Do nonpharmacological services offset opioids in pain treatment for soldiers?

OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationships between nonpharmacological treatment (NPT) utilization and opioid prescriptions and doses and whether these relationships vary according to the type of NPT service received. DATA SOURCE: Secondary data from the US Military Health System, nationwide. STUDY DESIGN: Patterns of NPT utilization and opioid prescriptions were analyzed over the 23 months after initial pain treatment (index visit). Regression models were used to examine the relationship between opioid prescription use in a given month and NPT service utilization in the three preceding months, using person fixed effects to control for time-invariant patient characteristics, as well as time fixed effects. Analyses were stratified by whether the patient filled an opioid prescription in the first 30 days post index visit. DATA EXTRACTION METHODS: Administrative data on health care utilization were extracted from the US Military Health System Data Repository for Army service members who returned from deployments in Afghanistan and Iraq that ended in fiscal years 2008 to 2014 and had at least one outpatient visit with a primary diagnosis of musculoskeletal pain in the subsequent year. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Utilization of any NPT service in the past 3 months was positively associated with filling an opioid prescription in the given month, regardless of whether the patient was initially prescribed opioids (percentage point difference [PP] =2.87, P < 0.01) or not (PP = 0.83, P < 0.01). However, for those not initially prescribed opioids, use of any NPT service in the past 3 months was negatively associated with mean daily opioid dose in the given month (morphine milligram equivalent dose = -0.4017, P < 0.01). For those initially prescribed opioids, NPT was not associated with opioid dose. CONCLUSIONS: NPT only reduced the prescription opioid daily dose for some patients, whereas the probability of receiving an opioid prescription was positively associated with NPT. Future research should assess whether recent system-level policies and program changes influence referral and opioid prescribing patterns.

Opioid and Nonpharmacologic Treatments Among Soldiers With Chronic Pain and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.

OBJECTIVE: This study examined the prevalence of chronic pain alone, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) alone, and both chronic pain and PTSD among U.S. Army soldiers during the postdeployment year. METHODS: The sample was 576,425 active duty soldiers returning from deployment in Afghanistan or Iraq between October 1, 2008, and September 30, 2014. Bivariate statistics were used to compare health care utilization among subgroups. Multivariate logistic regression with additional covariates was used to identify predictors of receiving an opioid days' supply of >30 days in the postdeployment year among soldiers with chronic pain, focusing on the effect of PTSD alone and on an interaction of PTSD with nonpharmacologic treatments (including therapeutic exercise, chiropractic treatment, acupuncture, and biofeedback). RESULTS: In total, 12.2% of the soldiers received a chronic pain diagnosis, 5.1% a PTSD diagnosis, and 1.8% had both. Among soldiers with both conditions, 80.3% received nonpharmacologic treatment, and 31.4% received an opioid days' supply of >30 days. Among soldiers with chronic pain, comorbid PTSD and lack of nonpharmacologic treatment was associated with increased odds of receiving an opioid days' supply of >30 days (odds ratio [OR]=1.4, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.3-1.6). PTSD combined with specific nonpharmacologic treatment modalities had a variable relationship with opioid receipt, and only PTSD with acupuncture or biofeedback was associated with reduced odds (OR=0.8, 95% CI=0.7-0.9). CONCLUSIONS: Soldiers having both chronic pain and PTSD have significant health care needs. Although these soldiers accessed mental health care and received nonpharmacologic treatment, additional interventions are needed to mitigate protracted opioid utilization.

App-Based Pain Management and Opioid Education Program for Patients in Clinic Waiting Rooms.

BACKGROUND: Best approaches to delivering patient education related to pain management and opioid safety are understudied. AIMS: This study assessed the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary patient-reported impact of an app-based patient pain education program. DESIGN: Pilot study with data collection occurring on 43 weekdays between August 2019-February 2020. SETTING: Waiting rooms at the pain clinic and a primary care medical home within two military treatment facilities. PARTICIPANTS: Military health system beneficiaries seeking general care at the primary care medical home or pain-specific care at the pain clinic. METHODS: The Joint Pain Education and Project curriculum includes patient-focused videos describing the biopsychosocial aspects of pain and pain management, medication take-back and safe disposal, and multidimensional pain assessments. The app-based videos were available on tablets in the waiting rooms for patients to view and complete surveys on after. RESULTS: Overall, 152 patients viewed the videos and completed surveys. Most viewers were interested in receiving other tablet-based health education while in the waiting room (62%). Most viewers found videos to be moderately or very helpful (73%) and were satisfied or very satisfied with the information provided (85%). Participants at the primary care medical home were more likely to find videos helpful compared to participants at the pain clinic (OR = 2.11; 95% CI: 1.07, 4.20; p = .03). CONCLUSION: Implementing app-based pain management education is feasible across clinic settings and is well received by patients. Clinics should consider providing pain education across care setting, rather than just pain specialty clinics, to help foster discussions between clinicians and patients regarding pain management and opioid safety.

A Longitudinal Comparison of Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System to Legacy Scales in Knee and Shoulder Arthroscopy Patients.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this prospective correlational study was to compare the psychometric properties of the Defense and Veterans Pain Rating Scale (DVPRS) and Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) scales with those of traditional legacy scales over a longitudinal postoperative period in patients undergoing arthroscopic procedures. METHODS: Active-duty military personnel undergoing shoulder and knee arthroscopic procedures completed the DVPRS, PROMIS, and legacy scales preoperatively and again at 3 months postoperatively. Rolling correlation coefficients (rrm) were used to assess the concurrent validity between the DVPRS average pain scores and computer adaptive testing PROMIS scales (Anxiety, Depression, Pain Behavior, Pain Interference, Mobility, Sleep Disturbance, Satisfaction With Social Roles, and Upper Extremity Physical Function) and the legacy scales (American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons [ASES] scale, Shoulder Activity Scale, International Knee Documentation Committee [IKDC] questionnaire, Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation [SANE], Marx Activity Rating Scale, and Veterans RAND 12-Item Health Survey). RESULTS: A total of 121 participants completed the scales preoperatively, 80 completed them at 3 months postoperatively, and 59 (49% of participants) completed them at both times. Rolling correlation coefficients between PROMIS Pain Interference (rrm = -0.41, P = .006), Satisfaction With Social Roles (rrm = 0.56, P < .001), and Upper Extremity (rrm = 0.71, P < .001) scores showed acceptable concurrent validity with ASES scores over a longitudinal postoperative period. DVPRS scores (rrm = -0.69, P = .002) and PROMIS Pain Behavior (rrm = -0.57, P = .018), Pain Interference (rrm = -0.71, P = .001), Sleep Disturbance (rrm = -0.64, P = .005), and Mobility (rrm = 0.65, P = .005) scores showed acceptable concurrent validity with IKDC scores. There was poor correlation between the PROMIS and DVPRS scores and the Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation, Marx Activity Rating Scale, Shoulder Activity Scale, and Veterans RAND 12-Item Health Survey scores. CONCLUSIONS: PROMIS scales measuring physical function, pain presentation, and other health domains showed acceptable concurrent validity with ASES and IKDC scores. By integrating the prospective collection of biopsychosocial PROMIS scales into practice, it is possible for clinicians in orthopaedic settings to assess changes in validated patient-reported outcomes to inform patient-centered care planning throughout the postoperative recovery period. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level II, prospective comparative study (with not all participants completing follow-up).

A Time-Series Analysis of the Association Between Occupational Health Policies and Opioid Prescription Patterns in United States Active Duty Military Service Members From 2006 to 2018.

OBJECTIVE: The Department of Defense (DoD) implemented numerous occupational health policies to guide opioid prescribing to active duty military service members (ADSM). This retrospective time series analysis evaluated the impact of DoD policies on opioid prescribing trends in ADSM from 2006 to 2018. METHODS: Bayesian structural time-series models with a Markov chain Monte Carlo algorithm for posterior inference and a semi-local linear trend were constructed to estimate the impact of polices. RESULTS: Results indicate annual opioid proportions significantly decreased after the introduction of occupational health policies introduced in 2011 to 2012. Collectively, occupational policies were associated with a significant reduction (6.6%) in annual opioid rates to ADSM following 2012. This observed effect was associated with approximately 121,000 less opioid prescriptions dispensed in 2018 alone. CONCLUSIONS: Occupational health policy interventions were associated with reductions in opioid prescribing within the DoD.

The Effects of Blast-Related Neurotrauma on Aurally Aided Visual Search While Standing and Walking.

Service members (SMs) who have suffered mild traumatic brain injury due to blast exposure (b/TBI) often report post-concussive symptoms consistent with auditory, visual, or vestibular impairments even when they score within the normal range on traditional clinical tests of sensory function. One possible explanation for this discrepancy is that patients who score in the low normal range in more than one sensory modality may be severely impaired in tasks that require multisensory integration. This study evaluated unimodal and multimodal sensory performance in SMs with b/TBI and healthy controls by having them conduct four tasks while walking or standing in an immersive virtual environment: an Auditory Localization task (AL) where they moved a cursor to the perceived location of a sound; a Visual Discrimination task (VD) where they distinguished between two visual targets; an Aurally-Aided Visual Search Task (AAVS) where they used an auditory cue to locate and identify a visual target hidden in a field of visual distractors; and a Visual-Only Visual Search task (VOVS) where they located and identified a visual target in a field of distractors with no auditory cue. The results show the b/TBI and healthy control groups performed equivalently in the AL and VD tasks, but that the b/TBI group responded roughly 15% slower in the AAVS task and 50% slower in the VOVS task. Walking had no effect on performance in the visual-only tasks, but both groups responded faster while walking in the AL and AAVS tasks without any reduction in accuracy.

Benefits of the Restorative Exercise and Strength Training for Operational Resilience and Excellence Yoga Program for Chronic Low Back Pain in Service Members: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of an individualized yoga program. DESIGN: Pilot randomized controlled trial. SETTING: Military medical center. PARTICIPANTS: Patients (N=68) with chronic low back pain. INTERVENTIONS: Restorative Exercise and Strength Training for Operational Resilience and Excellence (RESTORE) program (9-12 individual yoga sessions) or treatment as usual (control) for an 8-week period. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome was past 24-hour pain (Defense & Veterans Pain Rating Scale 2.0). Secondary outcomes included disability (Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire) and physical functioning and symptom burden (Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System-29 subscales). Assessment occurred at baseline, week 4, week 8, 3-month follow-up, and 6-month follow-up. Exploratory outcomes included the proportion of participants in each group reporting clinically meaningful changes at 3- and 6-month follow-ups. RESULTS: Generalized linear mixed models with sequential Bonferroni-adjusted pairwise significance tests and chi-square analyses examined longitudinal outcomes. Secondary outcome significance tests were Bonferroni adjusted for multiple outcomes. The RESTORE group reported improved pain compared with the control group. Secondary outcomes did not retain significance after Bonferroni adjustments for multiple outcomes, although a higher proportion of RESTORE participants reported clinically meaningfully changes in all outcomes at 3-month follow-up and in symptom burden at 6-month follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: RESTORE may be a viable nonpharmacological treatment for low back pain with minimal side effects, and research efforts are needed to compare the effectiveness of RESTORE delivery formats (eg, group vs individual) with that of other treatment modalities.

An observational feasibility study to assess the safety and effectiveness of intranasal fentanyl for radiofrequency ablations of the lumbar facet joints.

PURPOSE: The purpose of the present observational, feasibility study is to assess the preliminary safety and effectiveness of intranasal fentanyl for lumbar facet radiofrequency ablation procedures. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This cohort observational study included 23 adult patients. Systolic and diastolic blood pressures, heart rate, oxygen saturation percent, Pasero Opioid-Induced Sedation Scale score, and the Defense and Veterans Pain Rating Scale pain score were assessed prior to the procedure and intranasal fentanyl (100 µg) administration and every 15 minutes after administration, up to 60 minutes post administration. Follow-up of patient satisfaction with pain control and treatment was assessed 24 hours after discharge. The primary outcome was safety as evidenced by adverse events. Secondary outcomes included the above-mentioned vital signs and pain ratings. RESULTS: No adverse events occurred in the present study and all participants maintained an acceptable level of awareness throughout the assessment period. One-way repeated measures analyses of covariance tests with Bonferroni-adjusted means indicated that oxygen saturation, blood pressure, and heart rate changed from baseline, whereas pain scores were lower at post-administration levels compared with baseline. Finally, the majority of participants reported being satisfied with pain control and treatment. CONCLUSION: Preliminary evidence indicates that intranasal fentanyl is safe and effective for lumbar facet radiofrequency ablation procedures. Future rigorous randomized control trials are needed to confirm the present results and to examine the effects of intranasal fentanyl on intraoperative and postoperative opioid use.

A Preliminary Examination of the Comparative Efficacy of Intravenous vs Oral Acetaminophen in the Treatment of Perioperative Pain.

OBJECTIVE: The management of postoperative pain is a major health care issue. While the cost of intravenous acetaminophen (IVA) is significantly greater than its oral acetaminophen (OA) counterpart, less is known regarding comparative effectiveness of these routes. The purpose of this study was to determine whether perioperative IVA is equivalent in reducing postoperative pain compared with perioperative OA for laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LapChole). DESIGN: Double-blinded, prospective, randomized placebo-controlled trial. SETTING: Womack Army Medical Center, Fort Bragg, North Carolina. SUBJECTS: Adults (age > 18 years) active duty military, veterans, and beneficiaries receiving a laparoscopic cholecystectomy. METHODS: This study was conducted at Womack Army Medical Center (WAMC), Fort Bragg, North Carolina, between January 2013 and June 2015. Sixty-seven subjects with symptomatic cholelithiasis were randomly assigned to receive two doses (1,000 mg each) of either IVA or OA. A numerical rating scale (NRS) score of pain was obtained preoperatively and every six hours for 24 hours postoperation. The primary objective was to assess whether treatment groups had significantly different 24-hour postoperative sum of pain intensity differences (SPID24) using an analysis of covariance test. RESULTS: Sixty subjects completed the study and were included in the analysis. Treatment groups did not differ in SPID24, even when controlling for age, gender, and preoperative pain levels (F(1,55) = 0.39, P = 0.54, partial η2 = 0.007), nor did 24-hour opioid consumption when controlling for age, gender, and operation time (F(1, 46) = 0.47, P = 0.50, partial η2 = 0.01). Furthermore, treatment groups were equally as likely to report average postoperative NRS scores of 4 or higher (ß = 0.24, Exp(B) = 1.28, P = 0.68). CONCLUSIONS: The results show no evidence of differences between IVA or OA in pain or opioid consumption among a sample of patients undergoing LapChole. Due to low sample size, these descriptive findings warrant larger studies, which may have a significant economic impact.

Risk-reduction opportunities in breast cancer survivors: capitalizing on teachable moments.

PURPOSE: With advancements in detection and treatment, the number of breast cancer survivors is growing. To reduce mortality among survivors, tailored health-promotion programs are needed to combat comorbidities. However, the demand for such programs exceed that which is available for a vastly diverse population of survivors. The goal of the present study was to describe the prevalence of comorbidities in a group of breast cancer survivors and to examine associations between biological proximal factors of and the more distal individual-level factors on the number and types of comorbidities. METHODS: In addition to medical chart reviews, breast cancer survivors (N = 369) from hospitals in two urban locations completed self-report measures. Bivariate analyses examined the relationship between distal and proximal predictors and the outcomes: number of comorbidities and comorbidity types. RESULTS: Both proximal and distal factors were associated with comorbidities. African American, women with lower education attainment, and older women were more likely to be obese and have more comorbidities than their counterparts. In particular, they were more at risk for cardiovascular disease. Those who initiated hormonal therapy, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy were more likely to have comorbidities. Several psychosocial variables were related to proximal psychosocial factors. CONCLUSIONS: The present findings highlight the need for targeted health-promotion treatments for breast cancer survivors, particularly for African Americans, those with lower education attainment, those who are obese, and those who may be older. Given the relationships between specific comorbidities and proximal psychosocial factors, future interventions may benefit from tailored approaches. IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS: Tailored interventions for survivors may be more effective when accounting for factors associated with health-promotion engagement.