Gabrielle C Donohoe1,2, Bingqing Zhang1, Janell L Mensinger3, Ronald S Litman1,4,5. 1. Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 2. Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 3. Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 4. Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 5. Institute for Safe Medication Practices, Horsham, Pennsylvania, USA.
Abstract
Objective: To determine trends in opioid prescribing for home use after pediatric outpatient surgery. Design: Retrospective analysis of a de-identified database. Setting: Multispecialty children's hospital and freestanding surgery centers. Patients, Participants: A total of 65,190 encounters of pediatric outpatient surgeries from 2013 through 2017 for nine different surgical specialties. Patients in the cardiothoracic service and nonpainful procedures were excluded. Main: Outcome Measures. Incidence rate of prescribing, dose, number of doses available (i.e., duration of therapy), and maximum weight-based home opioid availability from 2013 to 2017. Additional independent variables included sex, age, weight, race/ethnicity, insurance type (private vs public), and surgical service. Results: The incidence rate of receiving a take-home opioid prescription at discharge ranged from 18% to 21% between 2013 and 2017, with no clear directional trend. Among patients prescribed opioids, however, the maximum available take-home dose steadily declined from 2013 through 2017 (P < 0.001). This was due to both a decrease in the number of doses prescribed (i.e., duration of treatment) and, beginning in 2015, the amount per dose. Females were more likely to receive an opioid than males, and patients with public insurance were more likely to receive an opioid than those with private insurance. Opioid prescribing was more likely in patients who did not disclose their ethnicity and those of ethnic minority compared with white patients (all P < 0.0001). Conclusions: The rate of receiving a take-home opioid prescription and the dose prescribed remained stable from 2013 to 2017, but the duration of treatment steadily declined, and beginning in 2015, the amount per dose also decreased. Certain subgroups of patients were more likely to be prescribed opioids and will require further investigation and confirmation.
Objective: To determine trends in opioid prescribing for home use after pediatric outpatient surgery. Design: Retrospective analysis of a de-identified database. Setting: Multispecialty children's hospital and freestanding surgery centers. Patients, Participants: A total of 65,190 encounters of pediatric outpatient surgeries from 2013 through 2017 for nine different surgical specialties. Patients in the cardiothoracic service and nonpainful procedures were excluded. Main: Outcome Measures. Incidence rate of prescribing, dose, number of doses available (i.e., duration of therapy), and maximum weight-based home opioid availability from 2013 to 2017. Additional independent variables included sex, age, weight, race/ethnicity, insurance type (private vs public), and surgical service. Results: The incidence rate of receiving a take-home opioid prescription at discharge ranged from 18% to 21% between 2013 and 2017, with no clear directional trend. Among patients prescribed opioids, however, the maximum available take-home dose steadily declined from 2013 through 2017 (P < 0.001). This was due to both a decrease in the number of doses prescribed (i.e., duration of treatment) and, beginning in 2015, the amount per dose. Females were more likely to receive an opioid than males, and patients with public insurance were more likely to receive an opioid than those with private insurance. Opioid prescribing was more likely in patients who did not disclose their ethnicity and those of ethnic minority compared with white patients (all P < 0.0001). Conclusions: The rate of receiving a take-home opioid prescription and the dose prescribed remained stable from 2013 to 2017, but the duration of treatment steadily declined, and beginning in 2015, the amount per dose also decreased. Certain subgroups of patients were more likely to be prescribed opioids and will require further investigation and confirmation.
Authors: Teresa M Bell; Jodi L Raymond; Alejandro C Mongalo; Zachary W Adams; Thomas M Rouse; LeRanna Hatcher; Katie Russell; Aaron E Carroll Journal: Ann Surg Date: 2021-01-22 Impact factor: 13.787
Authors: Rachel A McKenna; Alfred Lee; Chen Yan; Giap H Vu; Ellen C Jantzen; Patrick J Brennan; Adam Watson; Caroline Burlingame; Ines C Lin Journal: Plast Reconstr Surg Glob Open Date: 2021-03-15