scholarly journals Association between clusters of back and joint pain with opioid use in middle-aged community-based women: a prospective cohort study

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sultana Monira Hussain ◽  
Yuanyuan Wang ◽  
Geeske Peeters ◽  
Anita E. Wluka ◽  
Gita D. Mishra ◽  
...  

Abstract Background To determine the relationship between clusters of back pain and joint pain and prescription opioid dispensing. Methods Of 11,221 middle-aged participants from the Australian Longitudinal Study of Women’s Health, clusters of back pain and joint pain from 2001 to 2013 were identified using group-based trajectory modelling. Prescription opioid dispensing from 2003 to 2015 was identified by linking the cohort to Pharmaceutical Benefit Scheme dispensing data. Multinomial logistic regression was used to examine the association between back pain and joint pain clusters and dispensing of prescription opioids. The proportion of opioids dispensed in the population attributable to back and join pain was calculated. Results Over 12 years, 68.5 and 72.0% women reported frequent or persistent back pain and joint pain, respectively. There were three clusters (‘none or infrequent’, ‘frequent’ and ‘persistent’) for both back pain and joint pain. Those in the persistent back pain cluster had a 6.33 (95%CI 4.38-9.16) times increased risk of having > 50 opioid prescriptions and those in persistent joint pain cluster had a 6.19 (95%CI 4.18-9.16) times increased risk of having > 50 opioid prescriptions. Frequent and persistent back and joint pain clusters together explained 41.7% (95%CI 34.9-47.8%) of prescription opioid dispensing. Women in the frequent and persistent back pain and joint pain clusters were less educated and reported more depression and physical inactivity. Conclusion Back pain and joint pain are major contributors to opioid prescription dispensing in community-based middle-aged women. Additional approaches to reduce opioid use, targeted at those with frequent and persistent back pain and joint pain, will be important in order to reduce the use of opioids and their consequent harm in this population.

2021 ◽  
pp. 089826432110393
Author(s):  
Kristin Y. Shiue ◽  
Nabarun Dasgupta ◽  
Rebecca B. Naumann ◽  
Amanda E. Nelson ◽  
Yvonne M. Golightly

Objectives Identifying factors associated with opioid use in middle-aged and older adults is a fundamental step in the mitigation of potentially unnecessary opioid consumption and opioid-related harms. Methods Using longitudinal data on a community-based cohort of adults aged 50–90 years residing in Johnston County, North Carolina, we examined sociodemographic and clinical factors in non-opioid users ( n = 786) at baseline (2006–2010) as predictors of opioid use at follow-up (2013–2015). Variables included age, sex, race, obesity, educational attainment, employment status, household poverty rate, marital status, depressive symptoms, social support, pain catastrophizing, pain sensitivity, insurance status, polypharmacy, and smoking status. Results At follow-up, 13% of participants were using prescription opioids. In the multivariable model, high pain catastrophizing (adjusted odds ratio; 95% confidence interval = 2.14; 1.33–3.46), polypharmacy (2.08; 1.23–3.53), and history of depressive symptoms (2.00; 1.19–3.38) were independent markers of opioid use. Discussion Findings support the assessment of these modifiable factors during clinical encounters in patients ≥ 50 years old with chronic pain.


Author(s):  
Ali Aneizi ◽  
Elizabeth Friedmann ◽  
Leah E. Henry ◽  
Gregory Perraut ◽  
Patrick M. J. Sajak ◽  
...  

AbstractAnterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) is one of the most commonly performed outpatient orthopaedic procedures, yet there is little data about perioperative opioid prescribing practices. The purposes of this study were to quantify the perioperative opioid prescriptions filled by patients who underwent ACLR and to identify factors associated with greater postoperative opioid use. Patients who underwent ACLR at a single institution between June 2015 and May 2017 were studied using a regional prescription monitoring database to identify all preoperative and postoperative outpatient opioid prescriptions up to 2 years postoperatively. The number of morphine milligram equivalents of each opioid was calculated to determine total morphine milligram equivalents (TMEs) filled preoperatively, at discharge, and refilled postoperatively. Patients who refilled an opioid prescription postoperatively were compared with those who did not. Ninety-nine of 269 (36.8%) total patients refilled an opioid prescription postoperatively. Thirty-three patients (12.3%) required a refill after 2 weeks postoperatively, and no patients refilled after 21 months postoperatively. Fifty-seven patients (21%) received an opioid prescription in the 2 years following surgery that was unrelated to their ACL reconstruction. Increased age, higher body mass index (BMI), government insurance, current or prior tobacco use history, preoperative opioid use, and greater number of medical comorbidities were significantly associated with refilling a prescription opioid. Higher BMI and government insurance were independent predictors of refilling. Higher preoperative TMEs and surgeon were independent predictor of greater refill TMEs. In the opioid-naïve subgroup of 177 patients, only higher BMI was a predictor of refilling, and only greater comorbidities was a predictor of greater refill TMEs. The results demonstrate that preoperative opioid use was associated with postoperative opioid refills and higher refill TMEs in a dose-dependent fashion. A higher percentage of patients received an opioid prescription for reasons unrelated to the ACL reconstruction than refilled a prescription after the first 2 weeks postoperatively.


2020 ◽  
Vol 1;24 (1;1) ◽  
pp. 31-40

BACKGROUND: Long-term opioid therapy was prescribed with increasing frequency over the past decade. However, factors surrounding long-term use of opioids in older adults remains poorly understood, probably because older people are not at the center stage of the national opioid crisis. OBJECTIVES: To estimate the annual utilization and trends in long-term opioid use among older adults in the United States. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Data from Medicare-enrolled older adults. METHODS: This study utilized a nationally representative sample of Medicare administrative claims data from the years 2012 to 2016 containing records of health care services for more than 2.3 million Medicare beneficiaries each year. Medicare beneficiaries who were 65 years of age or older and who were enrolled in Medicare Parts A, B, and D, but not Part C, for at least 10 months in a year were included in the study. We measured annual utilization and trends in new long-term opioid use episodes over 4 years (2013–2016). We examined claims records for the demographic characteristics of the eligible individuals and for the presence of chronic non-cancer pain (CNCP), cancer, and other comorbidities. RESULTS: From 2013 to 2016, administrative claims of approximately 2.3 million elderly Medicare beneficiaries were analyzed in each year with a majority of them being women (~56%) and white (~82%) with a mean age of approximately 75 years. The proportion of all eligible beneficiaries with at least one new opioid prescription increased from 6.64% in 2013, peaked at 10.32% in 2015, and then decreased to 8.14% in 2016. The proportion of individuals with long-term opioid use among those with a new opioid prescription was 12.40% in 2013 and 10.20% in 2016. Among new long-term opioid users, the proportion of beneficiaries with a cancer diagnosis during the study years increased from 13.30% in 2013 to 15.67% in 2016, and the proportion with CNCP decreased from 30.25% in 2013 to 27.36% in 2016. Across all years, long-term opioid use was consistently high in the Southern states followed by the Midwest region. LIMITATIONS: This study used Medicare fee-for-service administrative claims data to capture prescription fill patterns, which do not allow for the capture of individuals enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans, cash prescriptions, or for the evaluation of appropriateness of prescribing, or the actual use of medication. This study only examined long-term use episodes among patients who were defined as opioid-naive. Finally, estimates captured for 2016 could only utilize data from 9 months of the year to capture 90-day long-term-use episodes. CONCLUSIONS: Using a national sample of elderly Medicare beneficiaries, we observed that from 2013 to 2016 the use of new prescription opioids increased from 2013 to 2014 and peaked in 2015. The use of new long-term prescription opioids peaked in 2014 and started to decrease from 2015 and 2016. Future research needs to evaluate the impact of the changes in new and long-term prescription opioid use on population health outcomes. KEY WORDS: Long-term, opioids, older adults, trends, Medicare, chronic non-cancer pain, cancer, cohort study


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vanesa Nieto-Estévez ◽  
Jennifer J. Donegan ◽  
Courtney McMahon ◽  
Hannah B. Elam ◽  
Teresa A. Chavera ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTThe misuse of opioids has reached epidemic proportions over the last decade, with over 2.1 million people in the U.S. suffering from substance use disorders related to prescription opioid pain relievers. This increase in opioid misuse affects all demographics of society, including women of child-bearing age, which has led to a rise in opioid use during pregnancy. Opioid use during pregnancy has been associated with increased risk of obstetric complications and adverse neonatal outcomes, including neonatal abstinence syndrome. Currently, opioid use disorder in pregnant women is treated with long-acting opioid agonists, including buprenorphine. Although buprenorphine reduces illicit opioid use during pregnancy and improves infant outcomes at birth, few long-term studies of the neurodevelopmental consequences have been conducted. The goal of the current experiments was to examine the effects of buprenorphine on the development of the cortex using fetal brain tissue, 3D brain cultures, and rodent models. First, we demonstrated that we can grow cortical and subpallial spheroids, which model the cellular diversity, connectivity, and activity of the developing human brain. Next, we show that cells in the developing human cortex express the nociceptin opioid (NOP) receptor and that buprenorphine can signal through this receptor in cortical spheroids. Using subpallial spheroids to grow inhibitory interneurons, we show that buprenorphine can alter interneuron development and migration into the cortex. Finally, using a rodent model of prenatal buprenorphine exposure, we demonstrate that alterations in interneuron distribution can persist into adulthood. Together, these results suggest that more research is needed into the long-lasting consequences of buprenorphine exposure on the developing human brain.


2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 132-137 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Miller ◽  
D. Grynspan ◽  
L. Gaudet ◽  
E. Ferretti ◽  
S. Lawrence ◽  
...  

AbstractThe epidemic of prescription and non-prescription opioid misuse is of particular importance in pregnancy. The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada currently recommends opioid replacement therapy with methadone or buprenorphine for opioid-dependent women during pregnancy. This vulnerable segment of the population has been shown to be at increased risk of blood-borne infectious diseases, nutritional insecurity and stress. The objective of this study was to describe an urban cohort of pregnant women on opioid replacement therapy and to evaluate potential effects on the fetus. A retrospective chart review of all women on opioid replacement therapy and their infants who delivered at The Ottawa Hospital General and Civic campuses between January 1, 2013 and March 24, 2017 was conducted. Data were collected on maternal characteristics, pregnancy outcomes, neonatal outcomes and corresponding placental pathology. Maternal comorbidities identified included high rates of infection, tobacco use and illicit substance use, as well as increased rates of placental abruption compared with national averages. Compared with national baseline averages, the mean neonatal birth weight was low, and the incidence of small for gestational age infants and congenital anomalies was high. The incidence of NAS was comparable with estimates from other studies of similar cohorts. Findings support existing literature that calls for a comprehensive interdisciplinary risk reduction approach including dietary, social, domestic, psychological and other supports to care for opioid-dependent women in pregnancy.


2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 215-225
Author(s):  
Julia D. Interrante, MPH ◽  
Stacey L. P. Scroggs, PhD ◽  
Carol J. Hogue, PhD ◽  
Jan M. Friedman, MD ◽  
Jennita Reefhuis, PhD ◽  
...  

Objective: Examine the relationship between prescription opioid analgesic use during pregnancy and preterm birth or term low birthweight.Design, setting, and participants: We analyzed data from the National Birth Defects Prevention Study, a US multisite, population-based study, for births from 1997 to 2011. We defined exposure as self-reported prescription opioid use between one month before conception and the end of pregnancy, and we dichotomized opioid use duration by ≤7 days and 7 days.Main outcome measures: We examined the association between opioid use and preterm birth (defined as gestational age 37 weeks) and term low birthweight (defined as 2500 g at gestational age ≥37 weeks).Results: Among 10,491 singleton mother/infant pairs, 470 (4.5 percent) reported opioid use. Among women reporting opioid use, 236 (50 percent) used opioids for 7 days; codeine (170, 36 percent) and hydrocodone (163, 35 percent) were the most commonly reported opioids. Opioid use was associated with slightly increased risk for preterm birth [adjusted odds ratio, 1.4; 95 percent confidence interval, 1.0, 1.9], particularly with hydrocodone [1.6; 1.0, 2.6], meperidine [2.5; 1.2, 5.2], or morphine [3.0; 1.5, 6.1] use for any duration; however, opioid use was not significantly associated with term low birthweight.Conclusions: Preterm birth occurred more frequently among infants of women reporting prescription opioid use during pregnancy. However, we could not determine if these risks relate to the drug or to indications for use. Patients who use opioids during pregnancy should be counseled by their practitioners about this and other potential risks associated with opioid use in pregnancy. 


2018 ◽  
Vol 74 (6) ◽  
pp. 1009-1019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hanna Grol-Prokopczyk

Abstract Objectives This study identifies sociodemographic predictors of prescription opioid use among older adults (age 65+) during the peak decade of U.S. opioid prescription, and tests whether pain level and Medicaid coverage mediate the association between low wealth and opioid use. Predictors of prescription nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) use, and of opinions of both drug classes, are also examined. Method Regressions of opioid and NSAID use on sociodemographic characteristics, pain level, and insurance type were conducted using Health and Retirement Study 2004 core and 2005 Prescription Drug Study data (n = 3,721). Mediation analyses were conducted, and user opinions of drug importance, quality, and side effects were assessed. Results Low wealth was a strong, consistent predictor of opioid use. Both pain level and Medicaid coverage significantly, but only partially, mediated this association. Net of wealth, there were no significant associations between education and use of, or opinions of, either class of drugs. Discussion Among older American adults, the poorest are disproportionately likely to have been exposed to prescription opioid analgesics. Wealth, rather than education, drove social class differences in mid-2000s opioid use. Opioid-related policies should take into account socioeconomic contributors to opioid use, and the needs and treatment histories of chronic pain patients.


2019 ◽  
Vol 188 (12) ◽  
pp. 2086-2096 ◽  
Author(s):  
Becky L Genberg ◽  
Gregory D Kirk ◽  
Jacquie Astemborski ◽  
Hana Lee ◽  
Noya Galai ◽  
...  

Abstract People who inject drugs (PWID) face disparities in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) treatment outcomes and may be less likely to achieve durable viral suppression. We characterized transitions into and out of viral suppression from 1997 to 2017 in a long-standing community-based cohort study of PWID, the AIDS Link to Intravenous Experience (ALIVE) Study, analyzing HIV-positive participants who had made a study visit in or after 1997. We defined the probabilities of transitioning between 4 states: 1) suppressed, 2) detectable, 3) lost to follow-up, and 4) deceased. We used multinomial logistic regression analysis to examine factors associated with transition probabilities, with a focus on transitions from suppression to other states. Among 1,061 participants, the median age was 44 years, 32% were female, 93% were African-American, 59% had recently injected drugs, and 28% were virologically suppressed at baseline. Significant improvements in durable viral suppression were observed over time; however, death rates remained relatively stable. In adjusted analysis, injection drug use and homelessness were associated with increased virological rebound in earlier time periods, while only age and race were associated with virological rebound in 2012–2017. Opioid use was associated with an increased risk of death following suppression in 2012–2017. Despite significant improvements in durable viral suppression, subgroups of PWID may need additional efforts to maintain viral suppression and prevent premature mortality.


2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-4 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacob M. Vigil ◽  
Sarah S. Stith ◽  
Anthony P. Reeve

The decision to authorize a patient for continued enrollment in a state-sanctioned medical cannabis program is difficult in part due to the uncertainty in the accuracy of patient symptom reporting and health functioning including any possible effects on other medication use. We conducted a pragmatic convenience study comparing patient reporting of previous and current prescription opioid usage to the opioid prescription records in the Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP) among 131 chronic pain patients (mean age = 54; 54% male) seeking the first annual renewal of their New Mexico Medical Cannabis Program (NMMCP) license. Seventy-six percent of the patients reported using prescription opioids prior to enrollment in the NMMCP, however, the PMP records showed that only 49% of the patients were actually prescribed opioids in the six months prior to enrollment. Of the 64 patients with verifiable opioid prescriptions prior to NMMCP enrollment, 35 (55%) patients reported having eliminated the use of prescription opioids by the time of license renewal. PMP records showed that 26 patients (63% of patients claiming to have eliminated the use of opioid prescriptions and 41% of all patients with verifiable preenrollment opioid use) showed no prescription opioid activity at their first annual NMMCP renewal visit.


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