Corey J Hayes1,2, Nalin Payakachat1, Chenghui Li3. 1. Division of Pharmaceutical Evaluation and Policy, Department of Pharmacy Practice, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Pharmacy, 4301 W. Markham St., # 522, Little Rock, AR, 72205, USA. 2. Division of Health Services Research, Psychiatric Research Institute, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Medicine, Little Rock, AR, USA. 3. Division of Pharmaceutical Evaluation and Policy, Department of Pharmacy Practice, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Pharmacy, 4301 W. Markham St., # 522, Little Rock, AR, 72205, USA. cli@uams.edu.
Abstract
PURPOSE: Long-term opioid use for chronic pain has increased, but limited evidence exists on its benefits. Evaluation of long-term benefits in pain is based on patient-reported measures such as health-related quality of life (HRQoL). This study examined the long-term effects of opioid use on HRQoL and its subdomains in patients with back pain or arthritis by comparing opioid users to non-opioid users for three metrics: (1) any opioid use, (2) duration of opioid use, and (3) average daily morphine equivalent dose. METHODS: A nationally representative sample of cancer-free adults with chronic back pain or arthritis was selected. Using the 12-Item Short Form Survey, HRQoL measures of Mental Component Score (MCS), Physical Component Score (PCS), and individual subdomains were assessed at baseline and 1 year later. Opioid users were matched to non-opioid users in a 1:1 greedy match using propensity scores estimated based on many patient demographics and baseline HRQoL measures. RESULTS: At year one, PCS was significantly lower among opioid users, mostly driven by bodily pain subdomain; MCS was not different. Short-term opioid users (< 1 month) had higher MCS while long-term users (≥ 1 month) had lower PCS. Low-dose [< 20 morphine milligram equivalents (MME)/day] opioid use was associated with lower PCS, while no difference was found between high dose (≥ 20 MME/day) and non-opioid users. However, most differences were not clinically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Long-term opioid use is not associated with improvements in HRQoL. Clinicians should carefully evaluate the need for opioid use, especially long-term use in managing chronic back pain and arthritis.
PURPOSE: Long-term opioid use for chronic pain has increased, but limited evidence exists on its benefits. Evaluation of long-term benefits in pain is based on patient-reported measures such as health-related quality of life (HRQoL). This study examined the long-term effects of opioid use on HRQoL and its subdomains in patients with back pain or arthritis by comparing opioid users to non-opioid users for three metrics: (1) any opioid use, (2) duration of opioid use, and (3) average daily morphine equivalent dose. METHODS: A nationally representative sample of cancer-free adults with chronic back pain or arthritis was selected. Using the 12-Item Short Form Survey, HRQoL measures of Mental Component Score (MCS), Physical Component Score (PCS), and individual subdomains were assessed at baseline and 1 year later. Opioid users were matched to non-opioid users in a 1:1 greedy match using propensity scores estimated based on many patient demographics and baseline HRQoL measures. RESULTS: At year one, PCS was significantly lower among opioid users, mostly driven by bodily pain subdomain; MCS was not different. Short-term opioid users (< 1 month) had higher MCS while long-term users (≥ 1 month) had lower PCS. Low-dose [< 20 morphine milligram equivalents (MME)/day] opioid use was associated with lower PCS, while no difference was found between high dose (≥ 20 MME/day) and non-opioid users. However, most differences were not clinically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Long-term opioid use is not associated with improvements in HRQoL. Clinicians should carefully evaluate the need for opioid use, especially long-term use in managing chronic back pain and arthritis.
Entities:
Keywords:
Back pain; Health-related quality of life; Opioids; Osteoarthritis; Rheumatoid arthritis
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