Average Morphine Milligram Equivalents Research Articles

Evaluation of Individualized Pain Plans for Children With Sickle Cell Disease Admitted for Vaso-occlusive Crisis at Riley Hospital for Children.

Vaso-occlusive crisis (VOC) is the most common problem reported by patients with sickle cell disease (SCD). The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of individualized pain plans in pediatric patients with SCD admitted for VOC. This was a pre- and post-study of patients with SCD admitted to Riley Hospital for Children for VOC from July 1, 2019, through July 1, 2020. The primary outcome was length of inpatient stay for VOC. Secondary outcomes included final pain score, days on scheduled opioids, days on breakthrough opioids, and average morphine milligram equivalents (MME) used per day. Nine patients were included. The mean age was 16 years (range, 10-20 years). Key clinical findings were decreases in median [IQR] for final pain scores (7 [4.5-9] vs 6 [2.5-8], p = 0.396) and number of days of breakthrough opioid use (5 [3-8] vs 4 [2.5-5.5], p = 0.233). Following implementation of an individualized pain plan, there was an increase in median average MME per day (65.94 [53.1-97.7] vs 82.85 [41-114.3], p = 0.844). Median length of stay and days on scheduled opioids remained the same. This study demonstrated that use of individualized pain plans in a small population of patients with SCD might result in decreased pain scores and decreased days on breakthrough opioids.

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

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. 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. 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. United States, 2008 to 2019. 7694514 commercially insured adults aged 18 years or older, including 1976355 diagnosed with arthritis, low back pain, headache, fibromyalgia, and/or neuropathic pain. 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. 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. 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. This study did not identify changes in opioid prescribing or nonopioid pain treatment attributable to state laws. National Institute on Drug Abuse.

The Effect of an Automated Order on Postpartum Opioid Use After Uncomplicated Vaginal Deliveries.

Background: To address the opioid epidemic, physicians are encouraged to identify means of reducing patient opioid exposure. Electronic medical records (EMRs) often include default order sets with automated orders for opioid medications, which may influence how much opioids physicians prescribe. We sought to evaluate the impact of de-selecting an automated order for oxycodone-acetaminophen from an EMR order set for postpartum vaginal deliveries on inpatient opioid exposure by comparing the proportion of patients who received an opioid after an uncomplicated vaginal delivery before and after the EMR change. As secondary outcomes, the impact on average total morphine milligram equivalents (MMEs) and discharge opioid prescriptions was investigated. Materials and Methods: A quality improvement study was conducted through retrospective chart review of uncomplicated vaginal deliveries for the four quarters before and after the EMR order set change occurred. The total proportion of patients who received an opioid in the postpartum period was then determined for the preexposure and postexposure groups. The total average MME consumed for patients who received an opioid in each group was determined and the total proportion of patients who received an opioid prescription at discharge was compared. Results: A total of 5826 records of uncomplicated vaginal deliveries met the criteria for analysis. In the preintervention group, 32.9% of patients received an opioid postpartum, compared to 12.5% of patients in the postintervention group, representing a decrease of 62.0% (p < 0.001). Of those who received opioids, the preintervention mean total opioid consumption was 28.4 MME (±27.6) compared to 33.6 MME (±46.4) postintervention, and there was no significant difference in median total opioid consumption: 22.5 MME (interquartile range [IQR]: 7.5-47.5) preintervention compared with 20.8 MME (IQR: 7.5-45.0) postintervention (p = 0.902). No significant difference was found with discharge opioid prescriptions between the two groups. Conclusion: Order sets within EMR systems appear to have a significant influence on physician prescribing behaviors and removing these automated orders for opioids should be considered.

Association Between Changes in Postoperative Opioid Utilization and Long-Term Health Care Spending Among Surgical Patients With Chronic Opioid Utilization.

There is growing interest in identifying and developing interventions aimed at reducing the risk of increased, long-term opioid use among surgical patients. While understanding how these interventions impact health care spending has important policy implications and may facilitate the widespread adoption of these interventions, the extent to which they may impact health care spending among surgical patients who utilize opioids chronically is unknown. This study was a retrospective analysis of administrative health care claims data for privately insured patients. We identified 53,847 patients undergoing 1 of 10 procedures between January 1, 2004, and September 30, 2018 (total knee arthroplasty, total hip arthroplasty, laparoscopic cholecystectomy, open cholecystectomy, laparoscopic appendectomy, open appendectomy, cesarean delivery, functional endoscopic sinus surgery, transurethral resection of the prostate, or simple mastectomy) who had chronic opioid utilization (≥10 prescriptions or ≥120-day supply in the year before surgery). Patients were classified into 3 groups based on differences in opioid utilization, measured in average daily oral morphine milligram equivalents (MMEs), between the first postoperative year and the year before surgery: "stable" (<20% change), "increasing" (≥20% increase), or "decreasing" (≥20% decrease). We then examined the association between these 3 groups and health care spending during the first postoperative year, using a multivariable regression to adjust for observable confounders, such as patient demographics, medical comorbidities, and preoperative health care utilization. The average age of the sample was 62.0 (standard deviation [SD] 13.1) years, and there were 35,715 (66.3%) women. Based on the change in average daily MME between the first postoperative year and the year before surgery, 16,961 (31.5%) patients were classified as "stable," 15,463 (28.7%) were classified as "increasing," and 21,423 (39.8%) patients were classified as "decreasing." After adjusting for potential confounders, "increasing" patients had higher health care spending ($37,437) than "stable" patients ($31,061), a difference that was statistically significant ($6377; 95% confidence interval [CI], $5669-$7084; P < .001), while "decreasing" patients had lower health care spending ($29,990), a difference (-$1070) that was also statistically significant (95% CI, -$1679 to -$462; P = .001). These results were generally consistent across an array of subgroup and sensitivity analyses. Among patients with chronic opioid utilization before surgery, subsequent increases in opioid utilization during the first postoperative year were associated with increased health care spending during that timeframe, while subsequent decreases in opioid utilization were associated with decreased health care spending.

Multimodal analgesia reduces opioid requirements in trauma patients with rib fractures.

Rib fractures are common in trauma patients and are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Adequate analgesia is essential to avoid the complications associated with rib fractures. Opioids are frequently used for analgesia in these patients. This study compared the effect of a multimodal pain regimen (MMPR) on inpatient opioid use and outpatient opioid prescribing practices in adult trauma patients with rib fractures. A pre-post cohort study of adult trauma patients with rib fractures was conducted at a Level I trauma center before (PRE) and after (POST) implementation of an MMPR. Patients on long-acting opioids before admission and those on continuous opioid infusions were excluded. Primary outcomes were oral opioid administration during the first 5 days of hospitalization and opioids prescribed at discharge. Opioid data were converted to morphine milligram equivalents (MMEs). Six hundred fifty-three patients met inclusion criteria (323 PRE, 330 POST). There was a significant reduction in the daily MME during the second through fifth days of hospitalization; and the average inpatient MME over the first five inpatient days (23 MME PRE vs. 17 MME POST, p = 0.0087). There was a significant reduction in the total outpatient MME prescribed upon discharge (322 MME PRE vs. 225 MME POST, p = 0.006). The implementation of an MMPR in patients with rib fractures resulted in significant reduction in inpatient opioid consumption and was associated with a reduction in the quantity of opiates prescribed at discharge. Therapeutic/Care Management; level IV.

Effect of State Legislation on Opioid Prescribing Practices After Surgery at a Pediatric Hospital

ObjectiveAs abuse of prescription narcotics continues to create a growing healthcare crisis throughout the United States, states have passed legislation designed to alter narcotic prescribing habits. West Virginia State Bill 273 limited the quantity of narcotics practitioners were able to prescribe. Our objective was to determine the effect of this bill on narcotic prescribing practices for pediatric surgical patients. MethodsA hospital-wide database at a pediatric trauma center was queried to identify all pediatric patients undergoing surgery between January 1, 2017 and December 9, 2019 and all medications prescribed to this cohort. Narcotic prescriptions written for these patients in the 2 months following surgery were isolated. The percent of patients receiving a postoperative narcotic prescription and the morphine milligram equivalents (MME) per prescription were compared before and after the law's implementation. ResultsThe number of pediatric patients identified as having surgery in the study period was 10,176; 6069 were before the law passed and 4107 were after. The percentage of patients receiving a narcotic prescription was 46.0% before the law was passed, decreasing to 36.8% after the law (P < .0001). Adjusted for age, the average MME of each prescription before the law's implementation was 104.0, which decreased to 79.2 after the law (P < .0001). ConclusionsThe amount of narcotic per prescription written for pediatric patients after surgery and the percentage of patients receiving a prescription decreased after West Virginia State Bill 273 was implemented. This law was associated with decreased narcotics written by providers, providing an example for future legislation targeting opioid prescribing and abuse.

A standardized post-cesarean analgesia regimen reduces postpartum opioid use

Background Optimal post-cesarean pain control is important. With the rising opioid epidemic it is imperative to maximize non-opioid based primary approaches to post-cesarean pain control. In 2018, we implemented a standardized post-cesarean analgesia regimen. Objective To determine if implementation of a standardized postoperative analgesic regimen decreases opioid use following cesarean birth. Study design A standardized postoperative analgesia protocol was implemented in June 2018, which included scheduled oral acetaminophen (975 mg every 6 h) and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) (ketorolac 15 mg IV every 6 h for 5 doses followed by ibuprofen 600 mg oral every 6 h) with opioids available for breakthrough pain. There was no prior standardized protocol. A before-and-after study design was used to compare oral morphine milligram equivalents (MME) for nine months prior to and nine months after this protocol was implemented, excluding the two month period of protocol rollout. Women with opioid use disorder or postoperative intubation were excluded. The primary outcome was the cumulative MME used in the first 72 h postoperatively. Total dose at 12, 24, and 48 h were also compared. Results Of 2340 women who underwent cesarean birth during the study period (1 July 2017 − 30 April 2019), 2001 women met inclusion criteria (914 before 10 April 2018 (pre-protocol) and 1087 after 17 June 2018 (post-protocol)). Baseline characteristics of the two groups were similar, including gestational age at delivery, maternal body mass index (BMI), planned versus unplanned cesarean birth, and type of intraoperative anesthesia used. The cumulative opioid dose in the first 72 h postoperatively was 216.3 ± 84.3 MME prior to implementation compared to 171.5 ± 91.5 MME following implementation (p < .001). The average cumulative MME use was higher in the pre-protocol period compared to post-protocol at all time periods: 12 h (57.3 ± 23.8 vs 48.6 ± 26.2 MME, p < .001), 24 h (98.1 ± 34.1 vs 82.1 ± 38.8 MME, p < .001), and 48 h (165.8 ± 58.3 vs 134.9 ± 66.2 MME, p < .001). The average pain scores were lower in the pre-protocol group (3 vs 3.3, p < .001). Conclusion Scheduled administration of acetaminophen and NSAIDs following cesarean birth significantly decreased the cumulative dose of opioids used in the first 72 h postoperatively.

Acute Pain Management for Patients with Substance Use Disorder Receiving Buprenorphine or Methadone Compared to Patients without Opioid-Dependence Disorder

This single-center retrospective study assessed pain management between patients being treated for SUD and compared them to those without SUD who underwent orthopedic surgery. Patients with SUD could be admitted for any reason, while the control arm consisted of patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty or hip arthroplasty surgery. Primary endpoints were average pains scores and morphine milligram equivalents (MME) over the first 48h. Secondary endpoints include adjuvant pain medications and the average MME prescribed upon discharge. A total of the 60 patients were enrolled, 30 patients had history of SUD and 30 patients in the control arm. Average MME between the SUD and control was not significantly different (139.9 mg vs. 96.6 mg, p = 0.889). Average pain scores between the groups were significantly different (7.46 vs. 5.94, p = 0.002). Patients with SUD were not given a statistically different amount of MME for acute pain and experienced higher pain scores than patients without SUD. However, this study had a small population size, and further case–control studies are needed to confirm this result.

Assessing the impact of a restrictive opioid prescribing law in West Virginia

BackgroundThe Opioid Reduction Act (SB 273) took effect in West Virginia in June 2018. This legislation limited ongoing chronic opioid prescriptions to 30 days’ supply, and first-time opioid prescriptions to 7 days’ supply for surgeons and 3 days’ for emergency rooms and dentists. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of this legislation on reducing opioid prescriptions in West Virginia, with the goal of informing future similar policy efforts.MethodsData were requested from the state Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) including overall number of opioid prescriptions, number of first-time opioid prescriptions, average daily morphine milligram equivalents (MME) and prescription duration (expressed as “days’ supply”) given to adults during the 64 week time periods before and after legislation enactment. Statistical analysis was done utilizing an autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) interrupted time series analysis to assess impact of both legislation announcement and enactment while controlling secular trends and considering autocorrelation trends. Benzodiazepine prescriptions were utilized as a control.ResultsOur analysis demonstrates a significant decrease in overall state opioid prescribing as well as a small change in average daily MME associated with the date of the legislation’s enactment when considering serial correlation in the time series and accounting for pre-intervention trends. There was no such association found with benzodiazepine prescriptions.ConclusionResults of the current study suggest that SB 273 was associated with an average 22.1% decrease of overall opioid prescriptions and a small change in average daily MME relative to the date of legislative implementation in West Virginia. There was, however, no association of the legislation on first-time opioid prescriptions or days’ supply of opioid medication, and all variables were trending downward prior to implementation of SB 273. The control demonstrated no relationship to the law.

163 Impact of a standardized post-cesarean analgesia regimen on postpartum opioid use

To determine if implementation of a standardized postoperative analgesic regimen decreases opioid use following cesarean birth. A standardized postoperative analgesia protocol was implemented in June 2018. It included scheduled acetaminophen and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) with opioids for breakthrough pain. There was no prior standardized protocol. A before-and-after study design was used to compare oral morphine milligram equivalents (MME) for nine months prior to and after this protocol was implemented, excluding the two month period of protocol rollout. Women with opioid use disorder or postoperative intubation were excluded. The primary outcome was the cumulative MME used in the first 72 hours postoperatively. Total MME dose at 12, 24, and 48 hours were also compared. Of 2340 women who underwent cesarean birth during the study period (7/1/17 – 4/30/19), 2001 women met inclusion criteria (914 before 4/10/18 (pre-protocol) and 1087 after 6/17/18 (post-protocol)). Baseline characteristics of the two groups were similar, including maternal body mass index (BMI), planned versus unplanned cesarean birth, and type of intraoperative anesthesia used. The cumulative opioid dose in the first 72 hours postoperatively was 216.3+/-84.3 MME prior to implementation compared to 171.5+/-91.5 MME following implementation (p<0.001). The average cumulative MME use was higher in the pre-protocol group compared to post-protocol at all time periods: 12 hours (57.3+/-23.8 vs 48.6+/-26.2 MME, p<0.001), 24 hours (98.1+/-34.1 vs 82.1+/-38.8 MME, p<0.001), and 48 hours (165.8+/-58.3 vs 134.9+/-66.2 MME, p<0.001). The average pain scores were lower in the pre-protocol group (3 vs 3.3, p<0.001). Scheduled administration of acetaminophen and NSAIDs following cesarean birth significantly decreased the cumulative dose of opioids used in the first 72 hours postoperatively by 20.7%. While the impact of this change is less than a full enhanced recovery after surgery protocol, this simple change resulted in an MME decrease that equates to 5-6 less doses of oral opioids.

Evaluation of Opioid Prescribing Patterns and Drivers of Variation Following Endoscopic Procedures for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Across an Integrated Academic Health System

To evaluate patient, provider, and facility factors associated with variation in opioid prescribing after endoscopic procedures for benign prostatic hyperplasia across a large academic health system to drive improvement efforts. Opioids prescribed at discharge for patients who underwent an endoscopic prostate procedure March 2018-November 2019 were analyzed. Multivariable logistic and linear regression were used to evaluate the relationship between patient, provider, and facility factors and the receipt of any opioid prescription and the quantity prescribed. We included 724 patients who had surgery with one of 26 urologists across five facilities. 222 (30.7%) received an opioid prescription, and the average morphine milligram equivalents (MMEs) prescribed was 97.9±33.5. We found wide variation in the proportion of patients who received an opioid prescription across surgeons (range 0%-88.9%) and facilities (range 19.9%-66.7%) and the average MMEs prescribed (range 25-188.5). Outpatient surgery (OR 2.32; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.22-4.40, P = .010) and preoperative opioid use (OR 15.04; CI 9.65-23.45, P < .001) were associated with higher rates of opioid prescribing, while prescribing decreased with increasing patient age (OR 0.97; CI 0.95-0.99, P = 0.016). Multivariable linear regression analysis demonstrated an association between surgery at satellite facilities, having a surgeon in practice for at least 20 years, and higher surgeon volume with increased MMEs prescribed. Opioid prescribing following endoscopic prostate procedures varied widely. Targeted interventions tailored to younger patients, those taking opioids preoperatively, recipients of outpatient surgery and those undergoing surgery at satellite facilities may be particularly high yield given the association between these factors and increased postoperative prescribing.

Opioid prescribing trends: Changes after focused hospital resident education and after subsequent adoption of new state regulations.

We examined changes in opioid prescriptions after outpatient laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) before and after (1) an educational intervention for surgical residents and (2) subsequent changes in state regulations for handling these prescriptions. A single-institution retrospective review evaluated opioids prescribed on discharge in morphine milligram equivalents (MMEs) over three periods: Period 1, prior to educational intervention (October 1, 2017 to January 31, 2018); Period 2, after intervention and before regulation changes occurred (February 1, 2018 to May 31, 2018); and Period 3, after changes in regulations went into effect (June 1, 2018 to September 30, 2018). A large urban teaching hospital in Detroit, Michigan. All adults receiving outpatient LC during one of the study periods. Patients with a history of regular opioid use prior to surgery were excluded. There were 49 patients in Period 1, 57 in Period 2, and 51 in Period 3. All general surgery residents participated in an education session focusing on problems related to opioid addiction, prescribing trends, and multimodal pain control options in February 2018. Mean MME per patient was compared between time periods. Average MME was reduced from 87.11 in Period 1 to 65.96 in Period 2 to 51.80 in Period 3. Analysis of variance showed MME differed significantly among the periods. Scheffe post hoc t-tests showed MME prescribed during Periods 2 and 3 were each significantly lower than Period 1, whereas Periods 2 and 3 did not differ significantly. MME prescribed after outpatient LC significantly decreased after the educational intervention and remained low after state mandate went into effect.

Reduction of Opioid Prescriptions in Maxillofacial Trauma Following North Carolina STOP Act.

Retrospective cohort study. On January 1, 2018, the Strengthen Opioid Misuse Prevention (STOP) Act was implemented to increase oversight over opioid prescriptions in North Carolina. The aim of this study is to evaluate the legislation's efficacy in reducing opioid prescriptions following facial fracture repair. A retrospective chart review of patients who sustained maxillofacial fractures and underwent repair from January 1, 2015 through December 31, 2019 at a level 1 trauma center was performed. The North Carolina Controlled Substance Database was used to quantify perioperative opioid prescriptions in morphine milligram equivalents (MME). Average MME per patient was compared between 2 groups, patients who underwent surgery before the NC STOP Act came into effect and patients who underwent treatment after. This comparison was also performed on case type subgroups including surgically treated fractures of the orbit, mandible, midface, and multiple regions. A student's t-test was used to compare before and after groups in all analyses. Of the 253 patients who met inclusion criteria, 146 were in the before group, and 107 were in the after group. There was a statistically significant, 30.9% decrease in overall average MME prescribed after the NC STOP Act was enacted. A statistically significant decrease was noted in patients who had facial fractures of multiple regions. Since the implementation of the NC STOP Act in 2018, there have been statistically and clinically significant decreases in the amount of opioids prescribed following surgical management of facial fractures.

Opioid Use Among Individuals With Spinal Cord Injury: Prevalence Estimates Based on State Prescription Drug Monitoring Program Data

ObjectiveTo identify the prevalence of opioid use in individuals with chronic spinal cord injury (SCI) living in South Carolina. DesignCohort study. SettingData from 2 statewide population-based databases, an SCI Registry and the state prescription drug monitoring program, were linked and analyzed. ParticipantsThe study included individuals (N=503) with chronic (>1y) SCI who were injured between 2013 and 2014 in South Carolina and who survived at least 3 years postinjury. InterventionsNot applicable. Main Outcome MeasuresFilled opioid prescriptions over a 2-year period (months 13-36 after injury). The main outcomes were total number of days with an opioid prescription over the 2-year period, length of coverage period [(final day of prescription coverage+the days supplied)–first day of prescription coverage], average daily morphine milligram equivalents (MME) over the coverage period, and concurrent days covered by an opioid and a prescription for benzodiazepines, sedatives, or hypnotics. ResultsA total of 53.5% of the cohort (269 individuals) filled at least 1 opioid prescription during their second or third year after SCI. In total, there were 3386 opioid fills during the 2-year study. On average, the total number of opioid prescription days was 293±367. The average coverage period was 389±290 days, and the average daily MME during the coverage period was 41±70 MME. Of those who filled an opioid prescription, 23% had high-risk fills (>50 MME), and 38% had concurrent prescriptions for benzodiazepines, sedatives, or hypnotics. ConclusionsThe prevalence of opioid use was high among individuals with chronic SCI, exceeding rates observed in the general population. Also concerning were the rates of high-risk fills, based on average daily MME and concurrent benzodiazepine, sedative, or hypnotic prescriptions. These findings, taken together with those of earlier studies, should be used by providers to assess and monitor opioid use, decrease concurrent high-risk medication use, and attenuate the risk of adverse outcomes.

Methods to reduce opioid use during surgical treatment of pediatric supracondylar fractures - a pilot study.

The current opioid epidemic is a national problem and an increasing concern for pediatric orthopedic patients. The utilization of non-opioid pain methods may help improve the over-prescribing and overuse of opioid medications. The present study is a pain medication usage study that aims to investigate the effects of an intraoperative bupivacaine (BP) fracture injection and IV paracetamol on postoperative opioid consumption when treating supracondylar fractures of the humerus in children. The study was approved by the college of medicine's institutional review board (IRB). Forty-two patients treated for a type-III supracondylar extension-type fracture of the humerus by 2 surgeons were reviewed. Two cohorts (n=21) were compared based on whether patients received an intraoperative fracture injection of BP. A sub-analysis was performed among the BP cohort by stratifying patients who received only BP and patients who received BP and intraoperative IV paracetamol. Data variables evaluated included baseline patient characteristics and postoperative inpatient analgesic use. The BP cohort received a lesser number of opioid doses during the total postoperative hospital stay (2.1±1.8 versus 3.6±2.5; p=0.031) as well as average morphine-milligram equivalents (MME) (11.8±15.9 versus 4.2±5.2; p=0.044). When the BP cohort was stratified by patients who did and did not receive intraoperative IV paracetamol, during their total postoperative hospital stay, the paracetamolgroup consumed analgesic medication less frequently (p=0.005), consumed less opioid doses (p=0.011), and consumed less morphine-milligram-equivalents of opioids (p=0.043). Opioid abuse and overuse in children is part of a national healthcare crisis. The use of BP injected into the fracture at the time of surgery is safe, effective, and reduces the need for opioids. Furthermore, the combination of intraoperative BP and IV paracetamol demonstrated less utilization of opioids than BP alone.

“Addressing the Opioid Epidemic at the Front Lines”: Surveying Opioid Prescribing Practices of Obgyn Residents across Canada

Study Objective Opioid over-prescription in surgical patients has been described as a leading contributor to the opioid epidemic. At academic centres, the discharge prescription is often written by the resident. The objective of this study is to identify the prescribing practices of gynecology residents to manage post operative pain. Design This is a cross-sectional survey to elicit gynecology residents’ opioid prescribing habits. The anonymous study was disseminated to residents via email. Setting N/A. Patients or Participants The inclusion criteria was any resident enrolled in postgraduate years (PGY) 1 to 5 at a Canadian OBGYN residency. Staff OBGYNs, fellows, and cross specialty trainees were excluded. 486 residents were emailed the survey with 102 responses. Interventions N/A. Measurements and Main Results Respondents encompassed all five years with the majority of respondents as PGY-4 (28). Up to 67% of trainees reported having formal training on pain management including 100% of PGY-1s and 53% of PGY-5s. The average MME (Morphine Milligram Equivalents) prescribed for total laparoscopic hysterectomy (TLH) was 37.5 (standard deviation [SD]=64) compared to 68.5 (SD=39.3) for total abdominal hysterectomy (TAH). For TLH, PGY-1s prescribed an average of 18 whereas PGY-5s prescribed the highest (43, p=0.078). Regional differences in prescribing demonstrated the highest average MME in Western provinces (70.8) compared to the lowest in Eastern provinces (11.9, p=0.072). Procedure type was listed as the most influential factor by 65%, with patient factors (35%) and staff preference (33%) being the next most influential. Only 25% of respondents felt comfortable prescribing non-opioid alternative therapies. The majority of respondents (46%) report rarely or never counselling patients on safe opioid disposal. Conclusion Senior residents appear to prescribe higher MME and have lower rates of pain management education. Targeted resident education and interventions focussed on shared decision making between patients and providers could reduce MME prescriptions. Trainees would benefit from education on non opioid alternative therapies and safe opioid disposal.

Does the Strengthen Opioid Misuse Prevention Act Reduce Opioid Prescriptions Associated With Hand Surgery?

PURPOSE: The opioid epidemic has become a leading cause of death in America. Various states have put into effect legislation to limit the amount of opioids that can be prescribed. In North Carolina, The Strengthen Opioid Misuse Prevention (STOP) Act came into effect January 1, 2018, which outlined new limitations on prescribing opioids to no more than 7 days after surgery. However, the efficacy of state mandated opioid laws have not been evaluated in hand surgery. METHODS AND MATERIALS: A single-center retrospective chart review was performed for patients who underwent hand surgery between January 2015 and December 2019. Patients were excluded if they were under 12 years of age, had a multisystem trauma, inpatient admission for more than 48 hours, or had incomplete records. A review of the North Carolina Controlled Substances Database (PMP Aware) was conducted to assess for preoperative and perioperative (within 30 days of surgery) prescriptions filled. The total amount of opioids filled was converted to morphine milligram equivalents (MME). The average MME was compared between those who underwent surgery prior to and after initiation of the STOP Act. Subgroup analysis was performed in patients who underwent different types of surgery including metacarpal, tendon, phalangeal, and amputation. Additional analysis was performed to evaluate the patients who received excessive amount of opioids (>600 MME). RESULTS: Of the 500 patients who met inclusion criteria for the study, 175 were in the before group and 325 were in the after group. The demographics, patient risk factors, and complications did not differ between groups. There was an overall 69.3% decrease in opioids dispensed per patient. This statistically significant decrease was also observed in metacarpal and tendon groups (84.2% and 60.9%, respectively). Although there was an observed decrease in the phalangeal and amputation groups, this finding did not reach statistical significance. Overall, there is a higher percentage of patients who received less than 300 MME after the STOP Act was enacted (84% versus 56%). CONCLUSIONS: Following implementation of the STOP Act, there has been a marked and statistically significant decrease in opioid prescription patterns associated with hand surgery. Additional multicenter and multistate studies should be considered.

Adoption of Opioid-Sparing and Non-Opioid Regimens After Breast Surgery in a Large, Integrated Health Care Delivery System.

Postoperative prescriptions have contributed to the opioid epidemic. In response, a large, integrated health care delivery system implemented initiatives to reduce outpatient opioid prescriptions. We evaluated the impact of these interventions on opioid-prescribing practices after breast surgery. We examined postoperative prescribing practices before and after the 2016-2018 intervention period. Primary endpoints were the use of non-opioid regimens (NORs) and morphine milligram equivalents (MMEs) prescribed for postoperative pain management, while secondary endpoints were emergency department (ED) visits and readmissions within 7days of surgery. In a survey of breast surgeons, 23% reported using NORs in 2017 versus 79% in 2019 (p < 0.001). Comparing 1917 breast operations from 2016 with 2166 operations from 2019, NORs increased from 9% in 2016 to 39% in 2019 (p < 0.001). Average discharge MMEs per operation decreased from 190 in 2016 to 106 in 2019 (p < 0.001). NOR failure (defined as an additional opioid prescription within 2weeks of surgery) was < 1%. Significantly fewer postoperative ED visits occurred in the NOR group (1.9% NOR vs. 3.4% opioid regimen [OR]; p < 0.001). The 7-day readmission rates for NOR and OR patients were similar (0.49% NOR vs. 0.32% OR; p = 0.45). Between 2016 and 2019, breast surgeons in a large, integrated health care delivery system adopted NORs for nearly 40% of breast operations, and prescribed significantly fewer MMEs, with no increases in ED visits or readmissions for NOR patients. This suggests that initiatives to decrease opioid prescribing were successful and that a NOR for pain management after breast surgery is feasible.

Underutilization of Nonopioid Pain Medication in Patients Undergoing Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair

With increased focus on the opioid crisis, it was our goal to describe rates and risk factors for postoperative use of opioids in patients undergoing abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair as well as identify pain modalities that are underutilized. We retrospectively analyzed perioperative analgesic prescriptions for endovascular (EVAR) and open AAA repair between January 1, 2010 and January 1, 2018. Patients' baseline opioid use, demographics, and medical comorbidities were obtained. The EVAR group was further subdivided into percutaneous (pEVAR) and cutdown (cEVAR) groups. Primary outcomes were postoperative and discharge pain medication prescriptions. Relative rates of opioid prescribing were obtained through the electronic medical record and normalized into morphine milligram equivalents (MMEs). Of the 128 patients analyzed in the entire cohort, 21.8% (n=28) underwent open repair and 78.12% (n=100) underwent EVAR (46 pEVAR, 54 cEVAR). As expected, open repair had increased postoperative pain reported compared to EVAR (2.67±0.75 vs. 0.96±0.19, P<0.01). Adjunctive epidural reduced postoperative pain for open repair (0.77±0.48 vs. 3.50±0.96, P<0.01). EVAR had less postoperative opioid prescriptions compared to open repair (35.0% vs. 77.3%, P<0.01). In the endovascular group, there was no difference between postoperative opioid prescription based on access, pEVAR versus cEVAR (65.8% vs. 80.1%, P=0.11). When stratifying patients by number of cutdowns, patients with bilateral cutdown as opposed to a single cutdown received more opioid prescriptions than pEVAR patients (84.44% vs. 65.8%, P=0.036). Of those receiving opioids, the average MME for open repair was 320.94mg compared to 28.82mg for EVAR (P<0.01). Those undergoing percutaneous repair had significantly less MME use during hospitalization compared to femoral cutdown (17±3.52 vs. 31.90±5.43mg, P<0.01). Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen and ketorolac, were rarely used in the postoperative period for open or EVAR (8.3% vs 1.1%). Percutaneous EVAR patients reported less pain at discharge compared to cEVAR patients (0.18±0.12 vs. 0.88±0.29, P=0.036). Open and EVAR had comparable low rates of NSAID and acetaminophen prescriptions at discharge. Open patients had longer postoperative length of stay compared to EVAR patients (9.82±1.27 vs. 3.86±0.47, P<0.01). pEVAR had a shorter length of postoperative course compared to cEVAR (3.2±0.26 vs. 4.12±0.30, P<0.01). Patients undergoing EVAR with use of pain medications amounting to <20 MME had a significantly shorter length of stay. This single institutional retrospective study evaluated pain prescription patterns for patients undergoing AAA repair. AAA patients are predominantly treated with opioid pain medications with few adjunctive therapies. Intraoperative epidural and pEVAR may aid in decreasing the total MME used; however, the total number of opioids prescribed is similar for pEVAR and cEVAR despite the difference in approach. Clinicians must consider alternative nonopioid based pain management strategies.

Reducing the Pain Behind Opioid Prescribing in Primary Care.

To describe the efficacy of a comprehensive approach aimed at reducing opioid prescribing in an internal medicine resident clinic. Retrospective observational study. Internal medicine primary care resident clinic at a large urban academic medical center. All patients receiving opioid prescriptions from the primary care clinic. We reviewed pharmacy dispensing data for two hospital-affiliated pharmacies for resident primary care patients filling opioid prescriptions between July 2016 and July 2018. We instituted a comprehensive set of interventions that included resident education, limiting supervision of encounters for long-term opioid therapy (LTOT) to a fixed set of faculty champions, and providing alternate modalities for pain control. We calculated the change in number of opioid prescriptions dispensed, number of patients receiving opioid prescriptions, morphine milligram equivalents (MMEs) dispensed, and average per-patient daily MMEs dispensed. We observed an average monthly reduction of 2.44% (P < 0.001) in the number of prescriptions dispensed and a 1.83% (P < 0.001) monthly reduction in the number of patients receiving prescriptions. Over the two-year period, there was a 74.3% reduction in total MMEs prescribed and a 66.5% reduction in the average MMEs prescribed per patient. Our findings demonstrate a significant reduction in opioid prescribing after implementation of a comprehensive initiative. Although our study was observational in nature, we witnessed a nearly threefold decrease in opioid prescribing compared with national trends. Our results offer important insights for other primary care resident clinics hoping to engender safe prescribing practices and curb high-dose opioid prescribing.