Long-term Prescription Research Articles

Characterizing OPRM1 DNA methylation in prescription opioid users with chronic musculoskeletal pain.

Many patients with chronic pain use prescription opioids. Epigenetic modification of the μ-opioid receptor 1 (OPRM1) gene, which codes for the target protein of opioids, may influence vulnerability to opioid abuse and response to opioid pharmacotherapy, potentially affecting pain outcomes. Our objective was to investigate associations of clinical and sociodemographic factors with OPRM1 DNA methylation in patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain on long-term prescription opioids. Sociodemographic variables, survey data (Rapid Estimate of Adult Health Literacy in Medicine-Short Form, Functional Comorbidity Index [FCI], PROMIS 43v2.1 Profile, Opioid Risk Tool, and PROMIS Prescription Pain Medication Misuse), and saliva samples were collected. The genomic DNA extracted from saliva samples were bisulfite converted, amplified by polymerase chain reaction, and processed for OPRM1-targeted DNA methylation analysis on a Pyrosequencing instrument (Qiagen Inc, Valencia, CA). General linear models were used to examine the relationships between the predictors and OPRM1 DNA methylation. Data from 112 patients were analyzed. The best-fitted multivariable model indicated, compared with their counterparts, patients with > eighth grade reading level, degenerative disk disease, substance abuse comorbidity, and opioid use < 1 year (compared with >5 years), had average methylation levels that were 7.7% (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.95%, 14.4%), 11.7% (95% CI 2.7%, 21.1%), 21.7% (95% CI 10.7%, 32.5%), and 16.1% (95% CI 3.3%, 28.8%) higher than the reference groups, respectively. Methylation levels were 2.2% (95% CI 0.64%, 3.7%) lower for every 1 unit increase in FCI and greater by 0.45% (95% CI 0.08%, 0.82%) for every fatigue T score unit increase. OPRM1 methylation levels varied by several patient factors. Further studies are warranted to replicate these findings and determine potential clinical utility.

Differing Prevalence and Correlates of Metabolic Syndromes Between Chlorpromazine and Clozapine: A 10-year Retrospective Study of a Male Chinese Cohort.

Antipsychotics are known to be associated with metabolic syndromes (MetS). Chlorpromazine (CPZ) and Clozapine (CLZ) are currently the most commonly used antipsychotics in low-income districts of China. However, potential differences in the long-term effects of CPZ and CLZ on MetS in schizophrenia inpatients are not well understood. Here, we aimed to identify any MetS profile differences between long-term schizophrenia patients who were prescribed either CPZ or CLZ at a primary psychiatric hospital. We recruited a total of 204 male schizophrenia patients who received either CPZ or CLZ. We measured their weight, height, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and systolic blood pressure (SBP), as well as their biochemical indicators, including fasting blood glucose (FBS), triglycerides (TG), cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c). The MetS prevalence in the CPZ and CLZ groups was 31% and 37.5%, respectively. The CLZ group had significantly higher DBP levels and a higher incidence of dyslipidemia (HDL-c) but lower HDL-c and TC levels than the CPZ group. We also determined that smoking history, BMI, and duration of hospitalisation were risk factors for the development of MetS. Moreover, we found that CPZ and CLZ were correlated with the same risk for developing MetS and that BMI was a vital risk factor of MetS for both the CPZ and CLZ groups. Long-term CPZ and CLZ prescriptions were associated with similar profiles for developing MetS of schizophrenia patients.

S442 Utilization of Diagnostic Testing and Indications for Long-Term Twice-Daily Proton Pump Inhibitor (PPI) Therapy for Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) in a Large Healthcare System

Introduction: For symptoms potentially associated with GERD, guidance recommends de-prescribing long-term PPI therapy based on symptoms if possible, particularly in the absence of objective diagnostic findings. We assessed the utilization and yield of diagnostic evaluation (upper endoscopy (EGD) and/or reflux monitoring) among patients with GERD diagnoses receiving long-term twice-daily PPI therapy. Methods: From a healthcare system database, adults with GERD diagnoses (per ICD coding) who received prescriptions for twice-daily PPI for at least 90 days from 2018-2021 were identified. CPT analyses were performed to identify the proportions who underwent EGD and reflux monitoring. Characteristics of patients who underwent diagnostic testing were compared to those who did not. Further, those with objective EGD findings potentially warranting long-term PPI (such as erosive or eosinophilic esophagitis, peptic stricture, Barrett’s esophagus, ulcer) were compared to those without such findings on EGD. Factors significant on univariate analysis were included in multivariate models to identify predictors of A) undergoing diagnostic evaluation, and B) having positive EGD findings. Results: 5565 patients (57.7±0.2 yrs; 67.4% female; BMI 31.3±0.1) met inclusion criteria. 2696 (47.7%) had upper endoscopy, 491 (8.7%) had reflux monitoring, and 2735 (48.4%) had either upper endoscopy or reflux monitoring performed. Factors associated with diagnostic testing included younger age, female gender, and non-white race (Table, Figure A). Among those who underwent EGD, 42.2% had endoscopic findings potentially warranting long-term PPI (37.7% for females vs 52.2% for males; 34.7% for non-white patients vs 47.3% for white patients). Factors associated with the presence of EGD findings included older age, male gender, and white race (Figure B). Conclusion: Among patients receiving prescriptions for long-term, twice-daily PPI for GERD diagnoses, over half did not have procedural diagnostic evaluation documented per CPT analysis, suggesting providers may rely on patient symptom reporting to guide long-term PPI prescriptions. Of those with documented EGD, less than half had objective findings to potentially corroborate the need for long-term, twice-daily PPI. These findings warrant further investigation into potential disparities in care around long-term PPI prescribing patterns based on symptoms and symptom response versus diagnostic evidence.Figure 1.: Forest Plots for Multivariate Analysis of Factors Associated with A) Diagnostic Evaluation (Upper Endoscopy and/or Ambulatory Reflux Monitoring) among Patients with GERD Diagnoses Prescribed Twice-Daily Long-Term PPI Therapy; and B) Objective Endoscopic Findings Potentially Warranting Twice-Daily Long-Term PPI Therapy. Odds Ratios are Depicted with Bars Representing Associated 95% Confidence Intervals; Values Not Crossing the Dashed Line at 1 are Significant. Odds ratios for smoking status variables are in reference to no smoking history. Table 1. - Comparisons Between Patients who Underwent Diagnostic Evaluation (with Upper Endoscopy and/or Ambulatory Reflux Monitoring) and Those Patients Who did Not Undergo Diagnostic Evaluation Evaluated (n=2735) Not Evaluated (n=2920) p Values Age (years) 57.1±0.3 58.3±0.3 0.005* Body Mass Index 31.0±0.1 31.6±0.2 0.006* Gender (female) 1898 (69.4%) 1916 (65.6%) 0.002* Race (data missing = 97) White 1681 (62.4%) 1998 (69.8%) < 0.001* Black 838 (31.1%) 672 (23.5%) Asian 62 (2.3%) 77 (2.7%) Other 115 (4.3%) 115 (4.0%) Ethnicity (data missing =109) Non-Hispanic 2505 (93.1%) 2663 (93.3%) 0.71 Hispanic or Latino 187 (7.0%) 191 (6.7%) Married (data missing =58) Married 1526 (56.2%) 1658 (57.5%) 0.32 Not Married 1189 (43.8%) 1224 (42.5%) Smoking Status (data missing = 5) Current 279 (10.2%) 390 (13.4%) < 0.001* Former 974 (35.6%) 945 (32.4%) Never 1481 (54.2%) 1581 (54.2%)

EFEITO DO EXERCÍCIO AERÓBICO SOBRE O METABOLISMO E A SAÚDE FÍSICA DAS ESTUDANTES UNIVERSITÁRIAS OBESAS

ABSTRACT Objective: To explore the effects of aerobic exercise on the metabolism and physical health of obese college students. Methods: 219 obese college students of different stages were selected by stratified group sampling according to colleges and grades. The effects on physical indices of obese female college students were analyzed by the two-factor variation method after 32 weeks of aerobic exercise training. Results: The experimental group and the control group were significantly improved, and long-term aerobic prescription training was more effective than special education in changing the physical health of obese female college students. After 32 weeks of extreme weight loss training, in the statistical process of 219 valid data, 188 people were found to have lost weight, with the most significant drop reaching 8 kg; BMI decreased in 193 people, and body fat content decreased in 172 people. After 12 weeks of aerobic exercise, the level of cardiopulmonary function of female college students increased. The aerobic exercise prescription designed by the experiment can improve upper and lower limb strength, body flexibility, abdominal muscle strength, and lung function of female college students, which cannot be achieved by diet control alone. Conclusion: Aerobic exercise prescription is an effective means to improve the effect of cardiopulmonary exercise on female college students, and can stimulate the students’ enthusiasm and initiative to exercise independently. Level of evidence II; Therapeutic studies - investigation of treatment results

Pathways into Opioid Dependence: Evidence from Practice Variation in Emergency Departments

We use practice variation across physicians to uncover the role of medical care in causing opioid dependence. Using health records of 2 million US veterans with emergency department visits, we find that quasi-random assignment to a top (versus bottom) decile prescribing provider significantly increases subsequent opioid use and misuse rates. Instrumental variable results show that opioid prescription receipt leads to a 20 percent increase in the probability of long-term prescription opioid use and sizable increases in the development of opioid use disorder and opioid overdose mortality. We find suggestive evidence of transition into illicit opioids due to prescription opioid exposure. (JEL I11, I12, I18)

Association between antibiotics and dementia risk: A retrospective cohort study.

Background: The possible relation between antibiotic exposure and the alteration of gut microbiota, which may affect dementia risk, has been revealed. However, the association between antibiotics and dementia incidence has rarely been studied. We aimed to determine the association between antibiotic exposure and the risk of dementia. Methods: This population-based retrospective cohort study used data from the National Health Insurance Service-Health Screening Cohort (NHIS-HEALS) in South Korea. Exposure was the cumulative days of antibiotic prescription from 2002 to 2005. Newly diagnosed overall dementia, Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and vascular dementia (VD) were identified based on diagnostic codes and prescriptions for dementia-related drugs. The follow-up investigation was carried out from 1 January 2006 to 31 December 2013. The Cox proportional hazards regression was used to assess the association between cumulative antibiotic prescription days and dementia incidence. Results: A total of 313,161 participants were analyzed in this study. Compared to antibiotic non-users, the participants who used antibiotics for 91 or more days had an increased risk of overall dementia [adjusted hazard ratio (aHR), 1.44; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.19–1.74], AD (aHR, 1.46; 95% CI, 1.17–1.81), and VD (aHR, 1.38; 95% CI, 0.83–2.30). Those who used five or more antibiotic classes had higher risks of overall dementia (aHR, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.00–1.66) and AD (aHR, 1.34; 95% CI, 1.00–1.78) than antibiotic non-users. Conclusion: Antibiotic exposure may increase the risk of dementia in a cumulative duration-dependent manner among adult participants. Future studies are needed to assess the causality between the long-term prescription of antibiotics and dementia risk.

Rational medication management mode and its implementation effect for the elderly with multimorbidity: A prospective cohort study in China.

BackgroundAs one of the countries with the most serious degree of aging, the incidence of potentially inappropriate drug use among the elderly is as high as 30. 4% in Chinese communities, and the lack of effective medication management and poor medication compliance at home are the main factors. Given these situations, we constructed a Rational Medication Management Mode based on family physician service, carried out an empirical research and evaluated the implementation effect.MethodsA prospective cohort study was conducted from September to December 2021 to analyze the implementation effect of the Rational Medication Management Mode by comparing the outcome indicators between the intervention group and control group. The primary outcome of this study was medication number and polypharmacy (taking 5 or more medications) at 90 days. The secondary outcomes included the situation for behavioral self-management and knowledge-belief-behavior of rational medication use.ResultsA total of 618 elderly patients (309 in the intervention group and 309 in the control group) with multimorbidity were included in this study, those were all available at follow-up at 90 days. At 90 days, the number of medications was achieved by 3.88 (1.48), and patients with polypharmacy were reduced by 59.55% in the intervention group, having a significant difference compared with the control group (P < 0.001). Patients with medication reminders, intermittent medication and adverse drug reactions were achieved in 294 (95.15%), 47 (15.21%), and 51 (16.51%) respectively in the intervention group (P < 0.001). The knowledge, belief, behavior security and behavior compliance of rational medication use of elderly patients were all greatly improved in the intervention group at 90 days (P < 0.0001).ConclusionThe Rational Medication Management Mode based family physician service, which provides the support of manuals and pillboxes, can decrease the elderly patients' number of drugs with multimorbidity, reduce the incidence of polypharmacy, enhance behavioral self-management, increase the knowledge and belief of rational medication use, and improve the security and compliance of medication usage behavior. In order to provide a practical basis for rational medication management of elderly patients with multimorbidity under the background of long-term prescriptions in China.

Effectiveness of a computerized clinical decision support system for prevention of glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis

Glucocorticoids are widely used for a variety of diseases, but the prevention of glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis is sometimes neglected. Therefore, the effectiveness of a computerized clinical decision support system (CDSS) to improve the performance rate of preventive care for glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis was evaluated. We conducted a prospective cohort study of outpatients who used glucocorticoids for three months or longer and who met the indication for preventive care based on a guideline. The CDSS recommended bisphosphonate (BP) prescription and bone mineral density (BMD) testing based on the risk of osteoporosis. The observation period was one year (phase 1: October 2017–September 2018) before implementation and the following one year (phase 2: October 2018–September 2019) after implementation of the CDSS. Potential alerts were collected without displaying them during phase 1, and the alerts were displayed during phase 2. We measured BP prescriptions and BMD testing for long-term prescription of glucocorticoids. A total of 938 patients (phase 1, 457 patients; phase 2, 481 patients) were included, and the baseline characteristics were similar between the phases. The median age was 71 years, and men accounted for 51%. The primary disease for prescription of glucocorticoids was rheumatic disease (28%), followed by hematologic diseases (18%). The prevalence of patients who needed an alert for BP prescription (67% vs. 63%, P = 0.24) and the acceptance rate of BP prescription (16% vs. 19%, P = 0.33) were similar between the phases. The number of patients who had orders for BMD testing was significantly increased (4% vs. 24%, P < 0.001) after CDSS implementation. The number of patients who needed an alert for BMD testing was significantly decreased from 93% in phase 1 to 87% in phase 2 (P = 0.004). In conclusion, the CDSS significantly increased BMD testing in patients with a higher risk of glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis, but did not increase BP prescription.

Understanding patient and physician responses to various cost-sharing programs for prescription drugs in South Korea: A multilevel analysis.

IntroductionPatient and/or physician responses are a pivotal issue in designing rational cost-sharing programs under health insurance systems.ObjectivesThis study aims to understand patient and/or physician responses to cost-sharing programs designed for prescription drugs in South Korea.MethodsAs a framework, we took advantage of a tiered cost-sharing program, including from copayment to coinsurance (threshold 1) and reduced coinsurance (threshold 2). Given the hierarchical structure of prescriptions nested within patients, we utilized a multilevel analysis to assess effects of various cost-sharing programs on patient and/or physician responses using National Health Insurance claims data from 2018.ResultsWe found that a tiered cost-sharing program was effective in changing the behaviors of patients and/or physicians. Threshold 1 was found to be more effective than threshold 2 in changing their behaviors. At the prescription level, sensitivity to cost-sharing programs was associated with prescribed days of treatment and locations of prescription. In a similar vein, sensitivity to cost-sharing programs was associated with gender and age group of patients.ConclusionA simplified cost-sharing program with extended intervals should be considered to rationalize cost-sharing programs. Specifically, a cost-sharing program designed for long-term prescriptions for chronic diseases together with an emphasis on cost transparency is required to better guide price-conscious decisions by patients and/or physicians.

Long-Term Prescription Opioid Use After Injury in Washington State 2015–2018

BackgroundPatients with injury may be at high risk of long-term opioid use due to the specific features of injury (e.g., injury severity), as well as patient, treatment, and provider characteristics that may influence their injury-related pain management. ObjectivesInform prescribing practices and identify high-risk populations through studying chronic prescription opioid use in the trauma population. MethodsUsing the Washington State All-Payer Claims Database (WA-APCD) data, we included adults aged 18–65 years with an incident injury from October 1, 2015–December 31, 2017. We compared patient, injury, treatment, and provider characteristics by whether or not the patients had long-term (≥ 90 days continuous prescription opioid use), or no opioid use after injury. ResultsWe identified 191,130 patients who met eligibility criteria and were included in our cohort; 5822 met criteria for long-term use. Most had minor injuries, with a median Injury Severity Score = 1, with no difference between groups. Almost all patients with long-term opioid use had filled an opioid prescription in the year prior to their injury (95.3%), vs. 31.3% in the no-use group (p < 0.001). Comorbidities associated with chronic pain, mental health, and substance use conditions were more common in the long-term than the no-use group. ConclusionAcross this large cohort of multiple, mostly minor, injury types, long-term opioid use was relatively uncommon, but almost all patients with chronic use post injury had preinjury opioid use. Long-term opioid use after injury may be more closely tied to preinjury chronic pain and pain management than acute care pain management.

LB961 Clinical contexts of long-term antibiotic prescriptions for acne: A qualitative study

Dermatologists prescribe more oral antibiotics per clinician than all other specialties. Despite clinical guidelines that recommend limitation of long-term oral antibiotic treatments for acne, there is little evidence to guide implementation of antibiotic stewardship programs in clinical practice. This study sought to examine provider knowledge, preferences, facilitators, and barriers that underpin oral antibiotic prescriptions for acne with a duration longer than 3 months. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 30 key stakeholders: 22 academic and community dermatologists, including experts from the American Acne & Rosacea Society and acne clinical guideline authors, 4 infectious diseases physicians with expertise in antibiotic stewardship, 2 dermatology advanced practice practitioners, and 2 dermatology residents.

Change of quality of life in patients with chronic pain with prescription opioid usage after opioid detoxification.

Managing patients with chronic pain with long-term opioid therapy can be challenging for the prescribers, as the development of treatment complications such as addiction and opioid-induced hyperalgesia has to be considered. There is a paucity of information on the use of opioid detoxification protocols in patients with chronic pain on a long-term opioid therapy who have developed opioid-induced complications. To determine the effectiveness of detoxification treatment while presenting a different opioid detoxification protocol intended to cease patient's prescription opioid use while assessing patient's quality of life (QoL) changes, implicated by our treatment. We retrospectively studied 41 patients with chronic pain with long-term prescription opioid usage who underwent elective opioid detoxification in years 2010-2019 at the Toxicology Centre of Republican Vilnius University Hospital. We ceased prescription opioids during detoxification treatment and monitored withdrawal symptoms, pain intensity, and QoL by using SF-36 scores before and right after and a minimum of 3 months after detoxification. This study was fully completed by 14 patients. At the third SF-36 evaluation, 12 out of 14 patients (85.71 percent) reported the detoxification treatment as beneficial to their overall health status compared to that before the treatment, and SF-36 scores after detoxification were significantly higher than before the treatment (p = 0.001). A decreased pain level right after detoxification was indicated by 11 patients (78.6 percent). Significant pain decrease was observed both right after and at least 3 months after the opioid detoxification treatment (p < 0.05). As significant pain reduction, QoL life improvement, and opioid usage cessation were observed after opioid detoxification in the majority of patients with chronic pain, this leads us to believe that such a treatment can be safely administered and appropriated.

CO56 Association of Long-Term Prescription Opioid Use with Advanced Stage Cancer at Diagnosis Among Older Cancer Survivors with Non-Cancer Chronic Pain Conditions (NCPCS)

Older adults have the highest prevalence of non-cancer chronic pain conditions (NCPCs) that are commonly treated with prescription opioids. Animal studies show that opioids may not only increase the risk of developing cancer but also stage of cancer. This study investigated the association of the long-term prescription opioid use (LTPOU) with stage of cancer diagnosis among older cancer survivors with any NCPC.

A VOSviewer-Based Bibliometric Analysis of Prescription Refills.

PurposePrescription refills are long-term prescriptions for chronic patients in stable status, which varies from country to country. A well-established prescription refill system is beneficial for chronic patients’ medication management and facilitates the efficacy of clinical care. Therefore, we carried out a bibliometric analysis to examine the development of this field.SummaryPublications on prescription refills from 1970 to 2021 were collected in the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC). Search strategy TS = “prescri* refill*” OR “medi* refill*” OR “repeat prescri*” OR “repeat dispens*” OR TI = refill* was used for search. VOSviewer was applied to visualize the bibliometric analysis. A total of 319 publications were found in WoSCC. Study attention on prescription refills has shown a steady rise but is still low in recent years. The United States was the most productive country, which had the highest total citations, average citations per publication, and the highest H-index, and participated in international collaboration most frequently. The University of California system was the most productive institution. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs was the institution with the most citations, most average citation, and highest H-index. Sundell was the most productive author, and Steiner J. F. was the most influential author. “Adherence,” “medication,” and “therapy” were the most prominent keywords.ConclusionPublications on prescription refills have increased rapidly and continue to grow. The United States had the leading position in the area. It is recommended to pay closer attention to the latest hotspots, such as “Opioids,” “Surgery,” “Differentiated care,” and “HIV.”

International Perspectives on the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Adherence to Prescribed Dual Antiplatelet Therapy: A Window Into Acute Cardiovascular Care.

An international panel of expert clinicians and researchers in acute cardiac care was convened to review, describe, and contextualize their varied experiences delivering care and maintaining ongoing research during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. A proposed perspective from which care and outcomes could be viewed was the possibility that without routine follow-up and as-accustomed interactions with their care team, patients at risk of acute atherothrombotic events might be less adherent to prescribed antiplatelet medications. This might be manifested by more emergency coronary events or by an increased (and perhaps unidentifiable) incidence of out-of-hospital cardiovascular deaths related to patient anxiety about presenting to hospital during the pandemic. The experiences of the panel members were similar in many regards, which identified opportunities for improvement in cardiac care the next time there is a substantial disruption of usual practice. Regardless of geography or payor system, there was an identified need for better remote care platforms; but stronger infrastructure and consumer facility with remote care technology, improved provider-patient communication to help ensure adherence to primary and secondary prevention medications, and longer-term prescription fills and no-hassle refills on such medications. Profound disruptions in acute cardiovascular research highlighted the need for redundancy or back-up planning for teams engaged in time-sensitive research, to ensure both continuity of protocols and patient safety.

Re-Audit of Benzodiazepine and Z-Drug Prescribing in Two Community Treatment Teams in the Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear Trust

AimsThis is a re-audit of Benzodiazepine and Z-hypnotic drugs prescriptions in two community treatment teams (CTTs) in the Cumbria Northumberland Tyne and Wear (CNTW) Trust, comparing with previous audits in 2009, 2017 and 2018 to check whether areas of good practice were maintained, and progress was made.MethodsWe reviewed caseloads of four CNTW consultants in the two CTTs which included 554 patient encounters with 60 encounters where benzodiazepines or z-drugs were prescribed. Nine missing data sets brought the total audit sample to 51. For these 51, prescribing information was gathered from RiO and assessed against standards derived from CNTW Trust Policy and BNF prescribing guidance. To be compliant, 90–100% of prescriptions needed to meet the standard.ResultsOverall, the rate of prescribing of benzodiazepines and Z- drugs increased from previous audit (7% in 2018, now 10.8%). Good areas of practice maintained were as follows (all 100%): all teams were compliant in prescribing within BNF limits, refrained from prescribing diazepam in 10 mg formulation, and no pregnant/post-partum women were prescribed these medications.Although non-compliant, there were clear improvements in documenting indicated use (2018: 61.65%, 2021: 80.8%), and providing prescriptions of &lt;4 weeks in duration (2018: 58.2%, 2021: 79.2%)Key areas of concern were as follows: poor documentation of indication, duration of treatment and plans for review/discontinuation (compliance ranged from 31.5% - 81.2% in these areas). There was poor documentation of what verbal advice was given (0–16.9%), and lack of clearly documented tapering/discontinuation plans for those on long-term prescriptions (16.1%). The provision of written advice reduced from previous audit (2018: 10.7%, 2021: 5.8%). As 41/51 encounters were via telephone or video due to COVID-19 pandemic, this may have impacted on results.ConclusionDespite improvement in some areas, there remains scope for ongoing improvement in other areas. To improve these, we plan to produce and distribute an educational email to all prescribers, including the following: information on this audit and its findings, prescribing guidelines, relevant e-links to patient information leaflets as well as the audit proforma used for this audit, to encourage prescribers to undertake self-directed practice. A poster will be distributed, highlighting prescribing guidelines and standards, to be printed and displayed in clinical areas as reminder of prescribing responsibilities and the importance of documentation. Prescribers will be encouraged to participate in a small quiz to test learning. Efficacy of these measures will be assessed with a re-audit in one years’ time.

Ten years of Community Pharmacy Services Quality Guidelines (CPSQG) in Estonia - adoption and awareness among pharmacists

The opioid crisis is a global public health issue, especially present in the United States. Limited research addresses pharmacists’ opioid medication counseling practices particularly their risk and safety counseling practices.The objective of this paper is to categorize pharmacists based on their opioid risk and safety counseling practices to inform future interventions and research to improve practice. The percent of pharmacists falling into each of these underlying, unobservable subgroups is identified using latent class analysis.This study was conducted as a statewide survey of pharmacists using the modified Dilman technique. The survey consisted of ten items about pharmacists’ opioid risk and safety practices when dispensing an opioid medication. Descriptive statistics were conducted followed by latent class analysis. This approach categorized pharmacists based on their responses to the survey items.Responses from 216 pharmacists were used in this study. In the three-class model which was deemed the best fit, the first class shows a profile of pharmacists who counsel on almost all opioid risk and safety topics and composed 16.75% of the total respondent population. The second class shows a profile of pharmacists who hardly counsel on any opioid risks and safety topics and comprised 39.80% of the respondent population. The third class shows a profile of pharmacists counseling on opioid risk and safety topics mostly for new or long-term prescriptions, but not for refill or short-term prescriptions. This group constituted 43.45% of the respondent population.This study identifies distinct classes of pharmacists in terms of the frequency with which their opioid counseling does or does not include key elements of risk and safety topics. A small minority usually include the risk and safety issues. Training and resource interventions targeting pharmacists who do not counsel patients about opioid risks are important to help them become more comfortable and adept as opioid risk and safety educators.

Pharmacists opioid risk and safety counseling practices: A latent class analysis approach.

The opioid crisis is a global public health issue, especially present in the United States. Limited research addresses pharmacists' opioid medication counseling practices particularly their risk and safety counseling practices. The objective of this paper is to categorize pharmacists based on their opioid risk and safety counseling practices to inform future interventions and research to improve practice. The percent of pharmacists falling into each of these underlying, unobservable subgroups is identified using latent class analysis. This study was conducted as a statewide survey of pharmacists using the modified Dilman technique. The survey consisted of ten items about pharmacists' opioid risk and safety practices when dispensing an opioid medication. Descriptive statistics were conducted followed by latent class analysis. This approach categorized pharmacists based on their responses to the survey items. Responses from 216 pharmacists were used in this study. In the three-class model which was deemed the best fit, the first class shows a profile of pharmacists who counsel on almost all opioid risk and safety topics and composed 16.75% of the total respondent population. The second class shows a profile of pharmacists who hardly counsel on any opioid risks and safety topics and comprised 39.80% of the respondent population. The third class shows a profile of pharmacists counseling on opioid risk and safety topics mostly for new or long-term prescriptions, but not for refill or short-term prescriptions. This group constituted 43.45% of the respondent population. This study identifies distinct classes of pharmacists in terms of the frequency with which their opioid counseling does or does not include key elements of risk and safety topics. A small minority usually include the risk and safety issues. Training and resource interventions targeting pharmacists who do not counsel patients about opioid risks are important to help them become more comfortable and adept as opioid risk and safety educators.

1237-P: Descriptive Analysis of Long-Term Glycemic Control and Pharmacotherapy in Type 2 Diabetes: Ten-Year Trends in 308,4Indiana Adults

The purpose of this study was to assess success rates of long-term glycemic control and diabetes drug prescriptions by gender, age and race in a large, state-wide, integrated, electronic health record database in Indiana. Descriptive analysis of a retrospective cohort of 308,4adults with type 2 diabetes observed from 20to 2018 was conducted. The success rate for glycemic control (A1c &amp;lt;7 [&amp;lt;65 y/o] or &amp;lt;8 [&amp;gt;=65 y/o]) was defined as (number of A1c tests meeting target) / (number of A1c tests) in any given year. Sample characteristics included gender, age, race, and diabetes drug prescription rate for twelve classes of diabetes drugs. Analysis of 876,656 year-level observations showed the success rate of glycemic control was steady at 60% with year-to-year change of 0-1% since 2009. It was greater for females (62-64%) than males (57-59%) ; patients aged 65 or above (75-89%) than those below (43-62%) ; and whites (61-63%) than blacks (51-54%) . Biguanides (56-63% = subject n with orders of biguandes in x year/ population n in x year) were most frequently prescribed, followed by sulfonylurea (29-33%) , fast-acting and long-acting insulin (29-32%) . Blacks had more insulin prescription (47-53%) regardless of age group. Costlier drugs were more frequently prescribed among whites vs. non-white: 0.6-1.2% vs. 0.5-0.8 for meglitinides; 10.3-16.7% vs. 1.3-17.3% for DPP-4; 0.5-9.3% vs. 0.2-8.0 for SGLT2i; and 5.3-12.15% vs. 1-11.5% for GLP-1. For blacks who were prescribed insulin (44-53%) , the success rate for glycemic control was lower than for whites (38-43% vs. 46-50%) . The success of longitudinal glycemic control did not improve over a 10-year period among 308,4adults with type 2 diabetes in Indiana. Racial minorities received notably fewer prescriptions for higher-priced drugs such as meglitinide, DPP4, SGLT2, and GLP-1. Disclosure H.N.Fu: None. M.Weiner: Stock/Shareholder; AbbVie Inc., Accuray, Inc., Allscripts Healthcare Solutions, Amgen Inc., Boston Scientific Corporation, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Crispr Therapeutics Ag Com, Express Scripts Hdlg Co, General Electric Co., Globus Med, Inc., IBM, Integer Hldgs Corp Com, Integra Lifesciences Holdings Corp, Johnson &amp; Johnson, Mallinckrodt PLC, Mead Johnson &amp; Company, LLC., Medtronic, Metlife Inc Com, Mylan N.V., Novo Nordisk A/S, Nuvasive, Inc., Orthofix Medical Inc., Perspecta Inc Com, Pfizer Inc., Resmed, Inc., Roche Pharmaceuticals, Seaspine Hldgs, Inc., Senseonics, Stryker Corp., Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., Varex Imaging Corp., Varian Med Sys, Inc., Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. J.Wolfson: None. T.S.Hannon: Advisory Panel; Eli Lilly and Company. P.Balius: None. T.Schleyer: None. Funding T15LM012502, UL1TR002529, the Lilly Endowment Physician Scientist Initiative

Real-world opioid prescription to patients with serious, non-malignant, respiratory illnesses and chronic breathlessness.

Chronic breathlessness is a disabling symptom that is often under-recognised and challenging to treat despite optimal disease-directed therapy. Low-dose, oral opioids are recommended to relieve breathlessness, but little is known regarding long-term opioid prescription in this setting. To investigate the long-term efficacy of, and side-effects from, opioids prescribed for chronic breathlessness to patients with advanced, non-malignant, respiratory diseases. A prospective cohort study of all patients managed by the advanced lung disease service, an integrated respiratory and palliative care service, at the Royal Melbourne Hospital from 1 April 2013 to 3 March 2020. One hundred and nine patients were prescribed opioids for chronic breathlessness. The median length of opioid use was 9.8 (interquartile range (IQR)=2.8-19.8) months. The most commonly prescribed initial regimen was an immediate-release preparation (i.e. Ordine) used as required (37; 33.9%). For long-term treatment, the most frequently prescribed regimen included an extended-release preparation with an as needed immediate-release (37; 33.9%). The median dose prescribed was 12 (IQR=8-28) mg oral morphine equivalents/day. Seventy-one (65.1%) patients reported a subjective improvement in breathlessness. There was no significant change in the mean modified Medical Research Council dyspnoea score (P = 0.807) or lung function measurements (P = 0.086-0.727). There was no association between mortality and the median duration of opioid use (P = 0.201) or dose consumed (P = 0.130). No major adverse events were reported. Within this integrated respiratory and palliative care service, patients with severe, non-malignant respiratory diseases safely used long-term, low-dose opioids for breathlessness with subjective benefits reported and no serious adverse events.