Trends in Opioid Prescribing and New Persistent Opioid Use After Surgery in the United States.

OBJECTIVE: To define recent trends in opioid prescribing after surgery and new persistent opioid use in the United States. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: New persistent opioid use after surgery among opioid-naïve individuals has emerged as an important postoperative complication. In response, initiatives to promote more appropriate post-operative opioid prescribing have been adopted in recent years. However, current estimates of opioid prescribing and new persistent opioid use following surgery remain unknown. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study of opioid-naïve privately insured adult patients undergoing 17 common surgical procedures between 2013 and 2021 was conducted utilizing multi-payer claims data from the Health Care Cost Institute (HCCI). Initial opioid prescription size in oral morphine equivalents and new persistent opioid use were the outcomes of interest. Trends in opioid prescribing and rates of new persistent opioid use were evaluated across the study period. Mixed effects logistic regression was performed to evaluate independent predictors of new persistent opioid use while adjusting for patient-level factors and year. RESULTS: Among 989,354 opioid-naïve individuals, the adjusted initial opioid prescription size decreased from 282 mg OME to 164 mg OME, a reduction of 118 mg OME (95% CI: 116-120). The adjusted incidence of new persistent opioid use decreased from 2.7% in 2013 (95% CI: 2.6%-2.8%) to 1.1% in 2021 (95% CI: 1.0%-1.2%). For every 30 OME increase in initial opioid prescription size, new persistent opioid use increased by 3.1%. Other predictors of new persistent opioid use included preoperative non-opioid controlled substances fills (31-365 days: aOR=1.78, 95% CI: 1.70-1.86; 0-30 days: aOR=2.71, 95% CI: 2.59-2.84) and undergoing orthopedic procedures (total knee arthroplasty (aOR=3.43, 95% CI: 3.15-3.72); shoulder arthroscopy (aOR=2.39, 95% CI: 2.24-2.56)). CONCLUSIONS: Both opioid prescription size after surgery and new persistent opioid use decreased over the last decade, suggesting that opioid stewardship practices had favorable effects on the risk of long-term opioid use.

Worth the Risk? Standardized Screening to Identify Substance Use Among Patients Prior to Surgery.

OBJECTIVE: We sought to compare identification of unhealthy substance use before surgery using The Tobacco, Alcohol, Prescription Medication, and Other Substance Use (TAPS), a standardized 4-item instrument, versus routine clinical documentation in the electronic medical record (EHR). SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Over 20% of individuals exhibit unhealthy substance use before elective surgery. Routine EHR documentation is often based on non-standard questions that may not fully capture the extent of substance use and is subject to bias. In contrast, brief standardized screening could provide a more efficient and systematic approach. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study among adults (≥18 y) at a preoperative clinic from August to September, 2021. Positive screens for unhealthy substances by TAPS were compared to data from the EHR. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy were reported. Receiver operating characteristic curves (ROCs) were used to assess diagnostic ability. Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate the predictors of positive screens by TAPS. RESULTS: The cohort included 240 surgical patients. TAPS screening identified significantly more positive screens than EHR documentation (43.3% vs. 14.2%). Patients with unhealthy substance use were younger (50.8 vs. 56.7 y; P=0.003), and TAPS revealed alcohol misuse in 30.8% of cases, contrasting with 0% in clinician documentation (P<0.001). Of the 104 TAPS-positive patients, 69.2% were missed by EHR documentation. Sensitivity (31%) and accuracy (AUC=0.65) of clinician documentation for any unhealthy substance use were lower compared to TAPS. CONCLUSION: Standardized TAPS screening detected preoperative unhealthy substance use more frequently than routine clinician documentation, emphasizing the need for integrating standardized measures into surgical practice to ensure safer perioperative care and outcomes.

The Association of Cannabis Use After Discharge From Surgery With Opioid Consumption and Patient-reported Outcomes.

OBJECTIVE: To compare outcomes of patients using versus not using cannabis as a treatment for pain after discharge from surgery. BACKGROUND: Cannabis is increasingly available and is often taken by patients to relieve pain. However, it is unclear whether cannabis use for pain after surgery impacts opioid consumption and postoperative outcomes. METHODS: Using Michigan Surgical Quality Collaborative registry data at 69 hospitals, we analyzed a cohort of patients undergoing 16 procedure types between January 1, 2021, and October 31, 2021. The key exposure was cannabis use for pain after surgery. Outcomes included postdischarge opioid consumption (primary) and patient-reported outcomes of pain, satisfaction, quality of life, and regret to undergo surgery (secondary). RESULTS: Of 11,314 included patients (58% females, mean age: 55.1 years), 581 (5.1%) reported using cannabis to treat pain after surgery. In adjusted models, patients who used cannabis consumed an additional 1.0 (95% CI: 0.4-1.5) opioid pills after surgery. Patients who used cannabis were more likely to report moderate-to-severe surgical site pain at 1 week (adjusted odds ratio: 1.7, 95% CIL 1.4-2.1) and 1 month (adjusted odds ratio: 2.1, 95% CI: 1.7-2.7) after surgery. Patients who used cannabis were less likely to endorse high satisfaction (72.1% vs 82.6%), best quality of life (46.7% vs 63.0%), and no regret (87.6% vs 92.7%) (all P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Patient-reported cannabis use, to treat postoperative pain, was associated with increased opioid consumption after discharge from surgery that was of clinically insignificant amounts, but worse pain and other postoperative patient-reported outcomes.

Medicaid Insurance Predicts Increased Postoperative Care Encounters Among Patients on Long-Term Opioid Therapy.

OBJECTIVE: This study examined the association between insurance type and postoperative unplanned care encounters among patients on long-term opioid therapy prior to surgery. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Preoperative long-term opioid therapy is associated with unique risks and poorer outcomes following surgery. To date, the extent to which insurance coverage influences postoperative outcomes in this population remains unclear. METHODS: Among individuals receiving a supply of greater than 120 total days or at least 10 opioid prescriptions in the year prior to surgery, we examined patients with Medicaid or private insurance who underwent abdominopelvic surgery from 2017 to 2021 across 70 hospitals in the state of Michigan. The primary outcome was unplanned care encounters, defined as an emergency department visit or unplanned readmission within 30 days of discharge from surgery. Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess the likelihood of acute care events with insurance type as the primary covariate of interest. RESULTS: Among 1212 patients on long-term opioid therapy prior to surgery, 45.6% (n = 553) had Medicaid insurance. Overall, one in eight (n=151) patients met criteria for a postoperative unplanned care encounter within 30 days. The probability of an unplanned encounter was 4.5 percentage points higher among patients with Medicaid insurance compared to private insurance (95% CI: 0.5%, 8.4%). CONCLUSIONS: Among patients on preoperative long-term opioid therapy, unplanned care encounters were higher among patients with Medicaid when compared to private insurance. While this is likely multifactorial, differences by insurance status may point to disparities in underlying social determinants of health and suggest the need for postoperative care pathways that address these gaps.

The Association of Preoperative Opioid Use with Post-Discharge Outcomes: A Cohort Study of the Michigan Surgical Quality Collaborative.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the association of prescription opioid fills over the year prior to surgery with postoperative outcomes. BACKGROUND: Nearly one third of patients report opioid use in the year preceding surgery, yet an understanding of how opioid exposure influences patient-reported outcomes after surgery remains incomplete. Therefore, this study was designed to test the hypothesis that preoperative opioid exposure may impede recovery in the postoperative period. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study used a statewide clinical registry from 70 hospitals linked to opioid fulfillment data from the state's prescription drug monitoring program to categorize patients' preoperative opioid exposure as none (naïve), minimal, intermittent, or chronic. Outcomes were patient-reported pain intensity (primary), as well as 30-day clinical and patient-reported outcomes (secondary). RESULTS: Compared to opioid-naïve patients, opioid exposure was associated with higher reported pain scores at 30 days after surgery. Predicted probabilities was higher among the opioid exposed versus naive group for reporting moderate pain (43.5% [95% CI 42.6 - 44.4%] vs 39.3% [95% CI 38.5 - 40.1%]) and severe pain (13.% [95% CI 12.5 - 14.0%] vs 10.0% [95% CI 9.5 - 10.5%]), and increasing probability was associated increased opioid exposure for both outcomes. Clinical outcomes (incidence of ED visits, readmissions, and reoperation within 30-days) and patient-reported outcomes (reported satisfaction, regret, and quality of life) were also worse with increasing preoperative opioid exposure for most outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: This study is the first to examine the effect of presurgical opioid exposure on both clinical and non-clinical outcomes in a broad cohort of patients, and shows that exposure is associated with worse postsurgical outcomes. A key question to be addressed is whether and to what extent opioid tapering before surgery mitigates these risks after surgery.

Effects of U.S. State Medical Cannabis Laws on Treatment of Chronic Noncancer Pain.

BACKGROUND: State medical cannabis laws may lead patients with chronic noncancer pain to substitute cannabis in place of prescription opioid or clinical guideline-concordant nonopioid prescription pain medications or procedures. OBJECTIVE: To assess effects of state medical cannabis laws on receipt of prescription opioids, nonopioid prescription pain medications, and procedures for chronic noncancer pain. DESIGN: Using data from 12 states that implemented medical cannabis laws and 17 comparison states, augmented synthetic control analyses estimated laws' effects on receipt of chronic noncancer pain treatment, relative to predicted treatment receipt in the absence of the law. SETTING: United States, 2010 to 2022. PARTICIPANTS: 583 820 commercially insured adults with chronic noncancer pain. MEASUREMENTS: Proportion of patients receiving any opioid prescription, nonopioid prescription pain medication, or procedure for chronic noncancer pain; volume of each treatment type; and mean days' supply and mean morphine milligram equivalents per day of prescribed opioids, per patient in a given month. RESULTS: In a given month during the first 3 years of law implementation, medical cannabis laws led to an average difference of 0.05 percentage points (95% CI, -0.12 to 0.21 percentage points), 0.05 percentage points (CI, -0.13 to 0.23 percentage points), and -0.17 percentage points (CI, -0.42 to 0.08 percentage points) in the proportion of patients receiving any opioid prescription, any nonopioid prescription pain medication, or any chronic pain procedure, respectively, relative to what we predict would have happened in that month had the law not been implemented. LIMITATIONS: This study used a strong nonexperimental design but relies on untestable assumptions involving parallel counterfactual trends. Statistical power is limited by the finite number of states. Results may not generalize to noncommercially insured populations. CONCLUSION: This study did not identify important effects of medical cannabis laws on receipt of opioid or nonopioid pain treatment among patients with chronic noncancer pain. PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE: National Institute on Drug Abuse.

Opioid Consumption After Discharge From Total Knee and Hip Arthroplasty: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Pain is challenging after recovery from total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and total hip arthroplasty (THA) procedures, and patients often receive prescription opioids. However, opioid consumption by patients remains unclear, and unused opioids may lead to risks including misuse and diversion. The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to compare prescription size versus patient-reported consumption of opioids after discharge following TKA and THA. METHODS: PubMed and Embase were systematically searched for publications published between 2015 and 2022 on patient-reported consumption of opioids after TKA and THA. The primary outcome was opioid use in oxycodone 5-mg equivalents. Team members independently reviewed studies for screening, inclusion, data extraction, and risk of bias. RESULTS: Among the 17 included studies (15 TKA and 11 THA), discharge opioid prescribing exceeded consumption for both TKA (88.4 versus 65.0 pills at 6 weeks) and THA (64.0 versus 29.8 pills at 12 weeks). For both TKA and THA, the range of opioids prescribed varied significantly, by 1.6-fold for TKA and 2.8-fold for THA. Most studies reported pain outcomes (89%) and the use of nonopioid medications (72%). Of the 4 studies offering prescribing recommendations, the amounts ranged from 50 to 104 pills for TKA and 30 to 45 pills for THA. CONCLUSIONS: Opioid prescribing exceeds the amount consumed following TKA and THA. These findings serve as a call to action to tailor prescribing guidelines to how much patients actually consume while emphasizing the use of nonopioid medications to better optimize recovery from surgery.

Prevalence of Unhealthy Substance Use and Associated Characteristics Among Patients Presenting for Surgery.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence of and identify characteristics associated with unhealthy use before surgery. BACKGROUND: Although the escalation in US drug overdose deaths is apparent, the unhealthy use of substances among patients presenting for surgery is unclear. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study of patients presenting for elective surgical procedures between December 2018 and July 2021 and prospectively recruited to 1 of 2 clinical research studies (Michigan Genomics Initiative, Prevention of Iatrogenic Opioid Dependence after Surgery Study). The primary outcome was unhealthy substance use in the past 12 months as determined using the Tobacco, Alcohol, Prescription medication, and other Substance use tool. RESULTS: Among 1912 patients, unhealthy substance use was reported in 768 (40.2%). The most common substances with unhealthy use were illicit drugs [385 (20.1%)], followed by alcohol 358 (18.7%)], tobacco [262 (13.7%)], and prescription medications [86 (4.5%)]. Patients reporting unhealthy substance use were significantly more likely to be younger, male [aOR: 1.95 (95% CI, 1.58-2.42)], and have higher scores for pain [aOR: 1.07 (95% CI, 1.02-1.13)], and anxiety [aOR: 1.03 (95% CI, 1.01-1.04)]. Unhealthy substance use was more common among surgical procedures of the forearm, wrist, and hand [aOR: 2.58 (95% CI, 1.01-6.55)]. CONCLUSIONS: As many as 2 in 5 patients in the preoperative period may present with unhealthy substance use before elective surgery. Given the potential impact of substance use on surgical outcomes, increased recognition of the problem by screening patients is a critical next step for surgeons and perioperative care teams.

Safety and Distribution of Opioid Prescribing by U.S. Surgeons.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate high-risk prescribing patterns among opioid prescriptions from U.S. surgeons; to characterize the distribution of high-risk prescribing among surgeons. BACKGROUND: National data on the prevalence of opioid prescribing and high-risk opioid prescribing by U.S. surgeons are lacking. METHODS: Using the IQVIA Prescription Database, which reports dispensing from 92% of U.S. pharmacies, we identified opioid prescriptions from surgeons dispensed in 2019 to patients ages ≥12 years. "High-risk" prescriptions were characterized by: days supplied >7, daily dosage ≥50 oral morphine equivalents (OMEs), opioid-benzodiazepine overlap, and extended-release/long-acting opioid. We determined the proportion of opioid prescriptions, total OMEs, and high-risk prescriptions accounted for by "high-volume surgeons" (those in the ≥95th percentile for prescription counts). We used linear regression to identify characteristics associated with being a high-volume surgeon. RESULTS: Among 15,493,018 opioid prescriptions included, 7,036,481 (45.4%) were high-risk. Among 114,610 surgeons, 5753 were in the 95th percentile or above for prescription count, with ≥520 prescriptions dispensed in 2019. High-volume surgeons accounted for 33.5% of opioid prescriptions, 52.8% of total OMEs, and 44.2% of high-risk prescriptions. Among high-volume surgeons, 73.9% were orthopedic surgeons and 60.6% practiced in the South. Older age, male sex, specialty, region, and lack of affiliation with academic institutions or health systems were correlated with high-risk prescribing. CONCLUSIONS: The top 5% of surgeons account for 33.5% of opioid prescriptions and 45.4% of high-risk prescriptions. Quality improvement initiatives targeting these surgeons may have the greatest yield given their outsized role in high-risk prescribing.

Racial and Ethnic Differences in Elective Versus Emergency Surgery for Colorectal Cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate differences in presentation and outcomes of surgery for colorectal cancer. BACKGROUND: Although racial and socioeconomic disparities in colorectal cancer outcomes are well documented, disparities in access affecting disease presentation are less clear. METHODS: We conducted a statewide retrospective study of patients who underwent resection for colorectal cancer between January 1, 2015, and April 30, 2021. The primary outcome was undergoing emergency surgery. Secondary outcomes included preoperative evaluation and postoperative outcomes. Covariates of interest included race/ethnicity, social deprivation index, and insurance type. RESULTS: A total of 4869 patients underwent surgery for colorectal cancer, of whom 1122 (23.0%) underwent emergency surgery. Overall, 28.1% of Black non-Hispanic patients and 22.5% of White non-Hispanic patients underwent emergency surgery. On multivariable logistic regression, Black non-Hispanic race was independently associated with a 5.8 (95% CI, 0.3-11.3) percentage point increased risk of emergency surgery compared with White non-Hispanic race. Patients who underwent emergency surgery were significantly less likely to have preoperative carcinoembryonic antigen measurement, staging for rectal cancer, and wound/ostomy consultation. Patients who underwent emergency surgery had a higher incidence of 30-day mortality (5.5% vs 1.0%, P <0.001), positive surgical margins (11.1% vs 4.9%, P <0.001), complications (29.2% vs 16.0%, P <0.001), readmissions (12.5% vs 9.6%, P =0.005), and reoperations (12.2% vs 8.2%, P <0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with colorectal cancer, Black non-Hispanic patients were more likely to undergo emergency surgery than White non-Hispanic patients, suggesting they may face barriers to timely screening and evaluation. Undergoing emergency surgery was associated with incomplete oncologic evaluation, increased incidence of postoperative complications including mortality, and increased surgical margin positivity. These results suggest that racial and ethnic differences in the diagnosis and treatment of colorectal cancer impact near-term and long-term outcomes.

Adverse Surgical Outcomes Linked to Co-occurring Smoking and Risky Alcohol Use Among General Surgery Patients.

OBJECTIVE: To assess associations between co-occurring preoperative smoking and risky alcohol use on the likelihood of adverse surgical outcomes. BACKGROUND: Risky alcohol use and smoking are the known surgical risk factors with a high co-occurrence and additive adverse effects on multiple organ systems that impact surgical health, yet no research has evaluated the impact of co-occurrence on surgical outcomes. METHODS: This investigation analyzed 200,816 patients from the Michigan Surgical Quality Collaborative database between July 1, 2012, to December 31, 2018. Patients were classified based on past year risky alcohol use (>2 drink/day) and cigarette smoking into 4 groups: (1) risky alcohol and smoking, (2) risky alcohol only, (3) smoking only, and (4) no risky alcohol/smoking. We fitted logistic regression models, applying propensity score weights incorporating demographic, clinical, and surgical factors to assess associations between alcohol and smoking and 30-day postoperative outcomes; surgical complications, readmission, reoperation, and emergency department (ED) visits. RESULTS: Risky alcohol and smoking, risky alcohol only, and smoking only were reported by 2852 (1.4%), 2840 (1.4%), and 44,042 (22%) patients, respectively. Relative to all other groups, the alcohol and smoking group had greater odds of surgical complications, readmission, and reoperation. Relative to the no alcohol and smoking group, the alcohol only group higher odds of reoperation and smoking only group had higher odds of emergency department visits. CONCLUSIONS: The combination of smoking and risky drinking conferred the highest likelihood of complications, readmission, and reoperation before surgery. Co-occurring alcohol and smoking at the time of surgery warrants special attention as a patient risk factor and deserves additional research.

Evidence-Based Opioid Prescribing Guidelines and New Persistent Opioid Use After Surgery.

OBJECTIVE: Evaluate the association of evidence-based opioid prescribing guidelines with new persistent opioid use after surgery. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Patients exposed to opioids after surgery are at risk of new persistent opioid use, which is associated with opioid use disorder and overdose. It is unknown whether evidence-based opioid prescribing guidelines mitigate this risk. METHODS: Using Medicare claims, we performed a difference-in-differences study of opioid-naive patients who underwent 1 of 6 common surgical procedures for which evidence-based postoperative opioid prescribing guidelines were released and disseminated through a statewide quality collaborative in Michigan in October 2017. The primary outcome was the incidence of new persistent opioid use, and the secondary outcome was total postoperative opioid prescription quantity in oral morphine equivalents (OME). RESULTS: We identified 24,908 patients who underwent surgery in Michigan and 118,665 patients who underwent surgery outside of Michigan. Following the release of prescribing guidelines in Michigan, the adjusted incidence of new persistent opioid use decreased from 3.29% (95% CI 3.15-3.43%) to 2.51% (95% CI 2.35-2.67%) in Michigan, which was an additional 0.53 (95% CI 0.36-0.69) percentage point decrease compared with patients outside of Michigan. Simultaneously, adjusted opioid prescription quantity decreased from 199.5 (95% CI 198.3-200.6) mg OME to 88.6 (95% CI 78.7-98.5) mg OME in Michigan, which was an additional 55.7 (95% CI 46.5-65.4) mg OME decrease compared with patients outside of Michigan. CONCLUSIONS: Evidence-based opioid prescribing guidelines were associated with a significant reduction in the incidence of new persistent opioid use and the quantity of opioids prescribed after surgery.

Long-term Health Outcomes of New Persistent Opioid Use After Surgery Among Medicare Beneficiaries.

OBJECTIVE: We examined long-term health outcomes associated with new persistent opioid use after surgery and hypothesized that patients with new persistent opioid use would have poorer overall health outcomes compared with those who did not develop new persistent opioid use after surgery. BACKGROUND: New persistent opioid use is a common surgical complication. Long-term opioid use increases risk of mortality, fractures, and falls; however, less is known about health care utilization among older adults with new persistent opioid use after surgical care. METHODS: We analyzed claims from a 20% national sample of Medicare beneficiaries ≥65 years undergoing surgery between January 1, 2009, and June 30, 2019. We estimated associations between new persistent use and subsequent health events between 6 and 12 months after surgery, including mortality, serious fall/fall-related injury, and respiratory or opioid/pain-related readmission/emergency department (ED) visits using a Cox proportional hazards model to estimate mortality and multivariable logistic regression for the remaining outcomes, adjusting for demographic/clinical characteristics. Our primary outcome was mortality within 6 to 12 months after surgery. Secondary outcomes included falls and readmissions or ED visits (respiratory, pain related/opioid related) within 6 to 12 months after surgery. RESULTS: Of 229,898 patients, 6874 (3.0%) developed new persistent opioid use. Compared with patients who did not develop new persistent opioid use, patients with new persistent opioid use had a higher risk of mortality (hazard ratio 3.44, CI, 2.99-3.96), falls [adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 1.21, 95% CI, 1.05-1.39], and respiratory-related (aOR: 1.67, 95% CI, 1.49-1.86) or pain-related/opioid-related (aOR: 1.68, 95% CI, 1.55-1.82) readmissions/ED visits. CONCLUSIONS: New persistent opioid use after surgery is associated with increased mortality and poorer health outcomes after surgery. Although the mechanisms that underlie this risk are not clear, persistent opioid use may also be a marker for greater morbidity requiring more care in the late postoperative period. Increased awareness of individuals at risk for new persistent use after surgery and close follow-up in the late postoperative period is critical to mitigate the harms associated with new persistent use.

Postoperative Opioid Prescribing and New Persistent Opioid Use: The Risk of Excessive Prescribing.

OBJECTIVE: Evaluate the association between postoperative opioid prescribing and new persistent opioid use. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Opioid-nave patients who develop new persistent opioid use after surgery are at increased risk of opioid-related morbidity and mortality. However, the extent to which postoperative opioid prescribing is associated with persistent postoperative opioid use is unclear. METHODS: Retrospective study of opioid-naïve adults undergoing surgery in Michigan from 1/1/2017 to 10/31/2019. Postoperative opioid prescriptions were identified using a statewide clinical registry and prescription fills were identified using Michigan's prescription drug monitoring program. The primary outcome was new persistent opioid use, defined as filling at least 1 opioid prescription between post-discharge days 4 to 90 and filling at least 1 opioid prescription between post-discharge days 91 to 180. RESULTS: A total of 37,654 patients underwent surgery with a mean age of 52.2 (16.7) years and 20,923 (55.6%) female patients. A total of 31,920 (84.8%) patients were prescribed opioids at discharge. Six hundred twenty-two (1.7%) patients developed new persistent opioid use after surgery. Being prescribed an opioid at discharge was not associated with new persistent opioid use [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 0.88 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.71-1.09)]. However, among patients prescribed an opioid, patients prescribed the second largest [12 (interquartile range (IQR) 3) pills] and largest [20 (IQR 7) pills] quartiles of prescription size had higher odds of new persistent opioid use compared to patients prescribed the smallest quartile [7 (IQR 1) pills] of prescription size [aOR 1.39 (95% CI 1.04-1.86) andaOR 1.97 (95% CI 1.442.70), respectively]. CONCLUSIONS: In a cohort of opioid-naïve patients undergoing common surgical procedures, the risk of new persistent opioid use increased with the size of the prescription. This suggests that while opioid prescriptions in and of themselves may not place patients at risk of long-term opioid use, excessive prescribing does. Consequently, these findings support ongoing efforts to mitigate excessive opioid prescribing after surgery to reduce opioid-related harms.

Effects of Opioid Prescribing Cap Laws on Opioid and Other Pain Treatments Among Persons with Chronic Pain.

BACKGROUND: Many states have adopted laws that limit the amount or duration of opioid prescriptions. These limits often focus on prescriptions for acute pain, but there may be unintended consequences for those diagnosed with chronic pain, including reduced opioid prescribing without substitution of appropriate non-opioid treatments. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of state opioid prescribing cap laws on opioid and non-opioid treatment among those diagnosed with chronic pain. DESIGN: We used a difference-in-differences approach that accounts for staggered policy adoption. Treated states included 32 states that implemented a prescribing cap law between 2017 and 2019. POPULATION: A total of 480,856 adults in the USA who were continuously enrolled in medical and pharmacy coverage from 2013 to 2019 and diagnosed with a chronic pain condition between 2013 and 2016. MAIN MEASURES: Among individuals with chronic pain in each state: proportion with at least one opioid prescription and with prescriptions of a specific duration or dose, average number of opioid prescriptions, average opioid prescription duration and dose, proportion with at least one non-opioid chronic pain prescription, average number of such prescriptions, proportion with at least one chronic pain procedure, and average number of such procedures. KEY RESULTS: State laws limiting opioid prescriptions were not associated with changes in opioid prescribing, non-opioid medication prescribing, or non-opioid chronic pain procedures among patients with chronic pain diagnoses. CONCLUSIONS: These findings do not support an association between state opioid prescribing cap laws and changes in the treatment of chronic non-cancer pain.

Association of Genetic Variants with Postsurgical Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-analyses.

BACKGROUND: Postsurgical pain is a key component of surgical recovery. However, the genetic drivers of postsurgical pain remain unclear. A broad review and meta-analyses of variants of interest will help investigators understand the potential effects of genetic variation. METHODS: This article is a systematic review of genetic variants associated with postsurgical pain in humans, assessing association with postsurgical pain scores and opioid use in both acute (0 to 48 h postoperatively) and chronic (at least 3 months postoperatively) settings. PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched from 2000 to 2022 for studies using search terms related to genetic variants and postsurgical pain in humans. English-language studies in adult patients examining associations of one or more genetic variants with postsurgical pain were included. The primary outcome was association of genetic variants with either acute or chronic postsurgical pain. Pain was measured by patient-reported pain score or analgesic or opioid consumption. RESULTS: A total of 163 studies were included, evaluating 129 unique genes and 594 unique genetic variants. Many of the reported significant associations fail to be replicated in other studies. Meta-analyses were performed for seven variants for which there was sufficient data (OPRM1 rs1799971; COMT rs4680, rs4818, rs4633, and rs6269; and ABCB1 rs1045642 and rs2032582). Only two variants were associated with small differences in postsurgical pain: OPRM1 rs1799971 (for acute postsurgical opioid use standard mean difference = 0.25; 95% CI, 0.16 to 0.35; cohort size, 8,227; acute postsurgical pain score standard mean difference = 0.20; 95% CI, 0.09 to 0.31; cohort size, 4,619) and COMT rs4680 (chronic postsurgical pain score standard mean difference = 0.26; 95% CI, 0.08 to 0.44; cohort size, 1,726). CONCLUSIONS: Despite much published data, only two alleles have a small association with postsurgical pain. Small sample sizes, potential confounding variables, and inconsistent findings underscore the need to examine larger cohorts with consistent outcome measures.

Effects of state opioid prescribing cap laws on providers' opioid prescribing patterns among patients with chronic non-cancer pain.

Prior work suggests opioid prescribing cap laws are not associated with changes in opioid prescribing among patients with chronic pain. It is unknown how these effects differ by provider specialty, provider opioid prescribing volume, or patient insurer. This study assessed effects of state opioid prescribing cap laws on opioid prescribing among providers of patients with chronic non-cancer pain, by high volume prescribing, provider specialty, and patient insurer. We identified 224,290 providers of patients with low back pain, fibromyalgia, or headache from the IQVIA administrative database. Using a difference-in-differences approach, we examined impacts of opioid prescribing cap laws implemented between 2016 and 2018 on the annual proportion of a provider's patient panel who received any opioid prescription, as well as on dose and duration of opioid prescriptions. For providers overall, high volume prescribers, all specialties, and patient insurance categories, prescribing cap laws were associated with non-significant changes of <1.0, 1.5, and 3.5 percentage points in the proportion of chronic non-cancer patients receiving any opioid prescription, a prescription with 7 days' supply, or with >50 morphine milligram equivalents (MME)/day, per year, respectively. There were two exceptions with high dose prescribing: prescribing cap laws were associated with a 1.5 percentage point increase in the proportion of high-volume prescribers' patient panel receiving an opioid prescription with ≥50 MME/day, and a 3.0 percentage point decrease in the same measure among surgeons. Among nearly all measured subgroups of providers and patient insurers, opioid prescribing cap laws were not associated with changes in opioid prescribing.

Effects of State Opioid Prescribing Laws on Use of Opioid and Other Pain Treatments Among Commercially Insured U.S. Adults.

BACKGROUND: There is concern that state laws to curb opioid prescribing may adversely affect patients with chronic noncancer pain, but the laws' effects are unclear because of challenges in disentangling multiple laws implemented around the same time. OBJECTIVE: To study the association between state opioid prescribing cap laws, pill mill laws, and mandatory prescription drug monitoring program query or enrollment laws and trends in opioid and guideline-concordant nonopioid pain treatment among commercially insured adults, including a subgroup with chronic noncancer pain conditions. DESIGN: Thirteen treatment states that implemented a single law of interest in a 4-year period and unique groups of control states for each treatment state were identified. Augmented synthetic control analyses were used to estimate the association between each state law and outcomes. SETTING: United States, 2008 to 2019. PATIENTS: 7 694 514 commercially insured adults aged 18 years or older, including 1 976 355 diagnosed with arthritis, low back pain, headache, fibromyalgia, and/or neuropathic pain. MEASUREMENTS: Proportion of patients receiving any opioid prescription or guideline-concordant nonopioid pain treatment per month, and mean days' supply and morphine milligram equivalents (MME) of prescribed opioids per day, per patient, per month. RESULTS: Laws were associated with small-in-magnitude and non-statistically significant changes in outcomes, although CIs around some estimates were wide. For adults overall and those with chronic noncancer pain, the 13 state laws were each associated with a change of less than 1 percentage point in the proportion of patients receiving any opioid prescription and a change of less than 2 percentage points in the proportion receiving any guideline-concordant nonopioid treatment, per month. The laws were associated with a change of less than 1 in days' supply of opioid prescriptions and a change of less than 4 in average monthly MME per day per patient prescribed opioids. LIMITATIONS: Results may not be generalizable to non-commercially insured populations and were imprecise for some estimates. Use of claims data precluded assessment of the clinical appropriateness of pain treatments. CONCLUSION: This study did not identify changes in opioid prescribing or nonopioid pain treatment attributable to state laws. PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE: National Institute on Drug Abuse.

Association Between Initial Prescription Size and Likelihood of Opioid Refill After Total Knee and Hip Arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: The present study was designed to test the hypothesis that there was no association between initial opioid prescription size and the likelihood of refill after elective primary total knee (TKA) and hip arthroplasty (THA). METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed large national datasets of commercial and Medicare insurance claims to identify a weighted cohort of 120,889 primary total joint arthroplasties (76,900 TKA and 43,989 THA) comprised of opioid-naive patients aged 18 to 75 years who had surgery between January 2015 and November 2019. The primary outcome was refill of any prescription opioid medication within 30 days after discharge, and the primary predictor variable was the total amount of opioid filled in the initial discharge prescription measured in oral morphine equivalents (OMEs). Logistic regressions were used to estimate the likelihood of refill, given a particular prescription size while adjusting for multiple patient factors, including age, sex, comorbidities, and year of surgery. RESULTS: The 30-day refill rate was 59.6% following TKA and 26.1% for THA. Adjusted odds of refill decreased by 2% for every 75 OME (10 tablets of 5 mg oxycodone) increase to the initial prescription size among the THA cohort (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 0.98; 95% CI 0.97-0.99), and decreased by 3% for the TKA cohort (aOR = 0.97; 95% CI 0.97-0.98). CONCLUSION: These nationally representative data demonstrated that larger initial opioid prescription size was associated with small but clinically insignificant decreases in 30-day refill after total joint arthroplasty. This finding should allay concerns about efforts to decrease postsurgical opioid prescribing.

Advances in the management of persistent pain after total knee arthroplasty.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is one of the most commonly performed surgical procedures, with additional growth anticipated as the US population ages. Because the prevalence of chronic postsurgical pain ranges from 15 to 25%, identifying persons at risk for persistent pain following surgery allows for preoperative optimization of risk factors as well as early identification and intervention in the postsurgical period. RECENT FINDINGS: Clinical understanding of available management techniques is critical to management, which should focus on improving patient mobility and satisfaction while reducing patient disability and healthcare costs. Current evidence supports a multimodal management strategy. This includes pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic interventions, procedural techniques, and identification and optimization of psychosocial and behavioral contributors to chronic pain. Procedural techniques known to confer analgesia include radiofrequency and watercooled neurotomy techniques. More recently, case reports have been published describing analgesic benefit with central or peripheral neuromodulation as a novel, though more invasive analgesic therapy. SUMMARY: Identification and early intervention to address persistent pain after TKA is important to optimize patient outcomes. The anticipated growth in TKA underscores the need for future investigations to more fully define potential therapies for chronic pain following TKA.