scholarly journals Chronic opioid use in patients with sickle cell disease

Hematology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 415-416
Author(s):  
George Mo ◽  
Tim Jang ◽  
Connor Stewart ◽  
Leen Khoury ◽  
Natalie Ferguson ◽  
...  
Anemia ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zeina A. Salman ◽  
Meaad K. Hassan

Objectives. Despite improvements in the management of sickle cell disease (SCD), many patients still experience disease-related complications requiring hospitalizations. The objectives of this study were to identify causes of hospitalization among these patients and factors associated with the length of hospital stay (LOS) and readmission.Methods. Data from 160 patients (<14 years old) with SCD who were admitted to the Basra Maternity and Children’s Hospital from the first of January 2012 through July 2012 were analyzed.Results. The main causes of hospitalization were acute painful crises (73.84%), infections (9.28%), acute chest syndrome (8.02%), and acute splenic sequestration crisis (6.32%). The mean LOS was4.34±2.85days. The LOS for patients on hydroxyurea (3.41±2.64days) was shorter than that for patients who were not (4.59±2.86days),P<0.05. The readmission rate (23.1%) was significantly higher among patients with frequent hospitalizations in the previous year (OR 9.352, 95% CI 2.011–43.49), asthma symptoms (OR 4.225, 95% CI 1.125–15.862), and opioid use (OR 6.588, 95% CI 1.104–30.336). Patients on hydroxyurea were less likely to be readmitted (OR 0.082, 95% CI 0.10–0.663).Conclusions. There is a relatively high readmission rate among patients with SCD in Basra. The use of hydroxyurea significantly decreases the LOS and readmission rate.


2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 301-310
Author(s):  
Nidhi Shukla, MS, MBA ◽  
Jamie C. Barner, PhD, FAACP, FAPhA ◽  
Kenneth A. Lawson, PhD, FAPhA ◽  
Karen L. Rascati, PhD

Introduction: Sickle cell disease (SCD) is associated with recurrent complications and healthcare burden. Although SCD management guidelines differ based on age groups, little is known regarding actual utilization of preventative (hydroxyurea) and palliative therapies (opioid and nonopioid analgesics) to manage complications. This study assessed whether there were age-related differences in SCD index therapy type and SCD-related medication utilization.Design and patients: Texas Medicaid prescription claims from September 1, 2011 to August 31, 2016 were retrospectively analyzed for SCD patients aged 2-63 years who received one or more SCD-related medications (hydroxyurea, opioid, or nonopioid analgesics).Outcome measures: The primary outcomes were SCD index drug type and medication utilization: hydroxyurea adherence, and days’ supply of opioid, and nonopioid analgesics. Chi-square, analysis of variance, and Kruskal–Wallis tests were used.Results: Index therapy percentages for included patients (N = 2,339) were the following: opioids (45.7 percent), nonopioids (36.6 percent), dual therapy-opioids and nonopioids (11.2 percent), and hydroxyurea (6.5 percent), and they differed by age-groups (χ2 = 243.0, p 0.0001). Hydroxyurea as index therapy was higher among children (2-12:9.1 percent) compared to adults (26-40:3.7 percent; 41-63:2.9 percent). Opioids as index therapy were higher among adults (18-25:48.0 percent; 26-40:54.9 percent; 41-63:65.2 percent) compared to children (2-12:36.6 percent). Mean hydroxyurea adherence was higher (p 0.0001) for younger ages, and opioid days’ supply was higher for older ages.Conclusions: Texas Medicaid SCD patients had low hydroxyurea utilization and adherence across all age groups. Interventions to increase the use of hydroxyurea and newer preventative therapies could result in better management of SCDrelated complications and reduce the frequency of pain crises, which may reduce the need for opioid use.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (16) ◽  
pp. 3814-3821 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susanna A. Curtis ◽  
Dana Lew ◽  
Jonathan Spodick ◽  
Jeanne E. Hendrickson ◽  
Caterina P. Minniti ◽  
...  

Abstract More than one-third of adults with sickle cell disease (SCD) report using cannabis-based products. Many states list SCD or pain as qualifying conditions for medical marijuana, but there are few data to guide practitioners whether or whom should be certified. We postulated that certifying SCD patients may lead to a reduction in opioid use and/or health care utilization. Furthermore, we sought to identify clinical characteristics of patients who would request this intervention. Retrospective data obtained over the study period included rates of health care and opioid utilization for 6 months before certification and after certification. Patients who were certified but failed to obtain medical marijuana were compared with those who obtained it. Patients who were certified were invited to participate in a survey regarding their reasons for and thoughts on certification. Patients who were certified for medical marijuana were compared with 25 random patients who did not request certification. Fifty adults with SCD were certified for medical marijuana and 29 obtained it. Patients who obtained medical marijuana experienced a decrease in admission rates compared with those who did not and increased use of edible cannabis products. Neither group had changes in opioid use. Patients who were certified for medical marijuana had higher rates of baseline opioid use and illicit cannabis use compared with those who did not request certification. Most patients with SCD who requested medical marijuana were already using cannabis illicitly. Obtaining medical marijuana decreased inpatient hospitalizations.


2017 ◽  
Vol 92 (4) ◽  
pp. E42-E43 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiulu Ruan ◽  
Hong Wu ◽  
Dian Wang

2012 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. S15
Author(s):  
W. Smith ◽  
D. McClish ◽  
B. Dahman ◽  
J. Levenson ◽  
I. Aisiku ◽  
...  

Blood ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 126 (23) ◽  
pp. 4587-4587
Author(s):  
Fuad El Rassi ◽  
Neli Stoyanova ◽  
Eldrida Randall ◽  
Morgan L. McLemore ◽  
Claudia R. Morris

Abstract Background: Pain is the hallmark of sickle cell disease (SCD), and the most common reason for emergency department (ED) visits and hospitalizations in adults and children with SCD. The Emory University Sickle Cell Center at Grady Memorial Hospital has been providing specialized services for adult SCD patients for 30 years. In addition to daily sickle cell specialized clinics, the center is set up with a 24/7 acute care unit (ACU) that is staffed by specialized SCD providers and manages vaso-occlusive episodes (VOE). The patients are started on intravenous narcotics, fluids and antibiotics within 30 minutes of presenting to the ACU. After eight hours of management, the patient is then either discharged home if the VOE is controlled or admitted to the hospital for continued management. Annually, around 3000 ACU visits are recorded with 17% hospital admission rate (over the last 5 years). Little information is known about the clinical characteristics of adults with SCD and chronic opioid use in the setting of VOE pain. Methods: Clinical data from adult SCD patient visits for VOE presenting to the ACU was prospectively collected over a 4-month period (March 1, 2015- July 1 2015) as part of a screening process of an ongoing clinical trial. Results: 214 patients were evaluated for VOE requiring parenteral opioids, with an admission rate of 18%. Mean age was 31+/-14 years, 53% were male and the majority (80%) had hemoglobin (Hb) SS. See Table 1 for clinical characteristics. Over 80% of patients treated in the ACU were ultimately discharged home. Interestingly, the rate of chronic opioid use was around 50% in both admitted and discharged patients from the ACU. Conclusions: The admission rate for VOE in adults with SCD is low at our center through the utilization of the ACU. 51% of patients requiring admission for continued pain therapy were on daily opioids and most of these patients had Hb-SS. 50% of the patients discharged from the ACU were also on daily opioids which represents a significant finding when trying to recruit opioid-na•ve patients on clinical trials to manage VOE. Additionally, this high percentage of daily opioid users reflects a group of patients with possibly more severe disease, who are at risk of tolerance, hyperanalgesia and difficulty in managing VOE in the outpatient setting. This information is valuable for clinical trial design, as chronicopioid use is often an exclusion criterion for enrollment into novel pain therapy trials in SCD. More research is needed on this important topic. Table 1. Clinical Characteristics of Adults with SCD and VOE presenting to Grady Acute Care Center Characteristics Total(N=214) Admitted(N=38) Discharged (N=176) Patient Visits (%) 100% 18% 82% Male n (%) 114 (53%) 19 (50%) 95 (54%) Female n (%) 100 (47%) 19 (50%) 81 (46%) Age ± SD 31±14 29±10 31±9 Hb SS 170 (80%) 34 (89%) 136 (77%) Hb SC 37 (17%) 4 (11%) 33 (19%) Hb S beta+ thalassemia 7 (3%) 0 7 (4%) Chronic Opioids n (%) 108 (51%) 19 (50%) 89 (51%) Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


Blood ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 106 (11) ◽  
pp. 3804-3804
Author(s):  
Sharmila Mehta ◽  
Nicholas Campbell ◽  
Lakiea Bailey ◽  
Ferdane Kutlar ◽  
Dedrey Elam ◽  
...  

Abstract Opioid analgesics form an important component of the management of acute and chronic pain in patients with sickle cell disease (SCD). Chronic opioid use, sometimes associated with dependence and addiction in a subset of patients, may pose difficult management problems. This adds to the sometime antagonistic relationship that can develop between providers and patients with SCD. Pain management can become a sociological and psychological issue in the management of SCD. The Mu opioid receptor (OPRM-1) is the primary site of action of endogenous opioid peptides (enkephalins and endorphins) and of opioid analgesics, such as morphine, methadone, fentanyl, heroin, and related compounds. Rapid activation of the mu receptor results in a euphoric effect, conferring the reinforcing or rewarding effects of opioids and thus contributing to the development of addiction. It has been known that there is variation between individuals in sensitivity to opioids suggesting potential variation in the receptor protein and the gene. Some recent data have shown that polymorphisms in the OPRM-1 gene affect pain threshold and tolerance as well as opioid requirements for optimal pain control. In an effort to unravel the complex issues surrounding pain frequency, pain tolerance, opioid usage, and opioid addiction in this patient population, we conducted a study of our adult sickle cell patients for the frequency of the two common cSNPs and another SNP in the IVSII (G691C) of the OPRM-1 gene. DNA samples from randomly selected patients were used in this study. The OPRM-1 gene was PCR amplified and subjected to cycle sequencing on an ABI Prism automated sequencer. The results showed that of the 97 adult SCD patients screened for the C17T polymorphism (GenBank accession #AY292291 and 292290), 67 (69.7%) had the wild type (CC), 28 (29.1%) were heterozygous (CT), and 11 (11.4%) were homozygous (TT) for the SNP. This represents an allele frequency for the T of 0.26. Of the 39 sequenced samples for the A1189G, all (100%) showed the wild type (AA). These results closely resemble those reported by Bond et al (PNAS, 95;9608,1998) for the frequency of the two cSNPs in the African-American population (allele frequency of 0.21 for the C17T and 0.016 for the A118G). Of the 16 samples screened for IVS II G691C polymorphism (GenBank accession #AY299483), 6 (37.5%) had the wild type (GG), 9 (56.3%) were heterozygous (GC), and 1 (6.2%) was homozygous (CC). Our results among SCD patients show a high frequency of C17T polymorphism in the OPRM-1 gene. Detailed studies in higher numbers of SCD patients and clinical correlations with pain frequency and threshold, opioid usage, opioid abuse and drug seeking behavior will be undertaken. It is expected that these studies will clarify the role of OPRM-1 polymorphisms as a genetic modifier associated with pain frequency, with tolerance as well as opioid use and abuse.


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