Dataset Information

Impact of expanded strong opioid availability on opioid prescription patterns in patients with cancer: A population-wide cohort study in Taiwan.

ABSTRACT: Background One of the major barriers to adequate cancer pain management in Taiwan is the limited prescription options regarding strong opioids. Internationally recommended strong opioids, including oxycodone and hydromorphone, were not introduced in Taiwan until late 2014. We analysed the patterns in opioid prescription for cancer pain management, after the introduction of new opioid options. Methods All inpatient and outpatient clinical visits from January 1, 2012, to December 31, 2017, with the diagnosis of cancer and the analgesic prescriptions were collected from the database of National Health Insurance, Taiwan, and analysed. Opioids were grouped into strong opioids, weak opioids, and guideline non-recommended opioids. Findings A total of 1, 292, 905 patients with cancers were included. Approximately 50% of patients used analgesics, 50% of which were opioids; the proportions were stable during the study period. The annual cumulative opioid use per patient (defined daily dose, DDD) significantly decreased from 36•41±102•59 (Mean±SD) in 2012 to 32•42±100•99 in 2017 (p < •001). The annual cumulative strong opioid use per patient increased significantly from 17•54±89•23 in 2012 to 19•28±94•97 in 2017 (+9•90%, p < •001). In parallel, the annual cumulative weak opioids use per patient decreased from 18•64±40•81 in 2012 to 13•04±26•79 in 2017 (-30•04%, p < •001). Among extended-release strong opioids, the use of transdermal fentanyl significantly decreased after oxycodone and hydromorphone were introduced (p < •001). Interpretation Increased therapeutic options in strong opioid prescriptions led opioid prescription patterns to evolve towards international cancer pain management guidelines. In addition, increased accessibility to a wider range of different strong opioids may facilitate more efficient opioid titration and rotation - and thus decrease, not increase, the opioid usage. Funding This study was supported by Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan (MOST-106-2314-B-002-213 and MOST-108-2314-B-002-072-MY3), Ministry of Health and Welfare, Taiwan (MOHW109-TDU-B-211-114002), National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan (NTUH-103-002314 and NTUH. 105-S2954), and National Center of Excellence for Clinical Trial & Research, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan (NCTRC201208 and NCTRC201603).

SUBMITTER: Wu TC

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8406032 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Similar Datasets

Project description:Importance:Increases in prescription opioid use in the United States have been attributed to changing prescribing guidelines and attitudes toward pain relief; however, the spread of opioid use within households through drug diversion may also be a contributing factor. Objective:To investigate whether individuals living in a household with a prescription opioid user are more likely to initiate prescription opioids themselves, compared with individuals in households with a prescription nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) user. Design, Setting, and Participants:This was a retrospective cohort study using administrative health care claims data from 2000 to 2014 of commercial insurance beneficiaries sharing a health plan with continuous prescription drug coverage, without opioid or NSAID use in the prior year. Enrollees were followed from the date of the first prescription filled by a household member for an eligible opioid or NSAID until initiation of prescription opioids, disenrollment, or administrative censoring after 1 year or the end of follow-up on December 31, 2014. Risk of opioid initiation was derived from inverse probability-weighted (IPW) Kaplan-Meier estimators that adjusted for potential confounders, prognostic factors, and predictors of censoring. Exposure:Outpatient pharmacy dispensing of a prescription opioid or prescription NSAID. Main Outcomes and Measures:Incident outpatient pharmacy fill for a prescription opioid by a household member. Results:From 2000 to 2014, 12 695 280 individuals were exposed to prescription opioids and 6 359 639 to prescription NSAIDS through an index prescription to a household member. The IPW estimated risk of opioid initiation in the subsequent year was 11.83% (95% CI, 11.81%-11.85%) among individuals exposed to prescription opioids in the household, compared with 11.11% (95% CI, 11.09%-11.14%) among individuals exposed to prescription NSAIDs, resulting in a risk difference of 0.71% (95% CI, 0.68%-0.74%). An unmeasured confounder that is modestly associated with the exposure (eg, prevalence difference?=?0.9%) and the outcome (eg, risk difference?=?0.9) after adjustment for all measured variables could explain our observed estimate of the overall risk difference (0.71%). Conclusions and Relevance:Living in a household with a prescription opioid user may increase risk of prescription opioid use, which may reflect both increased access to these products as well as shared risk factors, such as prescriber preference and prescription drug monitoring.

Project description:ImportanceAn increase in opioid prescription has been observed in the Netherlands. It is vital to understand this increase and to identify risk factors for opioid prescription to ensure that health interventions remain appropriately targeted.ObjectivesTo determine the prevalence of opioid prescriptions and adverse events associated with opioids, and to identify risk factors associated with opioid prescription in the Dutch population.Design, setting, and participantsThis cohort study used national statistics from the Netherlands from January 1, 2013, to December 31, 2017, including the full Dutch population of 16?779?575 people in 2013 and 17?081?507 people in 2017. Data from the Dutch Health Monitor surveys of 2012 and 2016 were also included. Databases were anonymized prior to analysis. All analyses were performed between December 2018 and February 2019.ExposureOpioid prescription.Main outcomes and measuresThe main outcomes were the dynamics of opioid prescriptions, hospital admissions for opioid overdose, and opioid overdose mortalities. The secondary outcome was risk factors associated with opioid prescription.ResultsIn 2013, 814?211 individuals (4.9% of the total population) received an opioid prescription. In 2017, 1?027?019 individuals (6.0% of the total population) received at least 1 opioid prescription (mean [SD] age, 59.3 [18.5] years; 613?203 [59.7%] women). The rate of hospital admissions for opioid overdose was 9.2 per 100?000 inhabitants in 2013 and 13.1 per 100?000 inhabitants in 2017 (relative risk, 1.43 [95% CI, 1.34-1.52]). Similarly, an increased risk of opioid overdose death was observed, from 0.83 per 100?000 inhabitants in 2013 to 1.2 per 100?000 inhabitants in 2017 (relative risk, 1.49 [95% CI, 1.20-1.85]). Based on data from the 2012 Dutch Health Monitor survey, risk factors associated with opioid prescription included being older than 65 years (odds ratio [OR], 4.20 [95% CI, 3.98-4.43]), having only a primary school education (OR, 3.62 [95% CI, 3.46-3.77]), being widowed (OR, 3.30 [95% CI, 3.13-3.49]), reporting always feeling symptoms of depression (OR, 3.77 [95% CI, 3.41-4.18]), and reporting poor or very poor physical health (OR, 10.40 [95% CI, 10.01-10.81]). Self-reported back pain (OR, 4.34 [95% CI, 4.23-4.46]) and rheumatoid arthritis or fibromyalgia (OR, 3.77 [95% CI, 3.65-3.90]) were also associated with opioid prescription. However, unemployment (OR, 1.05 [95% CI, 0.96-1.13]) was not associated with opioid prescription, and alcohol use disorder (OR, 0.76 [95% CI, 0.73-0.80]) was negatively associated with opioid prescription.Conclusions and relevanceThis study found that opioid prescriptions have increased in the Netherlands. Although the risk of adverse events is still relatively low, there is an urgent need to review pain management to prevent a further increase in opioid prescription.

Project description:BackgroundRadiation oncologists (ROs) play an important role in managing cancer pain; however, their opioid prescribing patterns remain poorly described.MethodsThe 2016 Medicare Physician Compare National Downloadable and the 2016 Medicare Part D Prescriber Data files were cross-linked to identify RO-written opioid prescriptions.ResultsOf 4,627 identified ROs, 1,360 (29.3%) wrote >10 opioid prescriptions. The average number of opioid prescriptions written was significantly (P ≤ .05) associated with the following RO characteristics: sex [13.1 ± 36.5 male vs 7.5 ± 16.9 female]; years since medical school graduation [4.5 ± 11.5 1-10 years vs 12.6 ± 26.0 11-24 years vs 13.3 ± 40.9 ≥25 years]; practice size [15.5 ± 44.6 size ≤10 vs 13.3 ± 25.9 size 11-49 vs 8.5 ± 12.7 size 50-99 vs 8.8 ± 26.9 size ≥100]; Medicare Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS) participation [12.6 ± 31.8 yes vs 7.0 ± 35.4 no]; and practice location [17.4 ± 47.0 South vs 10.6 ± 29.4 Midwest vs 8.1 ± 13.9 West vs 6.9 ± 15.2 Northeast]. On multivariable regression modeling, male sex (RR 1.29, 95% CI 1.22-1.35, P < .001), ≥25 years since graduation (RR 0.78, 95% CI 0.64-0.70, 1-10 years vs ≥25 years; RR 1.00, 95% CI 0.96 - 1.04, 11-24 years vs ≥25 years; P < .001), practice size <10 members (RR 1.51, CI 1.44-1.59, ≤10 vs ≥100 members, RR 1.27, CI 1.20-1.34, 10-49 vs ≥100 members, RR 0.86, CI 0.80-0.92, 50-99 vs ≥100 members, P < .001), PQRS participation (RR 1.12, CI 1.04-1.19, P < .002), and Southern location (RR 0.67, CI 0.64-0.70, Midwest vs South; RR 0.39, CI 0.37-0.41, Northeast vs South; RR 0.43, CI 0.41-0.46, West vs South; P < .001) were predictive of higher opioid prescription rates.ConclusionsFactors associated with increased number of RO-written opioid prescriptions were male sex, ≥25 years since graduation, group practice <10, PQRS participation, and Southern location. Additional research is required to establish optimal opioid prescribing practices for ROs.

Project description:ImportanceSafe opioid prescribing practices are critical to mitigate the risk of prescription opioid overdose in adolescents and young adults. However, studies that examine opioid prescribing patterns associated with prescription opioid overdose have mostly focused on older adults. The generalizability of these studies to adolescents and young adults is unclear.ObjectiveTo identify opioid prescribing patterns associated with prescription opioid overdose in adolescents and young adults.Design, setting, and participantsThis retrospective cohort study assessed privately insured patients aged 12 to 21 years with opioid prescription claims in the IBM MarketScan Commercial Claims and Encounters database between July 1, 2009, and October 1, 2017, and no cancer diagnosis. Data analysis was performed from January 1 to April 30, 2019.Main outcomes and measuresThe outcome was a treated opioid overdose as indicated by diagnosis codes. On the basis of days supplied, opioid prescription claims were converted to person-days (the unit of analysis) on which opioid exposure would occur if patients took medications as prescribed. Logistic regression with clustered SEs at the patient level was used to model the occurrence of overdose on a person-day as a function of daily opioid dosage category (<30, 30-59, 60-89, 90-119, or ≥120 morphine milligram equivalents), concurrent benzodiazepine use, and extended-release or long-acting opioid use. Regressions controlled for demographic characteristics, year, opioid use within 180 days, and comorbidities (mental health disorder, substance use disorder, and other chronic condition).ResultsA total of 2 752 612 patients (mean [SD] age at cohort entry, 17.2 [2.5] years; 1 451 918 [52.8%] female) participated in the study. Patients had 4 686 355 opioid prescription claims, corresponding to 21 605 444 person-days. Overdose occurred on 255 person-days among 249 patients (0.01% of the sample). Each increase in daily opioid dosage category was associated with higher overdose risk (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 1.18; 95% CI, 1.05-1.31). Compared with no use, both concurrent benzodiazepine use (AOR, 1.83; 95% CI, 1.24-2.71) and extended-release or long-acting opioid use (AOR, 2.01; 95% CI, 1.16-3.46) were associated with increased overdose risk.Conclusions and relevanceThe findings suggest that when prescribing opioids to adolescents and young adults, practitioners could potentially mitigate overdose risk by using the lowest effective daily dosage, avoiding concurrent opioid and benzodiazepine prescribing, and relying on short-acting opioids. Findings are broadly consistent with prior opioid safety studies focused on older adults.

Dataset Information

Impact of expanded strong opioid availability on opioid prescription patterns in patients with cancer: A population-wide cohort study in Taiwan.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets