Psychiatric disorders as predictors of long-term opioid therapy and the need for treating chronic pain correctly in patients with prior opioid substance use disorder: a commentary

Associations of opioid prescription dose and discontinuation with risk of substance-related morbidity in long-term opioid therapy

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.

Maternal prepregnancy surgery and risk of neonatal abstinence syndrome in future newborns: a longitudinal cohort study

BACKGROUND

Neonatal abstinence syndrome is increasingly prevalent, and may be related to opioid use disorders caused by postoperative prescriptions for pain control. We assessed the association of maternal prepregnancy surgery with risk of neonatal abstinence syndrome from opioid use disorders in future pregnancies.

METHODS

We conducted a longitudinal retrospective cohort study of 2 182 365 deliveries in Quebec, Canada, between 1989 and 2016. The main exposure was maternal prepregnancy surgery. The main outcome measure was neonatal abstinence syndrome in offspring. We adjusted associations for maternal comorbidity and pregnancy characteristics using log-binomial regression models.

RESULTS

The prevalence of neonatal abstinence syndrome in the cohort was 10.7 per 10 000 births. Compared with no surgery, prepregnancy surgery was associated with a risk ratio (RR) of neonatal abstinence syndrome of 1.63 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.49-1.78). Risk was greater for 3 or more prepregnancy surgeries (RR 2.34, 95% CI 2.07-2.63) and age < 15 years at first surgery (1 surgery: RR 2.08, 95% CI 1.71-2.54; 2 or more surgeries: RR 2.79, 95% CI 2.32-3.37). Nearly all surgical specialties increased the risk of neonatal abstinence syndrome, but associations were strongest for cardiothoracic surgery (RR 4.45, 95% CI 2.87-6.91), neurosurgery (RR 3.00, 95% CI 1.56-5.77) and urologic surgery (RR 3.03, 95% CI 2.16-4.26).

INTERPRETATION

Prepregnancy surgery is associated with the risk of neonatal abstinence syndrome in future pregnancies. Prescription opioids for postsurgical pain may result in opioid use disorders during future pregnancies, inadvertently increasing the risk of neonatal abstinence syndrome in offspring.

Association of Mental Health Conditions and Treatments With Long-term Opioid Analgesic Receipt Among Adolescents

IMPORTANCE

Adults with mental health conditions are more likely than those without to receive long-term opioid therapy. Less is known about opioid therapy among adolescents, especially those with mental health conditions.

OBJECTIVE

To examine associations between preexisting mental health conditions and treatments and initiation of any opioid and long-term opioid therapy among adolescents.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

A cohort of 1 224 520 incident opioid recipients without cancer diagnoses aged 14 to 18 years at first receipt was extracted from nationwide commercial health care claims data from January 1, 2003, to December 31, 2014. Analysis was conducted from August 19, 2016, to November 16, 2017. Associations between preexisting mental health conditions and treatments and any opioid receipt were examined by comparing recipients with nonrecipients matched on sex, calendar year and years of age of first enrollment, and months of enrollment (prior to the index month for recipients, ever for nonrecipients). Associations between preexisting mental health conditions and treatments and subsequent long-term opioid therapy were examined among recipients with at least 6 months' follow-up using Cox proportional hazards regressions adjusted for demographics.

EXPOSURES

Mental health condition diagnoses and treatments recorded in inpatient, outpatient, and filled-prescription claims prior to opioid receipt.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

Opioid receipt, defined as any opioid analgesic prescription claim, and long-term opioid therapy, defined as more than 90 days' supply within a 6-month window having no gaps in supply of more than 32 days.

RESULTS

Of the 1 224 520 new opioid recipients included, the median age at first receipt was 17 years (interquartile range, 16-18 years), and 51.1% were female. Median follow-up after first receipt was 625 days (interquartile range, 255-1268 days). Adolescents with anxiety, mood, neurodevelopmental, sleep, and nonopioid substance use disorders and most mental health treatments were significantly more likely to receive any opioid (odds ratios from 1.13 [95% CI, 1.10-1.16] for nonopioid substance use disorders to 1.69 [95% CI, 1.58-1.81] for nonbenzodiazepine hypnotics). Among the 1 000 453 opioid recipients (81.7%) who had at least 6 months' follow-up, the cumulative incidence of long-term opioid therapy was 3.0 (95% CI, 2.8-3.1) per 1000 recipients within 3 years after first opioid receipt. All preexisting mental health conditions and treatments were strongly associated with higher rates of long-term opioid therapy (adjusted hazard ratios from 1.73 [95% CI 1.54-1.95] for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder to 8.90 [95% CI, 5.85-13.54] for opioid use disorder).

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

Commercially insured adolescents with many types of preexisting mental health conditions and treatments were modestly more likely to receive any opioid and were substantially more likely to subsequently transition to long-term opioid therapy relative to those without, although overall rates of long-term opioid therapy were low.

Identifying Priority Areas for Increasing the Supply of Medication-Assisted Treatments for Opioid Use Disorder: A Geospatial Approach

BACKGROUND

The opioid epidemic has disproportionately affected several areas across the United States (US), with research indicating that these areas may be underserved and lack access to sufficient medication-assisted treatment (MAT) options. The objective of this study was to introduce a geospatial analytical framework for identifying sub-state priority areas to target federal allocation of MAT training and resources.

METHODS

We used a geospatial analytical framework, which integrated multiple substance use measures and layers of geographic information. Measures included estimates of illicit drug dependence and unmet treatment need from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), opioid-related admissions from the Treatment Episode Data Set: Admissions (TEDs-A), and Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) waiver practitioner data from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Analyses included standard deviation outlier mapping, local indicators of spatial autocorrelation (LISA), and map overlays.

RESULTS

We identified twenty-nine opioid dependence priority areas, eleven unmet treatment need priority areas, and seven low MAT capacity priority areas, located across the US, including southeastern Ohio, western Indiana, the District of Columbia, New England, and northern and southern California.

CONCLUSIONS

This study identified several areas across the US that have unmet need for MAT. Targeting these areas will allow for the most effective deployment of cost-effective MAT resources to aid the greatest number of patients with opioid use disorders.