation Science Research, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, 700 Ackerman Road, Suite 4000, Columbus, OH, 43202, USA
| | - Ann Scheck McAlearney
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, 460 Medical Center Dr., Suite 530, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA,CATALYST, The Center for the Advancement of Team Science, Analytics, and Systems Thinking in Health Services and Implementation Science Research, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, 700 Ackerman Road, Suite 4000, Columbus, OH, 43202, USA
| | - Jaclyn Volney
- CATALYST, The Center for the Advancement of Team Science, Analytics, and Systems Thinking in Health Services and Implementation Science Research, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, 700 Ackerman Road, Suite 4000, Columbus, OH, 43202, USA
| | - Daniel P. Alford
- Grayken Center for Addiction, Clinical Addiction Research and Education Unit, Boston Medical Center and Boston University School of Medicine, 801 Massachusetts Ave, Rm 2060, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
| | - Julie Bosak
- Grayken Center for Addiction, Clinical Addiction Research and Education Unit, Boston Medical Center and Boston University School of Medicine, 801 Massachusetts Ave, Rm 2060, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
| | - Douglas R. Oyler
- Pharmacy Practice and Science Department, College of Pharmacy, University of Kentucky, 780 S. Limestone, Lee T. Todd, Jr. Bldg, Rm 285, Lexington, KY, 40506, USA
| | - Laura K. Stinson
- Pharmacy Practice and Science Department, College of Pharmacy, University of Kentucky, 780 S. Limestone, Lee T. Todd, Jr. Bldg, Rm 285, Lexington, KY, 40506, USA
| | - Melika Behrooz
- Social Intervention Group, Columbia University School of Social Work, 1255 Amsterdam Ave, New York, NY, 10027, USA
| | - Mia-Cara Christopher
- Social Intervention Group, Columbia University School of Social Work, 1255 Amsterdam Ave, New York, NY, 10027, USA
| | - Mari-Lynn Drainoni
- Boston Medical Center and Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 801 Massachusetts Ave, Rm 2014, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
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Quinn PD, Chang Z, Bair MJ, Rickert ME, Gibbons RD, Kroenke K, D’Onofrio BM. Associations of opioid prescription dose and discontinuation with risk of substance-related morbidity in long-term opioid therapy. Pain 2022; 163:e588-e595. [PMID: 34326295 PMCID: PMC8795234 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Efforts to reduce opioid-related harms have decreased opioid prescription but have provoked concerns about unintended consequences, particularly for long-term opioid therapy (LtOT) recipients. Research is needed to address the knowledge gap regarding how risk of substance-related morbidity changes across LtOT and its discontinuation. This study used nationwide commercial insurance claims data and a within-individual design to examine associations of LtOT dose and discontinuation with substance-related morbidity. We identified 194,839 adolescents and adults who initiated opioid prescription in 2010 to 2018 and subsequently received LtOT. The cohort was followed for a median of 965 days (interquartile range, 525-1550), of which a median of 176 days (119-332) were covered by opioid prescription. During follow-up, there were 17,582 acute substance-related morbidity events, defined as claims for emergency visits, inpatient hospitalizations, and ambulance transportation with substance use disorder or overdose diagnoses. Relative to initial treatment, risk was greater within individual during subsequent periods of >60 to 120 (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 1.29; 95% CI, 1.12 to 1.49) and >120 (OR, 1.48; 95% CI, 1.24-1.76) daily morphine milligram equivalents. Risk was also greater during days 1 to 30 after discontinuations than during initial treatment (OR, 1.19; 95% CI, 1.05-1.35). However, it was no greater than during the 30 days before discontinuations, indicating that the risk may not be wholly attributable to discontinuation itself. Results were supported by a negative control pharmacotherapy analysis and additional sensitivity analyses. They suggest that LtOT recipients may experience increased substance-related morbidity risk during treatment subsequent to initial opioid prescription, particularly in periods involving higher doses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick D. Quinn
- Department of Applied Health Science, School of Public Health, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana
| | - Zheng Chang
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Matthew J. Bair
- VA HSR&D Center for Health Information and Communication, Roudebush VA Medical Center, Indianapolis, Indiana
- Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana
- Regenstrief Institute, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Martin E. Rickert
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana
| | - Robert D. Gibbons
- Center for Health Statistics, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
- Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Kurt Kroenke
- Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana
- Regenstrief Institute, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Brian M. D’Onofrio
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana
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Bettinger JJ, Amarquaye W, Fudin J, Schatman ME. Misinterpretation of the “Overdose Crisis” Continues to Fuel Misunderstanding of the Role of Prescription Opioids. J Pain Res 2022; 15:949-958. [PMID: 35414752 PMCID: PMC8994995 DOI: 10.2147/jpr.s367753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jeffrey Fudin
- President, Remitigate Therapeutics, Delmar, NY, USA
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Albany College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences, Albany, NY, USA
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Western New England University College of Pharmacy, Springfield, MA, USA
- Department of Pharmacy and Pain Management, Stratton VA Medical Center, Albany, NY, USA
| | - Michael E Schatman
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care, and Pain Medicine, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Population Health – Division of Medical Ethics, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- School of Social Work, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
- Correspondence: Michael E Schatman, Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care, and Pain Medicine, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, 550 1st Ave., New York, NY, 10016, USA, Tel +425-647-4880, Email
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Seitz AE, Janiszewski KA, Guy GP, Tapscott RT, Einstein EB, Meyer TE, Tierney J, Staffa J, Jones CM, Compton WM. Evaluating Opioid Analgesic Prescribing Limits: A Narrative Review. Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf 2022; 31:605-613. [PMID: 35247021 DOI: 10.1002/pds.5425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Revised: 12/01/2021] [Accepted: 03/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Amy E Seitz
- Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States
| | - Karen A Janiszewski
- Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States
| | - Gery P Guy
- National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Ryan T Tapscott
- National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Emily B Einstein
- National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States
| | - Tamra E Meyer
- Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States
| | - Jessica Tierney
- Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States
| | - Judy Staffa
- Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States
| | - Christopher M Jones
- National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Wilson M Compton
- National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States
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Kral LA, Bettinger JJ, Vartan CM, Hadlandsmyth K, Kullgren J, Smith MA. A Survey on Opioid Tapering Practices, Policies, and Perspectives by Pain and Palliative Care Pharmacists. J Pain Palliat Care Pharmacother 2022; 36:2-10. [PMID: 35254209 DOI: 10.1080/15360288.2022.2041147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Opioid tapering is an essential clinical tool to utilize for a variety of reasons, including safety and analgesic optimization. The need for individualized regimens reveals a corresponding need for healthcare providers who can actively manage patients throughout the process. Pharmacists have taken on an integral role for achieving success in opioid tapering. This survey was conducted to describe the current opioid tapering practices of pain and palliative care pharmacists. A Qualtrics survey was offered to the Society of Pain and Palliative Care Pharmacist members. The majority (87%) indicated they specialized in pain management. Almost all respondents (98%) reported providing tapering recommendations and 82% reported being involved with patient monitoring throughout the taper. The majority (multiple responses could be chosen) noted that the indication for initiating an opioid taper was due to abuse/misuse (91%), reduced overall efficacy (89%), and adverse drug reactions (78%). The most common follow-up intervals during tapering were weekly (15%), every 2 weeks (22%), and every 4 weeks (44%). This practice-based survey, though small, showed that pharmacists in pain management and palliative care are actively involved in opioid tapering. This survey will hopefully serve as a foundation for continuing research into opioid tapering and the pharmacist's role therein.
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Beaugard CA, Chui KKH, Larochelle MR, Young LD, Walley AY, Stopka TJ. Abrupt Discontinuation From Long-Term Opioid Therapy in Massachusetts, 2015-2018. Am J Prev Med 2022; 62:404-413. [PMID: 34838368 DOI: 10.1016/j.amepre.2021.09.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2021] [Revised: 07/22/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION In response to the opioid overdose crisis, providers were urged to taper and discontinue patients from long-term opioid therapy; however, abrupt discontinuation may lead to poor health outcomes. This study aims to determine abrupt and tapered discontinuation rates and identify the patient and provider characteristics associated with abrupt discontinuation. METHODS Data were from the Massachusetts Prescription Monitoring Program, 2015-2018. Patients discontinued from long-term opioid therapy were included in the analysis. Differences between abrupt and tapered discontinuations were identified with bivariate correlations, and variables independently associated with abrupt discontinuation were identified using multivariable Poisson regression analyses. Data were analyzed during 2019-2021. RESULTS In total, 277,485 patients experienced 359,320 discontinuations, of which 33.7% (n=120,964) were abrupt. Of all discontinuations, 55.7% were among female patients, and 57.9% were among patients aged >55 years. The ratio of abrupt to tapered discontinuations increased from 1:2.11 in 2015 to 1:1.75 in 2018. In bivariate analysis, prescribers with more patients receiving monthly opioid prescriptions were less likely to abruptly discontinue patients (29.0, IQR=13.9, 55.3 vs 18.8, IQR=5.84, 43.9, p<0.001), as were prescribers who wrote more monthly opioid prescriptions (36.0, IQR=16.8, 70.8 vs 25.4, IQR=7.40, 58.3, p<0.001). Multivariable results indicated that abrupt discontinuation was independently associated with male sex (RR=1.31, 95% CI=1.29, 1.1.32), younger age (RR=0.872, 95% CI=0.869, 0.874), greater distance between patient and prescriber (RR=1.0075, 95% CI=1.0072, 1.0078), and longer long-term opioid therapy duration (RR=1.021, 95% CI=1.021, 1.0122 for every month increase). CONCLUSIONS Among all long-term opioid therapy discontinuations, abrupt discontinuation is increasing. Evidence-based approaches to managing and tapering long-term opioid therapy are urgently needed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kenneth K H Chui
- Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Marc R Larochelle
- Grayken Center for Addiction, Clinical Addiction Research and Education Unit, Section of General Internal Medicine, Boston Medical Center and Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Leonard D Young
- Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Alexander Y Walley
- Grayken Center for Addiction, Clinical Addiction Research and Education Unit, Section of General Internal Medicine, Boston Medical Center and Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Thomas J Stopka
- Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts.
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Wei YJJ, Chen C, Lewis MO, Schmidt SO, Winterstein AG. Trajectories of prescription opioid dose and risk of opioid-related adverse events among older Medicare beneficiaries in the United States: A nested case-control study. PLoS Med 2022; 19:e1003947. [PMID: 35290389 PMCID: PMC8923459 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1003947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite the rising number of older adults with medical encounters for opioid misuse, dependence, and poisoning, little is known about patterns of prescription opioid dose and their association with risk for opioid-related adverse events (ORAEs) in older patients. The study aims to compare trajectories of prescribed opioid doses in 6 months preceding an incident ORAE for cases and a matched control group of older patients with chronic noncancer pain (CNCP). METHODS AND FINDINGS We conducted a nested case-control study within a cohort of older (≥65 years) patients diagnosed with CNCP who were new users of prescription opioids, assembled using a 5% national random sample of Medicare beneficiaries from 2011 to 2018. From the cohort with a mean follow-up of 2.3 years, we identified 3,103 incident ORAE cases with ≥1 opioid prescription in 6 months preceding the event, and 3,103 controls matched on sex, age, and time since opioid initiation. Key exposure was trajectories of prescribed opioid morphine milligram equivalent (MME) daily dosage over 6 months before the incident ORAE or matched controls. Among the cases and controls, 2,192 (70.6%) were women, and the mean (SD) age was 77.1 (7.1) years. Four prescribed opioid trajectories before the incident ORAE diagnosis or matched date emerged: gradual dose discontinuation (from ≤3 to 0 daily MME, 1,456 [23.5%]), gradual dose increase (from 0 to >3 daily MME, 1,878 [30.3%]), consistent low dose (between 3 and 5 daily MME, 1,510 [24.3%]), and consistent moderate dose (>20 daily MME, 1,362 [22.0%]). Few older patients (<5%) were prescribed a mean daily dose of ≥90 daily MME during 6 months before diagnosis or matched date. Patients with gradual dose discontinuation versus those with a consistent low dose, moderate dose, and increase dose were more likely to be younger (65 to 74 years), Midwest US residents, and receiving no low-income subsidy. Compared to patients with gradual dose discontinuation, those with gradual dose increase (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 3.4; 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.8 to 4.0; P < 0.001), consistent low dose (aOR = 3.8; 95% CI 3.2 to 4.6; P < 0.001), and consistent moderate dose (aOR = 8.5; 95% CI 6.8 to 10.7; P < 0.001) had a higher risk of ORAE, after adjustment for covariates. Our main findings remained robust in the sensitivity analysis using a cohort study with inverse probability of treatment weighting analyses. Major limitations include the limited generalizability of the study findings and lack of information on illicit opioid use, which prevents understanding the clinical dose threshold level that increases the risk of ORAE in older adults. CONCLUSIONS In this sample of older patients who are Medicare beneficiaries, 4 prescription opioid dose trajectories were identified, with most prescribed doses below 90 daily MME within 6 months before ORAE or matched date. An increased risk for ORAE was observed among older patients with a gradual increase in dose or among those with a consistent low-to-moderate dose of prescribed opioids when compared to patients with opioid dose discontinuation. Whether older patients are susceptible to low opioid doses warrants further investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Jung Jenny Wei
- Department of Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy, University of Florida College of Pharmacy, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
- Center for Drug Evaluation and Safety, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Cheng Chen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy, University of Florida College of Pharmacy, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Motomori O. Lewis
- Department of Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy, University of Florida College of Pharmacy, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Siegfried O. Schmidt
- Department of Community Health and Family Medicine, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Almut G. Winterstein
- Department of Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy, University of Florida College of Pharmacy, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
- Center for Drug Evaluation and Safety, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Florida Colleges of Medicine and Public Health and Health Professions, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
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Bulls HW, Chu E, Goodin BR, Liebschutz JM, Wozniak A, Schenker Y, Merlin JS. Framework for opioid stigma in cancer pain. Pain 2022; 163:e182-e189. [PMID: 34010940 PMCID: PMC8589872 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Millions of patients with cancer pain are treated with prescription opioids each year. However, efforts to mitigate the ongoing opioid crisis result in unintended consequences with opioid pain management, including opioid stigma. Emerging research indicates that opioid stigma is problematic in patients with cancer, but few studies have examined contributors to and impacts of opioid stigma in this population. To guide future research in this area, we propose a conceptual framework-the opioid stigma framework (OSF)-with which to understand and improve opioid stigma in patients with cancer pain. Development of the OSF was guided by a literature review of stigma in health-related conditions, adaptation of the existing Health Stigma and Discrimination Framework, a topical review of challenges related to opioid cancer pain management, and author expertise in cancer, pain, and opioid prescribing. The proposed OSF highlights 5 domains: (1) contributors to opioid stigma, or factors that increase the likelihood that a patient will experience opioid stigma; (2) intersecting stigmas, or the convergence of multiple stigmatized identities within a patient; (3) stigma manifestations, or the ways opioid stigma is manifested in patients, clinicians, and the community; (4) proximal outcomes, or the immediate consequences of opioid stigma in patients; and (5) long-term impacts in patients. The OSF provides 2 main avenues to facilitate future research: (1) providing a framework to explore the mechanisms that underlie opioid stigma and its impact on cancer pain management and (2) supporting the development of targeted, tailored interventions to eliminate opioid stigma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hailey W. Bulls
- Section of Palliative Care and Medical Ethics and
Palliative Research Center (PaRC), Division of General Internal Medicine, Department
of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Edward Chu
- Department of Medicine & Molecular Pharmacology, Albert
Einsten Cancer Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Burel R. Goodin
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at
Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Jane M. Liebschutz
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Center for Research
on Health Care, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA,
USA
| | - Antoinette Wozniak
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine,
University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Yael Schenker
- Section of Palliative Care and Medical Ethics and
Palliative Research Center (PaRC), Division of General Internal Medicine, Department
of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Jessica S. Merlin
- Section of Palliative Care and Medical Ethics and
Palliative Research Center (PaRC), Division of General Internal Medicine, Department
of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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44
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Salans M, Riviere P, Vitzthum LK, Nalawade V, Murphy JD. Temporal Trends and Predictors of Opioid Use Among Older Patients With Cancer. Am J Clin Oncol 2022; 45:74-80. [PMID: 35019879 DOI: 10.1097/coc.0000000000000888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES While opioids represent a cornerstone of cancer pain management, the timing and patterns of opioid use in the cancer population have not been well studied. This study sought to explore longitudinal trends in opioid use among Medicare beneficiaries with nonmetastatic cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS Within a cohort of 16,072 Medicare beneficiaries ≥66 years old diagnosed with nonmetastatic cancer between 2007 and 2013, we determined the likelihood of receiving a short-term (0 to 6 mo postdiagnosis), intermediate-term (6 to 12 mo postdiagnosis), long-term (1 to 2 y postdiagnosis), and high-risk (morphine equivalent dose ≥90 mg/day) opioid prescription after cancer diagnosis. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to identify patient and cancer risk factors associated with these opioid use endpoints. RESULTS During the study period, 74.6% of patients received an opioid prescription, while only 2.66% of patients received a high-risk prescription. Factors associated with use varied somewhat between short-term, intermediate-term, and long-term use, though in general, patients at higher risk of receiving an opioid prescription after their cancer diagnosis were younger, had higher stage disease, lived in regions of higher poverty, and had a history of prior opioid use. Prescriptions for high-risk opioids were associated with individuals living in regions with lower poverty. CONCLUSIONS Temporal trends in opioid use in cancer patients depend on patient, demographic, and tumor characteristics. Overall, understanding these correlations may help physicians better identify patient-specific risks of opioid use and could help better inform future evidence-based, cancer-specific opioid prescription guidelines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mia Salans
- Department of Radiation Medicine and Applied Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla
| | - Paul Riviere
- Department of Radiation Medicine and Applied Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla
| | - Lucas K Vitzthum
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA
| | - Vinit Nalawade
- Department of Radiation Medicine and Applied Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla
| | - James D Murphy
- Department of Radiation Medicine and Applied Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla
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People with Arthritis-Disability and Provider Experiences With Chronic Opioid Therapy: A Qualitative Inquiry. Disabil Health J 2022; 15:101294. [DOI: 10.1016/j.dhjo.2022.101294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2021] [Revised: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
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46
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Kelley MA, Persell SD, Linder JA, Friedberg MW, Meeker D, Fox CR, Goldstein NJ, Knight TK, Zein D, Sullivan M, Doctor JN. The protocol of the Application of Economics & Social psychology to improve Opioid Prescribing Safety trial 2 (AESOPS-2): Availability of opioid harm. Contemp Clin Trials 2022; 112:106650. [PMID: 34896295 PMCID: PMC8869359 DOI: 10.1016/j.cct.2021.106650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2020] [Revised: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND High levels of opioid prescribing in the United States has resulted in an alarming trend in opioid-related harms. The objective of Trial 2 of the Application of Economics & Social psychology to improve Opioid Prescribing Safety (AESOPS-2) is to dampen the intensity and frequency of opioid prescribing in accordance with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendation to "go low and slow". We aim to accomplish this by notifying clinicians of harmful patient outcomes, which we expect to increase the mental availability of risks associated with opioid use. METHODS The trial is multi-site. Random assignment determines if prescribers to persons who suffer an opioid overdose (fatal or nonfatal) learn of this event (intervention) or practice usual care (control). Clinicians in the intervention group receive a letter notifying them of their patient's overdose. The primary outcome is the change in clinician weekly milligram morphine equivalent (MME) prescribed in a 6-month period before and after receiving the letter. Additional outcomes are the change in the proportion of patients prescribed at least 50 daily MME and in the proportion of patients referred to medication assisted treatment. Group differences in these outcomes will be compared using an intent-to-treat difference-in-differences framework with a mixed-effects regression model to estimate clinician MME. DISCUSSION The AESOPS-2 trial will provide new knowledge about whether increasing prescribers' awareness of patients' opioid-related overdoses leads to a reduction in opioid prescribing. Additionally, this trial may better inform how to reduce opioid use disorder and opioid overdoses by lowering population exposure to these drugs. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04758637.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcella A. Kelley
- Schaeffer Center for Health Economics and Policy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA.,School of Pharmacy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Stephen D. Persell
- Division of General Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL
| | - Jeffrey A. Linder
- Division of General Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL
| | | | - Daniella Meeker
- Schaeffer Center for Health Economics and Policy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA.,Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Craig R. Fox
- Anderson School of Management, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Noah J. Goldstein
- Anderson School of Management, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Tara K. Knight
- Schaeffer Center for Health Economics and Policy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Dina Zein
- Schaeffer Center for Health Economics and Policy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Mark Sullivan
- School of Medicine, University of Washington, School of Medicine, Seattle, WA
| | - Jason N. Doctor
- Schaeffer Center for Health Economics and Policy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA.,School of Pharmacy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA.,Sol Price School of Public Policy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
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Kharasch ED, Clark JD, Adams JM. Opioids and Public Health: The Prescription Opioid Ecosystem and Need for Improved Management. Anesthesiology 2022; 136:10-30. [PMID: 34874401 PMCID: PMC10715730 DOI: 10.1097/aln.0000000000004065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
While U.S. opioid prescribing has decreased 38% in the past decade, opioid deaths have increased 300%. This opioid paradox is poorly recognized. Current approaches to opioid management are not working, and new approaches are needed. This article reviews the outcomes and shortcomings of recent U.S. opioid policies and strategies that focus primarily or exclusively on reducing or eliminating opioid prescribing. It introduces concepts of a prescription opioid ecosystem and opioid pool, and it discusses how the pool can be influenced by supply-side, demand-side, and opioid returns factors. It illuminates pressing policy needs for an opioid ecosystem that enables proper opioid stewardship, identifies associated responsibilities, and emphasizes the necessity of making opioid returns as easy and common as opioid prescribing, in order to minimize the size of the opioid pool available for potential diversion, misuse, overdose, and death. Approaches are applicable to opioid prescribing in general, and to opioid prescribing after surgery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evan D Kharasch
- Department of Anesthesiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina
| | - J David Clark
- the Anesthesiology Service, Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, California
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Hallvik SE, El Ibrahimi S, Johnston K, Geddes J, Leichtling G, Korthuis PT, Hartung DM. Patient outcomes after opioid dose reduction among patients with chronic opioid therapy. Pain 2022; 163:83-90. [PMID: 33863865 PMCID: PMC8494834 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2020] [Accepted: 03/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
ABSTRACT The net effects of prescribing initiatives that encourage dose reductions are uncertain. We examined whether rapid dose reduction after high-dose chronic opioid therapy (COT) associates with suicide, overdose, or other opioid-related adverse events. This retrospective cohort study included Oregon Medicaid recipients with high-dose COT. Claims were linked with prescription data from the prescription drug monitoring program and death data from vital statistics, 2014 to 2017. Participants were placed into 4 mutually exclusive dose trajectory groups after the high-dose COT period, and Cox proportional hazard models were used to examine the effect of dose changes on patient outcomes in the following year. Of the 14,596 high-dose COT patients, 4191 (28.7%) abruptly discontinued opioid prescriptions, 1648 (11.3%) reduced opioid dose before discontinuing, 6480 (44.4%) had a dose reduction but never discontinued, and 2277 (15.6%) had a stable or increasing dose. Discontinuation, whether abrupt (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 3.63; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.42-9.25) or with dose reduction (aHR 4.47, 95% CI 1.68-11.88) significantly increased risk of suicide compared with those with stable or increasing dose. By contrast, discontinuation or dose reduction reduced the risk of overdose compared with those with a stable or increasing dose (aHR 0.36-0.62, 95% CI 0.20-0.94). Patients with an abrupt discontinuation were more likely to overdose on heroin (vs. prescription opioids) than patients in other groups (P < 0.0001). Our study suggests that patients on COT require careful risk assessment and supportive interventions when considering opioid discontinuation or continuation at a high dose.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Kirbee Johnston
- Oregon State University / Oregon Health & Science University College of Pharmacy, Portland, OR
| | - Jonah Geddes
- Oregon State University / Oregon Health & Science University College of Pharmacy, Portland, OR
| | | | | | - Daniel M. Hartung
- Oregon State University / Oregon Health & Science University College of Pharmacy, Portland, OR
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Turner HN, Oliver J, Compton P, Matteliano D, Sowicz TJ, Strobbe S, St Marie B, Wilson M. Pain Management and Risks Associated With Substance Use: Practice Recommendations. Pain Manag Nurs 2021; 23:91-108. [PMID: 34965906 DOI: 10.1016/j.pmn.2021.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 11/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Assessing and managing pain while evaluating risks associated with substance use and substance use disorders continues to be a challenge faced by health care clinicians. The American Society for Pain Management Nursing and the International Nurses Society on Addictions uphold the principle that all persons with co-occurring pain and substance use or substance use disorders have the right to be treated with dignity and respect, and receive evidence-based, high quality assessment, and management for both conditions. The American Society for Pain Management Nursing and International Nurses Society on Addictions have updated their 2012 position statement on this topic supporting an integrated, holistic, multidimensional approach, which includes nonopioid and nonpharmacological modalities. Opioid use disorder is used as an exemplar for substance use disorders and clinical recommendations are included with expanded attention to risk assessment and mitigation with interventions targeted to minimize the risk for relapse or escalation of substance use. Opioids should not be excluded for anyone when indicated for pain management. A team-based approach is critical, promotes the active involvement of the person with pain and their support systems, and includes pain and addiction specialists whenever possible. Health care systems should establish policies and procedures that facilitate and support the principles and recommendations put forth in this article.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - June Oliver
- Swedish Hospital, Northshore University Healthsystem, Chicago, IL.
| | | | | | | | | | - Barbara St Marie
- University of Iowa College of Nursing, Washington State University, College of Nursing
| | - Marian Wilson
- Oregon Health & Science University School of Nursing; Washington State University, College of Nursing
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50
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Evaluating the 0–10 Point Pain Scale on Adolescent Opioid Use in US Emergency Departments. J Clin Med 2021; 11:jcm11010038. [PMID: 35011778 PMCID: PMC8745662 DOI: 10.3390/jcm11010038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Revised: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective: To evaluate trends in national emergency department (ED) adolescent opioid use in relation to reported pain scores. Methods: A retrospective, cross-sectional analysis on National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS) data was conducted on ED visits involving patients aged 11–21 from 2008–2017. Crude observational counts were extrapolated to weighted estimates matching total population counts. Multivariate models were used to evaluate the role of a pain score in the reported use of opioids. Anchors for pain scores were 0 (no pain) and 10 (worst pain imaginable). Results: 31,355 observations were captured, which were extrapolated by the NHAMCS to represent 162,515,943 visits nationwide. Overall, patients with a score of 10 were 1.35 times more likely to receive an opioid than patients scoring a 9, 41.7% (CI95 39.7–43.8%) and 31.0% (CI95 28.8–33.3%), respectively. Opioid use was significantly different between traditional pain score cutoffs of mild (1–3) and moderate pain (4–6), where scores of 4 were 1.76 times more likely to receive an opioid than scores of 3, 15.5% (CI95 13.7–17.3%) and 8.8% (CI95 7.1–10.6%), respectively. Scores of 7 were 1.33 times more likely to receive opioids than scores of 6, 24.7% (CI95 23.0–26.3%) and 18.5% (CI95 16.9–20.0%), respectively. Fractures had the highest likelihood of receiving an opioid, as 49.2% of adolescents with a fracture received an opioid (CI95 46.4–51.9%). Within this subgroup, only adolescents reporting a fracture pain score of 10 had significantly higher opioid use than adjacent pain scores, where fracture patients scoring a 10 were 1.4 times more likely to use opioids than those scoring 9, 82.2% (CI95 76.1–88.4%) and 59.8% (CI95 49.0–70.5%), respectively. Conclusions: While some guidelines in the adult population have revised cut-offs and groupings of the traditional tiers on a 0–10 point pain scale, the adolescent population may also require further examination to potentially warrant a similar adjustment.
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