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Yeh JC, Uebelacker LA, Pinkston MM, Anderson BJ, Busch AM, Abrantes AM, Baker JV, Stein MD. Strategies Used to Manage Chronic Pain in HIV-Disease: Comparing Persons Prescribed Opioids Versus Persons not Receiving Opioids. AIDS Behav 2023; 27:3239-3247. [PMID: 36947302 PMCID: PMC10810036 DOI: 10.1007/s10461-023-04044-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/23/2023]
Abstract
Chronic pain is common in people living with HIV (PLWH), causes substantial disability and is associated with limitations in daily activities. Opioids are commonly prescribed for pain treatment among PLWH, but evidence of sustained efficacy is mixed. There is little information available on how PLWH who have chronic pain use multimodal strategies in pain management. The current cross-sectional study examined background characteristics, self-reported pain, and the use of other pain treatments among 187 PLWH with chronic pain and depressive symptoms who were and were not prescribed opioids. Approximately 20.9% of participants reported using prescription opioids at the time of the study interview. These individuals were significantly more likely to report having engaged in physical therapy or stretching, strengthening or aerobic exercises in the previous 3 months, recent benzodiazepine use, and receiving disability payments. There were no significant differences in pain characteristics (pain-related interference, average pain severity, and worst pain severity) between the two groups. Those not prescribed opioids were more likely to report better concurrent physical functioning and general health, and fewer physical role limitations, but higher depression symptom severity. Our findings suggest that many PLWH with chronic pain and depressive symptoms express high levels of pain with deficits in physical function or quality of life despite their use of opioids. The high rate of co-use of opioids and benzodiazepines (30.8%) is a concern because it may increase risk of overdose. An integrated care approach that includes a variety of effective non-pharmacologic treatment strategies such as physical therapy may be beneficial in reducing the reliance on opioids for pain management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jih-Cheng Yeh
- Department of Health Law, Policy, and Management, Boston University School of Public Health, 715 Albany Street, Boston, MA, 02118, USA.
| | - Lisa A Uebelacker
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Department of Family Medicine, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Butler Hospital, 345 Blackstone Blvd, Providence, RI, 02906, USA
| | - Megan M Pinkston
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Department of Medicine, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Lifespan Physicians Group, The Miriam Hospital, Providence, RI, USA
| | | | - Andrew M Busch
- Department of Medicine, Hennepin Healthcare, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Ana M Abrantes
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Butler Hospital, 345 Blackstone Blvd, Providence, RI, 02906, USA
| | - Jason V Baker
- Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Hennepin County Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Michael D Stein
- Department of Health Law, Policy, and Management, Boston University School of Public Health, 715 Albany Street, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
- Butler Hospital, 345 Blackstone Blvd, Providence, RI, 02906, USA
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Long-term, high-dose opioid prescription for chronic non-cancer pain in primary care: an observational study. BJGP Open 2022; 6:BJGPO.2021.0217. [PMID: 35728819 PMCID: PMC9904796 DOI: 10.3399/bjgpo.2021.0217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2021] [Revised: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 06/16/2022] [Indexed: 10/31/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Opioid prescriptions for chronic pain have risen sharply over the last 25 years; harms associated with these drugs are related to dose and length of use. AIM The main aim of this study was to identify patients prescribed long-term, high-dose (LTHD) opioids in the community and to assess the prevalence of such use. DESIGN & SETTING An observational study of opioid prescribing in two demographically dissimilar GP practices in North Wales, UK. METHOD Details of opioid prescriptions were collected for 22 841 patients, of whom 1488 (6.5%) were being prescribed opioids on the census date. Exhaustive examination of the data identified all patients who were prescribed oral morphine equivalent doses of ≥120 mg/day for ≥1 year. RESULTS All these patients were being prescribed ≥120 mg/day, as a single drug, morphine, oxycodone, fentanyl, or buprenorphine, irrespective of opioid polypharmacy. Across both practices, 1.71/1000 patients were identified as LTHD users of opioid medication for chronic non-cancer pain (CNCP). Prevalence was similar in the two practices. Repetition of the process until January 2021 showed no change in the pattern. CONCLUSION This study offers confirmation that a significant group of patients are prescribed long-term opioid medication for chronic pain at doses that are unlikely to be effective in reducing pain, but are likely to have harmful consequences. The findings offer a simple, reliable, and practical method of data extraction to identify these patients individually from routinely collected prescribing data, which will help in monitoring and treating individuals and establishing the problem prevalence.
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Parkes T, Foster R, McAuley A, Steven D, Matheson C, Baldacchino A. Chronic pain, prescribed opioids and overdose risk: a qualitative exploration of the views of affected individuals and family members. DRUGS: EDUCATION, PREVENTION AND POLICY 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/09687637.2021.2022100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Tessa Parkes
- Salvation Army Centre for Addiction Services and Research, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, UK
| | - Rebecca Foster
- Salvation Army Centre for Addiction Services and Research, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, UK
| | - Andrew McAuley
- School of Health and Life Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow, UK
| | | | - Catriona Matheson
- Salvation Army Centre for Addiction Services and Research, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, UK
| | - Alex Baldacchino
- Population and Behavioural Science Division, School of Medicine, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
- NHS Addiction Services, NHS Fife, Kirkcaldy, UK
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