OBJECTIVE: Utilization of nonpharmacological pain management may prevent unnecessary use of opioids. Our objective was to evaluate the impact of chiropractic utilization upon use of prescription opioids among patients with spinal pain. DESIGN AND SETTING: We employed a retrospective cohort design for analysis of health claims data from three contiguous states for the years 2012-2017. SUBJECTS: We included adults aged 18-84 years enrolled in a health plan and with office visits to a primary care physician or chiropractor for spinal pain. We identified two cohorts of subjects: Recipients received both primary care and chiropractic care, and nonrecipients received primary care but not chiropractic care. METHODS: We performed adjusted time-to-event analyses to compare recipients and nonrecipients with regard to the risk of filling an opioid prescription. We stratified the recipient populations as: acute (first chiropractic encounter within 30 days of diagnosis) and nonacute (all other patients). RESULTS: The total number of subjects was 101,221. Overall, between 1.55 and 2.03 times more nonrecipients filled an opioid prescription, as compared with recipients (in Connecticut: hazard ratio [HR] = 1.55, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.11-2.17, P = 0.010; in New Hampshire: HR = 2.03, 95% CI = 1.92-2.14, P < 0.0001). Similar differences were observed for the acute groups. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with spinal pain who saw a chiropractor had half the risk of filling an opioid prescription. Among those who saw a chiropractor within 30 days of diagnosis, the reduction in risk was greater as compared with those with their first visit after the acute phase.
OBJECTIVE: Utilization of nonpharmacological pain management may prevent unnecessary use of opioids. Our objective was to evaluate the impact of chiropractic utilization upon use of prescription opioids among patients with spinal pain. DESIGN AND SETTING: We employed a retrospective cohort design for analysis of health claims data from three contiguous states for the years 2012-2017. SUBJECTS: We included adults aged 18-84 years enrolled in a health plan and with office visits to a primary care physician or chiropractor for spinal pain. We identified two cohorts of subjects: Recipients received both primary care and chiropractic care, and nonrecipients received primary care but not chiropractic care. METHODS: We performed adjusted time-to-event analyses to compare recipients and nonrecipients with regard to the risk of filling an opioid prescription. We stratified the recipient populations as: acute (first chiropractic encounter within 30 days of diagnosis) and nonacute (all other patients). RESULTS: The total number of subjects was 101,221. Overall, between 1.55 and 2.03 times more nonrecipients filled an opioid prescription, as compared with recipients (in Connecticut: hazard ratio [HR] = 1.55, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.11-2.17, P = 0.010; in New Hampshire: HR = 2.03, 95% CI = 1.92-2.14, P < 0.0001). Similar differences were observed for the acute groups. CONCLUSIONS:Patients with spinal pain who saw a chiropractor had half the risk of filling an opioid prescription. Among those who saw a chiropractor within 30 days of diagnosis, the reduction in risk was greater as compared with those with their first visit after the acute phase.
Authors: Zachary A Cupler; Clinton J Daniels; Derek R Anderson; Michael T Anderson; Jason G Napuli; Megan E Tritt Journal: J Can Chiropr Assoc Date: 2021-08
Authors: James M Whedon; Anupama Kizhakkeveettil; Andrew Toler; Todd A MacKenzie; Jon D Lurie; Serena Bezdjian; Scott Haldeman; Eric Hurwitz; Ian Coulter Journal: J Manipulative Physiol Ther Date: 2021-12-05 Impact factor: 1.437
Authors: James M Whedon; Anupama Kizhakkeveettil; Andrew Wj Toler; Serena Bezdjian; Daniel Rossi; Sarah Uptmor; Todd A MacKenzie; Jon D Lurie; Eric L Hurwitz; Ian Coulter; Scott Haldeman Journal: Spine (Phila Pa 1976) Date: 2022-02-15 Impact factor: 3.468
Authors: Weronika Grabowska; Wren Burton; Matthew H Kowalski; Robert Vining; Cynthia R Long; Anthony Lisi; Jeffrey M Hausdorff; Brad Manor; Dennis Muñoz-Vergara; Peter M Wayne Journal: BMC Musculoskelet Disord Date: 2022-09-05 Impact factor: 2.562