Risk Of Postoperative Opioid Use Research Articles

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder as an Independent Risk Factor for Increased Opioid Use Following Carpal Tunnel Surgery.

Carpal tunnel release (CTR) is one of the most common hand surgeries. Studies have highlighted a mental-physical connection to hand pathologies and psychological connections to postoperative pain burden. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been identified as a medical-psychological comorbidity like other mental health disorders such as generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). There remains a gap in the literature regarding PTSD as a comorbidity for hand surgeries, where there is this mental-physical connection. We hypothesize PTSD will be associated with increased risk of postoperative pain, evidenced by greater prevalence of opioid usage. The authors performed a retrospective analysis using the TriNetX Research Database. Patients who underwent elective CTR were identified within the database. Two groups were created and compared against individual controls: the first was identified based on the diagnosis of PTSD, and the second was identified based on the diagnosis of GAD. Cohorts were matched and opioid usage was compared postoperatively. Patients with PTSD who underwent CTR were found to be at significantly increased risk of postoperative opioid use (P = .033) and more likely to present to the emergency department (ED) (P = .001). Patients with GAD were found to be significantly less likely to require postoperative opioids (P = .040). We found patients with PTSD to be at increased risk of opioid use and more likely to present to ED following CTR. Patients with GAD were found to be at decreased risk of opioid use after CTR. Owing to the independent significant risks not found in GAD, further research of postoperative pain in patients with PTSD is needed.

Predictive Analytics for Inpatient Postoperative Opioid Use in Patients Undergoing Mastectomy.

Introduction: The use of opioids in mastectomy patients is a particular challenge, having to balance the management of acute pain while minimizing risks of continuous opioid use postoperatively. Despite attempts to decrease postmastectomy opioid use, including regional anesthetics, gabapentinoids, topical anesthetics, and nonopioid anesthesia, prolonged opioid use remains clinically significant among these patients. The goal of this study is to identify risk factors and develop machine-learning-based models to predict patients who are at higher risk for postoperative opioid use after mastectomy.Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, we collected data from patients that underwent mastectomy procedures. The primary outcome of interest was defined as oxycodone milligram equivalents (OME) greater than or equal to the 75% of OME use on a postoperative day 1. Model performance (area under the receiver-operating characteristics curve (AUC)) of various machine learning approaches was calculated via 10-fold cross-validation. Odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were reported.Results: There were a total of 148 patients that underwent mastectomy and were included. The medium (quartiles) postoperative day 1 opioid use was 5 mg OME (0.25 mg OME). Using multivariable logistic regression, the most protective factors against higher opioid use was being postmenopausal (OR: 0.13, 95% CI: 0.03-0.61, p = 0.009) and cancer diagnosis (OR: 0.19, 95% CI: 0.05-0.73, p = 0.01). The AUC was 0.725 (95% CI: 0.572-0.876). There was no difference in the performance of other machine-learning-based approaches.Conclusions: The ability to predict patients’ postoperative pain could have a significant impact on preoperative counseling and patient satisfaction.

Preoperative Opioid Use Is Associated With Persistent Use, Readmission and Postoperative Complications After Arthroscopic Knee Surgery

To evaluate factors associated with prolonged opioid use after arthroscopic knee surgery and to identify associations between preoperative usage and postoperative complications. The MarketScan commercial database was searched to identify patients who underwent arthroscopic knee surgery from 2005 to 2014 (based on Current Procedure Terminology code). Preoperative comorbidities including Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders mental health disorders, chronic pain, chronic regional pain syndrome, obesity, tobacco use, non-narcotic medications and diabetes were queried and documented. Patients who filled opioid prescriptions 1 to 3 months before surgery were identified. Patients who filled opioid prescriptions after surgery were identified. Adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were calculated using multivariable logistic regression analysis to determine factors associated with prolonged postoperative opioid use. In total, 1,012,486 patients who underwent arthroscopic knee surgery were identified, and we determined which of these patients were on preoperative opioids. Preoperative opioid usage was associated with a statistically significant increased risk of usage out to 1 year. There was a statistically significant association between postoperative usage and preoperative variables (mental health diagnosis, smokers, chronic pain, chronic regional pain syndrome, and use of non-narcotic medications). There was a statistically significant association between preoperative opioid use and 90-day readmission and postoperative complications. In this study, we found that patients taking opioids 1 to 3 months before arthroscopic knee surgery have increased risk of postoperative use. Additionally, chronic opioid use, chronic pain, or use of non-narcotic medications has the highest risk of postoperative opioid use. Finally, preoperative use was associated with an increased risk of 90-day readmission. Prognostic Level IV Evidence.

Association of Preoperative Opioid Use and Prolonged Postoperative Opioid Use Following Total Ankle Arthroplasty.

Background:Perioperative opioid consumption has received a great deal of recent attention. However, perioperative opioid utilization in the total ankle arthroplasty (TAA) population has not been well studied. We sought to identify factors associated with postoperative opioid use following TAA.Methods:The PearlDiver Research Program was used to query the Humana, Inc, administrative claims database from 2007 to 2017 for patients undergoing TAA. Additional variables of interest were identified using ICD-9 and ICD-10 codes. Preoperative opioid use was defined as having filled an opioid prescription in the 3 months before TAA. Prescription opioid claims data were tracked for 12 months postoperatively. Risk ratios (RRs) were calculated and multivariate analysis was performed at 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively.Results:A total of 544 patients who underwent TAA were identified, with 180 (33.1%) filling an opioid prescription preoperatively. Those filling prescriptions preoperatively had a significantly greater risk for postoperative opioid use compared to those not taking opioids (RR: 4.36 [95% confidence interval (CI): 2.80-6.80] at 12 months). Anxiety or depression (RR: 2.27 [1.44-3.59]), low back pain (LBP) (RR: 2.27 [1.50-3.42]), and fibromyalgia (RR: 2.15 [1.42-3.28]) were also found to increase the risk of taking opioids at 12 months postoperatively. Multivariate analysis found preoperative opioid use to be the strongest predictor of postoperative opioid use.Conclusions:Nearly one-third of patients filled an opioid prescription within 3 months of TAA, and filling a prescription preoperatively was the strongest factor associated with postoperative opioid use. Fibromyalgia, depression or anxiety, and LBP were also associated with an increased likelihood of postoperative opioid use.Level of Evidence:Level III, retrospective cohort study.

Minimally invasive sigmoidectomy for diverticular disease decreases inpatient opioid use: Results of a propensity score-matched study

BackgroundPatients undergoing gastrointestinal surgery are at high risk for postoperative opioid use. MethodsWe evaluated inpatient opioid use among patients undergoing sigmoidectomy for diverticular disease from the Premier Hospital Database and compared across surgical approaches using propensity score-matching analysis. ResultsAfter the day of surgery, minimally invasive (MIS) patients were administered significantly lower doses of parenteral opioids (median daily morphine milligram equivalents [MME]: 33.3 versus 48.3, p < 0.001). Within MIS, significantly less parenteral opioids were used by the robotic-assisted (RS) than the laparoscopic (LS) group (median daily MME: 30.0 versus 36.8, p = 0.012). MIS patients were more likely than open to start oral opioids on the day of surgery (MIS vs. OS: 8.7% vs. 6.6%, p < 0.001; RS vs. LS: 12.6% vs. 10.2%, p = 0.048). ConclusionMinimally invasive sigmoidectomy for diverticular disease was associated with less postoperative parenteral opioid use and starting oral opioids sooner after surgery compared to the open approach.

Opioid use, postoperative complications, and implant survival after unicompartmental versus total knee replacement: a population-based network study.

There is uncertainty around whether to use unicompartmental knee replacement (UKR) or total knee replacement (TKR) for individuals with osteoarthritis confined to a single compartment of the knee. We aimed to emulate the design of the Total or Partial Knee Arthroplasty Trial (TOPKAT) using routinely collected data to assess whether the efficacy results reported in the trial translate into effectiveness in routine practice, and to assess comparative safety. We did a population-based network study using data from four US and one UK health-care database, part of the Observational Health Data Sciences and Informatics network. The inclusion criteria were the same as those for TOPKAT; briefly, we identified patients aged at least 40 years with osteoarthritis who had undergone UKR or TKR and who had available data for at least one year prior to surgery. Patients were excluded if they had evidence of previous knee arthroplasty, knee fracture, knee surgery (except diagnostic), rheumatoid arthritis, infammatory arthropathies, or septic arthritis. Opioid use from 91-365 days after surgery, as a proxy for persistent pain, was assessed for all participants in all databases. Postoperative complications (ie, venous thromboembolism, infection, readmission, and mortality) were assessed over the 60 days after surgery and implant survival (as measured by revision procedures) was assessed over the 5 years after surgery. Outcomes were assessed in all databases, except for readmission, which was assessed in three of the databases, and mortality, which was assessed in two of the databases. Propensity score matched Cox proportional hazards models were fitted for each outcome. Calibrated hazard ratios (cHRs) were generated for each database to account for observed differences in control outcomes, and cHRs were then combined using meta-analysis. 33 867 individuals who received UKR and 557 831 individuals who received TKR between Jan 1, 2005, and April 30, 2018, were eligible for matching. 32 379 with UKR and 250 377 with TKR were propensity score matched and informed the analyses. UKR was associated with a reduced risk of postoperative opioid use (cHR from meta-analysis 0·81, 95% CI 0·73-0·90) and a reduced risk of venous thromboembolism (0·62, 0·36-0·95), whereas no difference was seen for infection (0·85, 0·51-1·37) and readmission (0·79, 0·47-1·25). Evidence was insufficient to conclude whether there was a reduction in risk of mortality. UKR was also associated with an increased risk of revision (1·64, 1·40-1·94). UKR was associated with a reduced risk of postoperative opioid use compared with TKR, which might indicate a reduced risk of persistent pain after surgery. UKR was associated with a lower risk of venous thromboembolism but an increased risk of revision compared with TKR. These findings can help to inform shared decision making for individuals eligible for knee replacement surgery. EU/European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations Innovative Medicines Initiative (2) Joint Undertaking (EHDEN).

Comparing different chronic preoperative opioid use definitions on outcomes after spine surgery

Background ContextNo consensus exists for defining chronic preoperative opioid use. Most spine studies rely solely on opioid duration to stratify patients into preoperative risk categories. PurposeThe purpose of this study is to compare established opioid definitions that contain both duration and dosage to opioid models that rely solely on duration, including the CDC Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain, in patients undergoing spine surgery. Study DesignThis was a retrospective cohort study that used opioid data from the Tennessee Controlled Substance Monitoring Database and prospective clinical data from a single-center academic spine registry. Patient SampleThe study cohort consisted of 2,373 patients who underwent elective spine surgery for degenerative conditions between January 2011 and February 2017 and who completed a follow-up assessment at 12 months after surgery. Outcome MeasuresPostoperative opioid use and patient-reported satisfaction (NASS Satisfaction Scale), disability (Oswestry/Neck Disability Index), and pain (Numeric Rating Scale) at 12 month follow-up. MethodsSix different chronic preoperative opioid use variables were created based on the number of times a prescription was filled and/or daily morphine milligram equivalent for the one year before surgery. These variables defined chronic opioid use as 1) most days for > 3 months (CDC), 2) continuous use for ≥ 6 months (Schoenfeld), 3) >4,500 mg for at least 9 months (Svendsen wide), 4) >9,000 mg for 12 months (Svendsen intermediary), 5) >18,000 mg for 12 months (Svendsen strict), 6) low-dose chronic (1-36 mg for >91 days), medium-dose chronic (36-120 mg for >91 days), and high-dose chronic (>120 mg for >91 days) (Edlund). Multivariable regression models yielding C-index and R2 values were used to compare chronic preoperative opioid use definitions by postoperative outcomes, adjusting for type of surgery. ResultsChronic preoperative opioid use was reported in 470 to 725 (19.8% to 30.6%) patients, depending on definition. The Edlund definition, accounting for duration and dosage, had the highest predictive ability for postoperative opioid use (77.5%), followed by Schoenfeld (75.7%), CDC (72.6%), and Svendsen (59.9% to 72.5%) definitions. A combined Edlund and Schoenfeld duration and dosage definition in post-hoc analysis, that included 3 and 6 month duration cut-offs, performed the best overall with a C-index of 78.4%. Both Edlund and Schoenfeld definitions explained similar amounts of variance in satisfaction, disability, and pain (4.2% to 8.5%). Svendsen and CDC definitions demonstrated poorer performance for patient-reported outcomes (1.4% to 7.2%). ConclusionsThe Edlund definition is recommended for identifying patients at highest risk for postoperative opioid use. When opioid dosage is unavailable, the Schoenfeld definition is a reasonable choice with similar predictive ability. For patient-reported outcomes, either the Edlund or Schoenfeld definition is recommended. Future work should consider combing dosage and duration, with 3 and 6 month cutoffs, into chronic opioid use definitions.

Opioid Demand after Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction

Objectives:Surgeons and healthcare systems have received a call to action in an effort to curtail the current opioid epidemic in the United States. Postoperative opioid demand after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) is not well understood. The purpose of this study was to (1) define the natural history of opioid demand after ACLR performed with and without concomitant procedures and to (2) evaluate preoperative opioid demand as a risk factor for postoperative opioid demand.Methods:Arthroscopic ACLRs performed in the Humana Inc. database between 2007-2014 were identified using CPT code 29888. Further categorization of procedures was performed by identifying patients who underwent ACLR with no other procedures, those who underwent ACLR with meniscus repair, those who underwent ACLR with menisectomy, and those who underwent ACLR with microfracture. Postoperative opioid demand was trended by month following surgery for 1 year. The effect of preoperative opioid demand on postoperative opioid demand was evaluated by comparing those who had filled preoperative opioid prescriptions with those who hadn′t. Patients were considered preoperative opioid users if they had filled an opioid prescription in the 3 months preceding surgery. Relative risk of postoperative opioid use was calculated and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were determined.Results:Over the course of the study period, 4,946 arthroscopic ACLRs were performed. Of these, 7.24% were still filling opioid prescriptions at 2-3 months after their procedure; 4.71% of patients were filling opioid prescriptions at 1 year after surgery. Patients undergoing ACLR with microfracture were at increased risk of filling narcotic prescriptions compared to the other procedure groups. At 4-5 months postoperatively, ACLR with microfracture had increased risk of filling narcotic prescriptions compared to ACLR alone 1.96 (CI=1.32-2.92), ACL with meniscus repair 2.38 (CI=1.46-3.88), and ACL with meniscectomy 1.51 (CI=1.03-2.23). Nearly 35% of patients (1,716/4,946) were taking opioid pain medications in the 3 months prior to ACLR. Those filling preoperative opioid prescriptions were 5.34 (CI=4.12-6.94) times more likely to be filling narcotic prescriptions at 2-3 months after ACL reconstruction. Those filling preoperative opioid prescriptions were 7.54 (CI=5.32-10.71) and 6.42 (CI=4.5-9.15) times more likely to be filling opioid prescriptions at 9 and 12 months respectively after ACLR.Conclusion:Opioid demand after ACLR drops significantly in the vast majority of patients by the 3rd postoperative month. Surprisingly, 35% of patients undergoing ACLR were found to be using opioid medications preoperatively and we identify preoperative opioid use to be a strong predictor of postoperative opioid demand with a 5 to 7 fold increased risk in this patient population. Surgeons can use this data when counseling patients on typical postoperative opioid demand. Surgeons and healthcare systems should be aware a large portion of patients undergoing ACLR are receiving preoperative opioid prescriptions which put these patients at increased risk for extended postoperative opioid demand. In the setting of preoperative care for patients who will undergo ACLR, healthcare providers should pursue non-opioid prescribing regimens in an effort to limit postoperative opioid demand.