Addressing Opioid-Related Chemical Coping in Long-Term Opioid Therapy for Chronic Noncancer Pain: A Multicenter, Observational, Cross-Sectional Study.
Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Castaneda AM
PROVIDER: S-EPMC6210168 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Oct
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Similar Datasets
Project description:Little is known about changes in pain intensity that may occur after discontinuation of long-term opioid therapy (LTOT). The objective of this study was to characterize pain intensity after opioid discontinuation over 12 months. This retrospective U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) administrative data study identified N = 551 patients nationally who discontinued LTOT. Data over 24 months (12 months before and after discontinuation) were abstracted from VA administrative records. Random-effects regression analyses examined changes in 0 to 10 pain numeric rating scale scores over time, whereas growth mixture models delineated pain trajectory subgroups. Mean estimated pain at the time of opioid discontinuation was 4.9. Changes in pain after discontinuation were characterized by slight but statistically nonsignificant declines in pain intensity over 12 months after discontinuation (B = -0.20, P = 0.14). Follow-up growth mixture models identified 4 pain trajectory classes characterized by the following postdiscontinuation pain levels: no pain (average pain at discontinuation = 0.37), mild clinically significant pain (average pain = 3.90), moderate clinically significant pain (average pain = 6.33), and severe clinically significant pain (average pain = 8.23). Similar to the overall sample, pain trajectories in each of the 4 classes were characterized by slight reductions in pain over time, with patients in the mild and moderate pain trajectory categories experiencing the greatest pain reductions after discontinuation (B = -0.11, P = 0.05 and B = -0.11, P = 0.04, respectively). Pain intensity after discontinuation of LTOT does not, on average, worsen for patients and may slightly improve, particularly for patients with mild-to-moderate pain at the time of discontinuation. Clinicians should consider these findings when discussing risks of opioid therapy and potential benefits of opioid taper with patients.
| S-EPMC6993952 | biostudies-literature
Project description:The opioid epidemic in North America challenges national guidelines worldwide to define the importance of opioids for the management of chronic noncancer pain (CNCP).MethodsThe second update of the German guidelines on long-term opioid therapy for CNCP was developed by 26 scientific associations and 2 patient self-help organizations. A systematic literature search in CENTRAL, Medline, and Scopus (to May 2019) was performed. Meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials and open-label extension studies with opioids for CNCP were conducted. Levels of evidence were assigned according to the Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine classification system. The formulation and strength of recommendations were established by multistep formalized procedures to reach a consensus according to German Association of the Medical Scientific Societies regulations. The guidelines underwent external review by 4 experts and public commentary.ResultsOpioids are one drug-based treatment option for short- (4-12 weeks), intermediate- (13-26 weeks), and long-term (>26 weeks) therapy of chronic pain in osteoarthritis, diabetic polyneuropathy, postherpetic neuralgia, and low back pain. Contraindications are primary headaches, functional somatic syndromes, and mental disorders with the (cardinal) symptom of pain. For specified other clinical pain conditions, short- and long-term therapy with opioids should be evaluated on an individual basis. Long-term therapy with opioids is associated with relevant risks.ConclusionResponsible application of opioids requires consideration of possible indications and contraindications, as well as regular assessment of clinical response and adverse effects. Neither uncritical opioid prescription nor general rejection of opioids is justified in patients with CNCP.
| S-EPMC7447355 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundCharacteristics of patients receiving long-term opioid therapy (? 6 months) for chronic noncancer pain are poorly understood. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of this patient population to explore demographic variables, pain relief, functional improvement, adverse effects and impressions of an educational pamphlet on long-term opioid therapy.MethodsWe invited 260 adult patients presenting to the Pain Management Centre at the Hamilton General Hospital, Hamilton, Ontario, with chronic noncancer pain to complete a 20-item survey. Patients who presented for procedures were not eligible for our study. We used adjusted logistic regression models to explore the association between higher morphine equivalent dose and pain relief, functional improvement, adverse events and employment.ResultsThe survey was completed by 170 patients (a response rate of 65.4%). Most respondents (87.6%; 149 out of 170) were receiving long-term opioid therapy, and the median morphine equivalent dose was 180 mg daily (interquartile range 60-501). Most respondents reported at least modest (> 40%) opioid-specific pain relief (74.1%; 106 out of 143) and functional improvement (67.6%; 96 out of 142), and 46.5% (66 out of 142) reported troublesome adverse effects that they attributed to their opioid use. Most patients were receiving disability benefits (68.3%; 99 out of 145) and, among those respondents who were less than 65 years of age (90.3%; 131 out of 145), 10 (7.6%) were working full-time and 14 (10.7%) part-time. In our adjusted analyses, higher morphine equivalent dose was associated with greater self-reported functional improvement (odds ratio [OR] 1.45, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.07-1.96) but not with pain relief (OR 1.38, 95% CI 1.00-1.89), troublesome adverse effects (OR 0.92, 95% CI 0.70-1.20) or employment (OR 0.80, 95% CI 0.56-1.15).InterpretationMost outpatients receiving long-term opioid therapy for chronic noncancer pain at a tertiary care chronic pain clinic reported at least moderate pain relief and functional improvement; however, adverse effects were common and few patients were engaged in competitive employment.
| S-EPMC4593412 | biostudies-literature
Project description:ImportanceInitiation of injection drug use may be more frequent among people dispensed prescription opioid therapy for noncancer pain, potentially increasing the risk of hepatitis C virus (HCV) acquisition.ObjectiveTo assess the association between medically dispensed long-term prescription opioid therapy for noncancer pain and HCV seroconversion among individuals who were initially injection drug use-naive.Design, setting, and participantsA population-based, retrospective cohort study of individuals tested for HCV in British Columbia, Canada, with linkage to outpatient pharmacy dispensations, was conducted. Individuals with an initial HCV-negative test result followed by 1 additional test between January 1, 2000, and December 31, 2017, and who had no history of substance use at baseline (first HCV-negative test), were included. Participants were followed up from baseline to the last HCV-negative test or estimated date of seroconversion (midpoint between HCV-positive and the preceding HCV-negative test).ExposuresEpisodes of prescription opioid use for noncancer pain were defined as acute (<90 days) or long-term (≥90 days). Prescription opioid exposure status (long-term vs prescription opioid-naive/acute) was treated as time-varying in survival analyses. In secondary analyses, long-term exposure was stratified by intensity of use (chronic vs. episodic) and by average daily dose in morphine equivalents (MEQ).Main outcomes and measuresMultivariable Cox regression models were used to assess the association between time-varying prescription opioid status and HCV seroconversion.ResultsA total of 382 478 individuals who had more than 1 HCV test were included, of whom more than half were female (224 373 [58.7%]), born before 1974 (201 944 [52.8%]), and younger than 35 years at baseline (196 298 [53.9%]). Participants were followed up for 2 057 668 person-years and 1947 HCV seroconversions occurred. Of the participants, 41 755 people (10.9%) were exposed to long-term prescription opioid therapy at baseline or during follow-up. The HCV seroconversion rate per 1000 person-years was 0.8 among the individuals who were prescription opioid-naive/acute (1489 of 1947 [76.5%] seroconversions; 0.4% seroconverted within 5 years) and 2.1 with long-term prescription opioid therapy (458 of 1947 [23.5%] seroconversions; 1.1% seroconverted within 5 years). In multivariable analysis, exposure to long-term prescription opioid therapy was associated with a 3.2-fold (95% CI, 2.9-3.6) higher risk of HCV seroconversion (vs prescription opioid-naive/acute). In separate Cox models, long-term chronic use was associated with a 4.7-fold higher risk of HCV seroconversion (vs naive/acute use 95% CI, 3.9-5.8), and long-term higher-dose use (≥90 MEQ) was associated with a 5.1-fold higher risk (vs naive/acute use 95% CI, 3.7-7.1).Conclusions and relevanceIn this cohort study of people with more than 1 HCV test, long-term prescription opioid therapy for noncancer pain was associated with a higher risk of HCV seroconversion among individuals who were injection drug use-naive at baseline or at prescription opioid initiation. These results suggest injection drug use initiation risk is higher among people dispensed long-term therapy and may be useful for informing approaches to identify and prevent HCV infection. These findings should not be used to justify abrupt discontinuation of long-term therapy, which could increase risk of harms.
| S-EPMC8756332 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Opioids are increasingly used for treatment of chronic pain. However, they are only effective in a subset of patients and have multiple side effects. Thus, studies using biomarkers for response are highly warranted. The current study prospectively examined 63 opioid-naïve patients initiating opioid use for diverse types of chronic pain at five European centers. Quantitative sensory testing, electroencephalography (EEG) recordings, and assessment of pain catastrophizing were performed prior to treatment. The co-primary outcomes were change from baseline in ratings of chronic pain and quality of life after 14 days of opioid treatment. Secondary outcomes included patient's global impression of clinical change and side effects. Logistic regression models adjusted for age and sex were used to identify biomarkers predictive for successful treatment, defined as at least a 30% reduction in average pain intensity or an improvement in quality of life of at least 10 scale points. Fifty-nine patients (94%) completed the study. The mean age was 55 ± 16 years and 69% were females. Pain reduction was predicted by cold pain intensity (OR: 0.69; P = 0.01), pain catastrophizing (OR: 0.82; P = 0.03), relative delta (OR: 0.76; P = 0.03) and beta EEG activity (OR: 1.18; P = 0.04) induced by experimental cold pain. None of the study variables were related to improvement in quality of life. For the first time, individual pain processing characteristics have been linked to opioid response in a mixed chronic pain population. This has the potential to personalize treatment of chronic pain and restrict opioid use to patients with high likelihood for response.
| S-EPMC5291530 | biostudies-literature
Project description:To examine medical practices and training needs of Québec family physicians with respect to pain management and opioid prescription for chronic noncancer pain (CNCP).An online survey was carried out in 2016.Of 636 respondents (43.0% men; 54.3% ≥ 50 years old), 15.2% and 70.9% felt very or somewhat confident that they could properly prescribe opioids for CNCP. Concerns related to abuse (72.5% strongly/somewhat agree), dependence (73.2%), and lack of support (75.4%) were the main barriers reported. Only 19.7% always/often screened their patients for risks of abuse and dependence using a screening tool. About two-thirds of participants (65.7%) had recently (last five years) taken part in continuing education programs on opioid use for CNCP and 73.4% on CNCP management. Patient evaluation and differential diagnoses of chronic pain syndromes were rated as a top priority for further training.This study provides insights into Québec family physicians' concerns, practices, and needs with respect to the management of CNCP. Physicians' difficulties around the application of strategies to mitigate the problem of opioid abuse and addiction are worrying. The need to better train physicians in the field of pain and addiction cannot be emphasized enough.
| S-EPMC5555017 | biostudies-other
Project description:Background:Physician adherence to guideline recommendations for the use of opioids to manage chronic pain is often limited. Objective:In February 2018, we administered a 28-item online survey to explore perceptions of the 2017 Canadian guideline for opioid therapy and chronic noncancer pain and if physicians had altered practices in response to recommendations. Results:We invited 34,322 Canadian physicians to complete our survey, and 1,128 responded for a response rate of 3%; 687 respondents indicated they prescribed opioids for noncancer pain and answered survey questions about the guideline and their practice. Almost all were aware of the guideline, 94% had read the document, and 89% endorsed the clarity as good or excellent. The majority (86%) felt the guideline was feasible to implement, but 66% highlighted resistance by patients, and 63% the lack of access to effective nonopioid treatment as barriers. Thirty-six percent of respondents mistakenly believed the guideline recommended mandatory tapering for patients using high-dose opioid therapy (≥90 mg morphine equivalent per day), and 58% felt they would benefit from support for opioid tapering. Seventy percent of respondents had changed practices to align with guideline recommendations, with 51% engaging some high-dose patients in opioid tapering and 43% reducing the number of new opioid starts. Conclusion:There was high awareness of the 2017 Canadian opioid guideline among respondents, and preliminary evidence that recommendations have changed practice to better align with the evidence. Ongoing education is required to avoid the misunderstanding that opioid tapering is mandatory, and research to identify effective strategies to manage chronic noncancer pain is urgently needed.
| S-EPMC7048936 | biostudies-literature
Project description:[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0171723.].
| S-EPMC6821103 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Purpose:Oral methylnaltrexone was shown to be effective in treating opioid-induced constipation (OIC) in patients with chronic noncancer pain in a Phase III randomized controlled trial. This report provides a detailed safety analysis from that study. Methods:Adults (n=803) with chronic noncancer pain for ?2 months and confirmed OIC while receiving opioid doses ?50 mg morphine equivalent per day for ?14 days were randomized 1:1:1:1 to oral methylnaltrexone (150, 300, or 450 mg) or placebo once daily for 4 weeks, followed by as-needed use for 8 weeks. Safety was evaluated by examining treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs), clinical laboratory parameters, vital signs, electrocardiography, rescue-laxative and opioid use, Objective Opioid Withdrawal Scale (OOWS) and Subjective Opioid Withdrawal Scale (SOWS), and pain-intensity scores. Results:TEAEs occurred at a similar incidence in the methylnaltrexone groups (59.0%) and placebo group (63.0%). The most common TEAEs with methylnaltrexone were abdominal pain (8.0% vs 8.5% with placebo), nausea (6.8% vs 9.0%), and diarrhea (6.0% vs 3.5%). Cardiac-related TEAEs occurred in 1.8% and 1.0% of patients, respectively, and no major adverse cardiovascular events were reported. No patient had a cluster of TEAEs associated with opioid withdrawal after excluding gastrointestinal TEAEs. Changes in laboratory parameters, vital signs, and electrocardiography were generally small and similar across treatment groups. Rescue-laxative use was more common with placebo than methylnaltrexone 450 mg (6.20% vs 4.27% of study days, P=0.024). Changes in opioid dose, OOWS and SOWS scores, and pain-intensity scores during treatment were minimal. Conclusion:Oral methylnaltrexone had a safety profile comparable with placebo in the treatment of OIC in patients with chronic noncancer pain, with no evidence of cardiac toxicity or opioid withdrawal.
| S-EPMC6307492 | biostudies-literature
Project description:OBJECTIVE:Evaluate the association between opioid therapy and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in participants with chronic, noncancer pain (CNCP). DATA SOURCES:Medical Expenditure Panel Survey Longitudinal, Medical Conditions, and Prescription Files. STUDY DESIGN:Using a retrospective cohort study design, the Mental Health Component (MCS12) and Physical Health Component (PCS12) scores of the Short Form-12 Version 2 were assessed to measure mental and physical HRQoL. DATA COLLECTION:Chronic, noncancer pain participants were classified as chronic, nonchronic, and nonopioid users. One-to-one propensity score matching was employed to match chronic opioid users to nonchronic opioid users plus nonchronic opioid users and chronic opioid users to nonopioid users. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS:A total of 5,876 participants were identified. After matching, PCS12 was not significantly different between nonchronic versus nonopioid users (LSM Diff = -0.98, 95% CI: -2.07, 0.10), chronic versus nonopioid users (LSM Diff = -2.24, 95% CI: -4.58, 0.10), or chronic versus nonchronic opioid users (LSM Diff = -2.23, 95% CI: -4.53, 0.05). Similarly, MCS12 was not significantly different between nonchronic versus nonopioid users (LSM Diff = 0.76, 95% CI: -0.46, 1.98), chronic versus nonopioid users (LSM Diff = 1.08, 95% CI: -1.26, 3.42), or chronic versus nonchronic opioid users (LSM Diff = -0.57, 95% CI: -2.90, 1.77). CONCLUSIONS:Clinicians should evaluate opioid use in participants with CNCP as opioid use is not correlated with better HRQoL.
| S-EPMC6153159 | biostudies-other