Use Of Opioid Medications Research Articles

Long-Term Reductions in Opioid Medication Use After Spinal Stimulation: A Claims Analysis Among Commercially-Insured Population.

Chronic, non-cancer pain significantly and negatively impacts patient quality of life. Neuromodulation is a major component of multi-modal interdisciplinary approaches to chronic pain management, which includes opioid and nonopioid medications. In randomized controlled trials, spinal cord stimulation (SCS) has been shown to reduce pain and decrease short-term opioid use for patients. This study sought to evaluate the effect of SCS on longer term opioid and non-opioid pain medication usage among patients over ≥3 years of follow-up. Claims analysis was conducted using the Merative™ MarketScan® Commercial Database. Patients aged ≥18 who initiated SCS between 1/1/2010 and 3/31/2021 with ≥1 year of baseline data and ≥3 years of follow-up data were included. Opioid discontinuation, daily dose (DD) reduction, proportion of days covered (PDC), concomitant co-medication with benzodiazepines and/or gabapentinoids, and polypharmacy were evaluated during the baseline and follow-up periods. Adjusted logistic regression was used to evaluate the impact of baseline dosages on discontinuation and dose reduction. During follow-up, 60% of 2,669 SCS patients either discontinued opioid use or reduced opioid DD by at least 20% from baseline; another 15% reduced DD by 1-19%. Logistic regression showed patients with higher baseline dosages were less likely to discontinue opioids completely (odds ratio[OR] 95% confidence intervals[CI]: 0.31[0.18,0.54]) but more likely to reduce their daily dose (OR[CI]: 7.14[4.00,12.73], p<0.001). Mean PDC with opioids decreased from 0.58 (210 of 365 days) at baseline to 0.51 at year 3 (p<0.001). With SCS, co-medication with benzodiazepines decreased from 47.3% at baseline to 30.3% at year 3, co-medication with gabapentinoids reduced from 58.6% to 42.2%, and polypharmacy dropped from 15.6% to 9.6% (all p<0.001). Approximately three-quarters of patients who received SCS therapy either discontinued or reduced systemic opioid use over the study period. SCS could assist in reducing long-term reliance on opioids and other pain medications to treat chronic non-cancer pain.

Predictors for Failure to Respond to Erector Spinae Plane Block Following Minimally Invasive Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion.

Retrospective review of prospectively collected data. To identify the risk factors associated with failure to respond to erector spinae plane (ESP) block following minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (MI-TLIF). ESP block is an emerging opioid-sparing regional anesthetic that has been shown to reduce immediate postoperative pain and opioid demand following MI-TLIF-however, not all patients who receive ESP blocks perioperatively experience a reduction in immediate postoperative pain. This was a retrospective review of consecutive patients undergoing 1-level MI-TLIF who received ESP blocks by a single anesthesiologist perioperatively at a single institution. ESP blocks were administered in the OR following induction. Failure to respond to ESP block was defined as patients with a first numerical rating scale (NRS) score post-surgery of >5.7 (mean immediate postoperative NRS score of control cohort undergoing MI TLIF without ESP block). Multivariable logistic regressions were performed to identify predictors for failure to respond to ESP block. A total of 134 patients were included (mean age 60.6 years, 43.3% females). The median and interquartile range (IQR) first pain score post-surgery was 2.5 (0.0-7.5). Forty-nine (36.6%) of patients failed to respond to ESP block. In the multivariable regression analysis, several independent predictors for failure to respond to ESP block following MI TLIF were identified: female sex (OR 2.33, 95% CI 1.04-5.98, P=0.040), preoperative opioid use (OR 2.75, 95% CI 1.03- 7.30, P=0.043), anxiety requiring medication (OR 3.83, 95% CI 1.27-11.49, P=0.017), and hyperlipidemia (OR 3.15, 95% CI 1.31-7.55, P=0.010). Our study identified several predictors for failure to respond to ESP block following MI TLIF including female sex, preoperative opioid pain medication use, anxiety, and hyperlipidemia. These findings may help inform the approach to counseling patients on perioperative outcomes and pain expectations following MI-TLIF with ESP block. III.

Pain attitudes and pain outcomes among people with bleeding disorders: Results from community voices in research.

Among people with bleeding disorders (PwBD), pain is a major problem and pain treatments are often ineffective. Understanding of psychological factors involved in pain processing is limited. Maladaptive pain attitudes are associated with worse pain outcomes and adaptive pain attitudes are associated with better outcomes in high pain conditions, but relationships between pain attitudes and pain outcomes are so far unexplored among PwBD. To investigate relationships between pain attitudes and pain outcomes among PwBD. Pain attitudes were measured with the Survey of Pain Attitudes, containing two adaptive scales (Control and Emotion) and five maladaptive scales (Disability, Harm, Medication, Solicitude, Medical Cure). Adults with bleeding disorders, who had pain, and were enrolled in Community Voices in Research were eligible. Participants (n=72) completed an online survey. Cross sectional associations between pain attitudes and pain outcomes (pain and prescribed pain medication use) were investigated using logistic regression. After adjustment for covariates, greater Control attitudes were associated with lower odds of more severe pain, and greater Disability, Harm, and Medication attitudes were all associated with higher odds of more severe pain and with higher odds of any prescribed pain medication use and opioid pain medication use. We presented compelling evidence of relationships between pain attitudes and pain outcomes in PwBD, though corroboration is needed from other populations. Our findings suggest that modification of pain attitudes presents a possible avenue for interventions to improve pain outcomes and increase patient satisfaction with pain management.

Parents’ perspectives on using a Family Medication Safety Plan designed to promote appropriate opioid prescription practices with adolescents

BackgroundResearch has underscored the vulnerability of adolescents to opioid misuse, creating a call to action for researchers and practitioners to identify ways to reduce the youths’ risk of opioid misuse. Although strategies have previously been proposed, few studies have targeted and designed interventions for adolescents and their families. The Family Medication Safety Plan (FMSP) was developed to provide families with a tool to encourage early education and conversation and promote safe use of prescription opioid medications in their homes. ObjectivesThis study aimed to understand parent perceptions of using the FMSP for potential opioid prescriptions and identify opportunities for widespread application and improvement. MethodsParents living in the United States with access to a webcam-enabled computer were recruited via social media, e-mail listservs, snowball sampling, and Qualtrics research panels. Parents were given the FMSP and asked to complete the worksheet with their child aged 12-18 years. Parents were then scheduled for a 30-minute, semistructured interview to elicit feedback. Interviews were transcribed verbatim by professional transcriptionists before being uploaded to NVivo for thematic and content analysis. ResultsParents (N = 59) were interviewed and had positive impressions of using the FMSP in their homes. Prevalent themes identified included how the FMSP format could be modified and how the parents would use it in their family. Many participants identified ways in which different health care providers could be used as a resource to make the FMSP more accessible and useful for their family unit. ConclusionParents indicated that the FMSP was a beneficial tool for integration and evaluation of safe medication practices in homes. Participants suggested that this tool was most valuable when used for the specific needs of each family, indicating that modifying the FMSP to make it in a more flexible format such that it may improve uptake.

Development and Usability Evaluation of an Opioid Management App.

We describe the development and usability evaluation of a novel patient engagement tool (OPY) in its early stage from perspectives of both experts and end-users. The tool is aimed at engaging patients in positive behaviors surrounding the use, weaning, and disposal of opioid medications in the post-surgical setting. The messaging and design of the application were created through a behavioral economics lens. Expert-based heuristic analysis and user testing were conducted and demonstrated that while patients found the tool to be easy to use and subjectively somewhat useful, additional work to enhance the user interface and features is needed in close partnership with developers and stakeholders.

Dosing of lumbar spinal manipulative therapy and its association with escalated spine care: A cohort study of insurance claims.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between three distinct spinal manipulative therapy dose groups and escalated spine care by analyzing insurance claims from a cohort of patients with low back pain. We compared three distinct spinal manipulative therapy dose groups (low = 1 SMT visits, moderate = 2-12 SMT visits, high = 13+ SMT visits), to a control group (no spinal manipulative therapy) regarding the outcome of escalated spine care. Escalated spine care procedures include imaging studies, injection procedures, emergency department visits, surgery, and opioid medication use. Propensity score matching was performed to address treatment selection bias. Modified Poisson regression modeling was used to estimate the relative risk of spine care escalation among three spinal manipulative therapy doses, adjusting for age, sex, retrospective risk score and claim count. 83,025 claims were categorized into 11,114 unique low back pain episodes; 8,137 claims had 0 spinal manipulative therapy visits, with the remaining episodes classified as low dose (n = 404), moderate dose (n = 1,763) or high dose (n = 810). After propensity score matching, 5,348 episodes remained; 2,454 had 0 spinal manipulative therapy visits with the remaining episodes classified as low dose (n = 404), moderate dose (n = 1,761), or high dose (n = 729). The estimated relative risk (vs no spinal manipulative therapy) for any escalated spine care was 0.45 (95% confidence interval 0.38, 0.55, p <0.001), 0.58 (95% confidence interval 0.53, 0.63, p <0.001), and 1.03 (95% confidence interval 0.95, 1.13, p = 0.461) for low, moderate, and high dose spinal manipulative therapy groups, respectively. For claims associated with initial episodes of low back pain, low and moderate dose spinal manipulative therapy groups were associated with a 55% and 42% reduction, respectively, in the relative risk of any escalated spine care.

Reduction of Postoperative Delirium and Opioid Use in Hip Fracture Patients Through Utilization of Emergency Department Physician Administered Regional Nerve Blocks.

The complication of delirium for hip fracture patients is a predictor of mortality. Use of opioid medication increases the incidence of delirium in the pre- and postoperative periods. Regional nerve blocks are effective in managing acute pain for acute hip fractures. This study aims to evaluate the utilization of ED physicians to perform fascia iliaca nerve blocks on hip fracture patients to decrease the incidence of delirium by decreasing usage of opioid medication. A quality improvement project for performing regional nerve blocks on patients with femoral neck fractures was implemented during fiscal year 2019. Data was collected retrospectively for frequency of ED nerve block procedures, amount of opioid medication use, and incidence of delirium in patients diagnosed with hip fracture. This data was compared to baseline data to determine success of the intervention. Utilization of regional nerve blocks in the ED increased from 2% in 2018 to 96% in 2021 and 89% in 2022. Preoperative opioid usage decreased from 38 MMEs to 16.9 and 18 MMEs respectively. Daily average MMEs decreased from 34 to 12.1 and 14 respectively. Postoperative delirium decreased from 6% in 2018 to 0% from 2020 to 2022. ED provider administration of fascia iliaca blocks and follow-up is a novel practice in our region to decrease the adverse effects of opiate use and decrease delirium rates. There was a reduction in length of stay and increased discharge home rate despite the Covid-19 pandemic. Administration of regional nerve blocks by ED physicians to hip fracture patients presenting to the ED results in a decrease in opioid medication usage. This also results in a decreased delirium rates in the hip fracture patient population.

Improving Medical Student Knowledge and Reducing Stigmatizing Attitudes Toward Treating Patients With Opioid Use Disorder.

Stigma and lack of knowledge are barriers to clinicians when caring for individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD). In 2018, only about 15 out of 180 American medical schools had comprehensive addiction programs. The AAMC reports that institutions are increasingly incorporating competencies to address the OUD and opioid epidemic. There have been few evaluated curriculums focused on reducing stigmatizing attitudes. This study evaluated whether a 4-hour case-based curriculum focused on improving stigmatizing attitudes toward patients with OUD could reduce medical student perceptions around viewing addiction as a punitive condition and other substitution-based misconceptions around opioid agonist-based medication. Medical students completed a 4-hour curricular workshop which included learning objectives focusing on barriers to healthcare/stigmatizing attitudes, effective behavioral therapy options, and appropriate use of opioid medications. We measured changes in knowledge and attitudes using validated scales on stigma. Non-parametric repeated measure tests determined statistically significant differences between pre and post assessments between OUD related perceptions and a control condition (diabetes). Of 135 eligible participants, 99 (76%) students completed both pre- and post-surveys. Mean scores across knowledge questions improved (60%-81%, P < .001) and stigmatizing attitudes regarding perceived violence of people with OUD decreased (2.04-1.82, P = .016). There was significant improvement in mean scores for OUD-related opinions including desire to work with and effectively treat patients with OUD (3.58-3.88, P < .001) while no significant concurrent change was observed in mean opinion scores of a non-OUD comparator, diabetes (3.88-3.97, P = .201). Results indicate that the workshop was associated with measurable changes in knowledge and attitudinal forms of OUD stigma. With recent policy changes eliminating the X-waiver, healthcare institutions are eager to design curriculum around OUD management and treatment. This study provides a blueprint for an effective curriculum that improves clinician knowledge and reduces stigmatizing attitudes.

Risk of COVID-19 reinfection and its severe complications in adults treated with long-term opioids for chronic non-cancer pain

Since December 2019, over 770 million cases and over 6.9 million deaths attributed to SARS-CoV-2 infection have been reported globally. 1 The pandemic has disproportionately affected populations impacted by chronic health issues, including people with chronic non- cancer pain. 2,3 Research has shown the COVID-19 pandemic increased the burden of chronic pain, with worsened social isolation, economic stress, anxiety, and disrupted access to pain management contributing to this distress. 2,4,5 Pharmacological treatments, including long-term opioid therapy (LTOT), are a part of standard of care in chronic non-cancer pain, 6,7 with an increase in opioid medication use for managing chronic pain noted likely in compensation for stopping physical/psychological treatments due to the pandemic.

Effect of a Multidisciplinary Review Panel on Daily Morphine Milligram Equivalents for Patients With Chronic Pain.

Physicians and other health care professionals are challenged regularly to balance managing pain for patients with chronic pain receiving chronic opioid therapy (COT) with following the national guidelines and standards regarding daily morphine milligram equivalents (MME). This quality improvement project aimed to determine the effect of referral to a multidisciplinary review panel on daily MME for patients receiving COT for chronic pain. This quality improvement project included patients who had an established relationship with a primary care or community internal medicine clinician at a large health care organization and were referred to a newly created multidisciplinary review panel for their recommendations regarding treatment of pain. Criteria for patient referral were diagnosis of a chronic, painful condition, and use of chronic opioid medications. These patients were selected and referred at the discretion of their primary care clinician from January 2, 2019, through December 31, 2020. Data for this project were collected at the time of initial referral to the panel and 6 months after recommendations. The daily MME were assessed at the 2 time points. Thirteen patients were referred to the review panel during the project period. The median daily MME at the time of referral was 180. Daily MME decreased by a median of 14 MME after 6 months. The MME did not increase during the project period for any participants. Referral of patients receiving COT to a multidisciplinary review panel may reduce their daily opioid dose.

Community Pharmacists' Knowledge and Attitude Towards Opioid Pain Medication Use in Bahir Dar City, North-West Ethiopia.

Opioid use is a major global public health problem, affecting 16 million individuals worldwide. According to a 2023 WHO report, out of the 600,000 substance-related deaths worldwide, 80% were attributed to opioid use. Pharmacists play a vital role in reducing unnecessary opioid exposure while facilitating access to non-opioid alternatives. To do so, pharmacists should have sufficient knowledge regarding opioid-containing medications and a positive attitude about opioid use problems. This study aimed to evaluate community pharmacists' knowledge of opioid-containing medications and their attitude toward opioid use problems. A cross-sectional study was conducted using a self-administered, structured questionnaire distributed to 105 community pharmacists from July 1-30, 2023 in Bahir Dar City, Ethiopia. The tool included demographic information and questions designed to assess participants' knowledge and attitudes. Out of the 105 pharmacists included in this study, majority were males (54.3%), nearly half held a bachelor's degree (49.5%), and slightly above one-third had over a decade experience (39%). Regarding knowledge and attitude towards opioids, 62 individuals (59%) exhibited good knowledge, and 64 (61%) demonstrated less stigma toward opioid usage. Factors affecting knowledge include: education level (AOR (95% CI): 8.43 (1.76-40.35) and 9.93 (1.04-85.33) for bachelors and postgraduates respectively and age 1.45 (1.20-1.77)]. Meanwhile, experience [AOR (95% CI): 4.64(1.20-17.90) and 4.29 (1.23-15.05)] for 5-9 years and ≥10 years respectively and education level [AOR (95% CI): 4.08 (1.40-11.93) for bachelors and 6.40 (1.42-28.96)] for postgraduates were linked to attitude. A gap in knowledge and more stigmatizing behavior was observed among community pharmacists. These findings imply the importance of tailored educational interventions to address knowledge gaps and promote positive attitudes toward opioid usage among community pharmacists. Therefore, it is imperative to deliver up-to-date information on opioids, emphasizing their high addiction potential, to ensure pharmacists are well-equipped with the latest information.

Advancement in Opioid Abuse-deterrent Formulation Technologies and Regulatory Expectation.

Chronic pain is a byproduct of many diseases and conditions. Along with long-term opioid medication use in chronic pain management, misuse of this vital medication has been a topic of much debate over the last two decades. Abuse-deterrent formulations play a critical role in comprehensive opioid risk management strategies, limiting the attractiveness and drug-liking qualities of an opioid drug by limiting their bioavailability, making abuse of the tampered opioid medication less appealing or rewarding, or impeding the extraction of the opioid drug and thus impeding the administration of the opioid formulation via alternative routes. The present article covers various regulatory actions, expectations in abuse-deterrent formulation approval, and emerging opioid abuse-deterrent formulation strategies, such as incorporating physical barriers, chemical barriers, aversion agents, pH modulating release properties, novel delivery systems, agonist/antagonist combinations, and prodrugs, as potential approaches to encountering the crisis of the opioid abuse epidemic. Looking at the severity of the opioid crisis across the globe now is the right time for various regulatory agencies to come under one roof to save society from the opioid epidemic, define the policy on how and when to prescribe opioid formulations to patients, perform abuse risk assessments, and make more efforts to approve only abusedeterrent opioid medication.

Psychosocial safety climate (PSC) and working conditions, predictors of mental health and antidepressant and opioid use in Australia: a study protocol for longitudinal data linkage

IntroductionWork-related stress is a social determinant of global health that represents a huge cost to workers’ health and reduces work performance. In Australia, mental well-being is a pressing national issue—with...

Arthroscopy Association of Canada Position Statement on Opioid Prescription After Arthroscopic Surgery.

Despite the ongoing opioid epidemic, most patients are still prescribed a significant number of opioid medications for pain management after arthroscopic surgery. There is a need for consensus among orthopaedic surgeons and solutions to aid providers in analgesic strategies that reduce the use of opioid pain medications. This position statement was developed with a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis of exclusively randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to synthesize the best available evidence for managing acute postoperative pain after arthroscopic surgery. Position statement. The Embase, MEDLINE, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases were searched from inception until August 10, 2022. Keywords included arthroscopy, opioids, analgesia, and pain, and associated variations. We included exclusively RCTs on adult patients to gather the best available evidence for managing acute postoperative pain after arthroscopic surgery. Patient characteristics, pain, and opioid data were extracted, data were analyzed, and trial bias was evaluated. A total of 21 RCTs were identified related to the prescription of opioid-sparing pain medication after arthroscopic surgery. The following recommendations regarding noninvasive, postoperative pain management strategies were made: (1) multimodal oral nonopioid analgesic regimens-including at least 1 of acetaminophen-a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug-can significantly reduce opioid consumption with no change in pain scores; (2) cryotherapy is likely to help with pain management, although the evidence on the optimal method of application (continuous-flow vs ice pack application) is unclear; (3) and (4) limited RCT evidence supports the efficacy of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation and relaxation exercises in reducing opioid consumption after arthroscopy; and (5) limited RCT evidence exists against the efficacy of transdermal lidocaine patches in reducing opioid consumption. A range of nonopioid strategies exist that can reduce postarthroscopic procedural opioid consumption with equivalent vocal pain outcomes. Optimal strategies include multimodal analgesia with education and restricted/reduced opioid prescription.

Ultrasound-guided fascia iliaca nerve block gelatin model

BackgroundPatients with hip fractures frequently present to the emergency department (ED). Traditional methods of pain control often include the use of opioid pain medication. Fascia iliaca nerve blocks offer an alternative method to acute pain management in the ED for hip fractures. At the time of this publication, there are no readily available, cost-effective gelatin models of the surrounding fascia iliaca anatomy. ObjectivesThe objective was to design an accurate and cost-effective model to simulate fascia iliaca nerve block models for training emergency medicine clinicians. DiscussionA gelatin model was created to simulate the anatomy of the inguinal region in order to perform a fascia iliaca block. This fascia iliaca nerve block model aided in training of residents and attendings to become familiar with the anatomy and techniques necessary to perform this nerve block. Clinicians were able to practice ultrasound guided in-plane approach into the fascia iliaca space where they could then hydrodissect and distill anesthetic. Each model could be used several times allowing trainees multiple attempts. ConclusionA method to create a fascia iliaca nerve block model using readily available supplies was designed to aid training of emergency medicine clinicians. We hope to improve the technique and clinician comfort-level when performing the fascia iliaca nerve block using this model.

FRI430 A Case Of Elevated Sex Hormone-binding Globulin Secondary To Variegate Porphyria In A Patient With Hypogonadotropic Hypogonadism

Abstract Disclosure: J. Law: None. C. Yip: Research Investigator; Self; Eli Lilly &amp; Company. Background: Acute porphyria is a group of disorders characterized by enzymatic defects in the heme biosynthetic pathway. The liver is the source of both acute intermittent porphyria (AIP) and variegate porphyria. AIP is known to cause an elevation in sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) levels, likely secondary to impaired hepatic function and hepatocyte abnormalities1. We describe a case of elevated SHBG secondary to variegate porphyria, in a male with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. Case Report: A 44-year-old male presented with an elevated SHBG and symptoms of hypogonadism with low libido, weakness, and fatigue. Fasting morning bloodwork revealed an elevated SHBG at 89 nmol/l (13.5- 71.0), a normal total testosterone level at 12.95 nmol/l (8-32), and a low bioavailable testosterone at 0.82 nmol/l (2.5-10), with confirmatory repeat blood work. His history was significant for longstanding variegate porphyria, manifesting as frequent attacks of abdominal pain. He was on opioids for greater then 10 years for his chronic pain, as well as metoclopramide. On assessment of causes for his elevated SHBG, his TSH was normal at 1.49 mIU/L (0.35-4.30). He did not have cirrhosis, hepatitis, hereditary hemochromatosis, and was not on anticonvulsants. No other cause was found, and his elevated SHBG was deemed secondary to his variegate porphyria. His normal total testosterone level was due to his elevated SHBG, but as mentioned, his bioavailable testosterone was low. His LH and FSH were both inappropriately normal, with his LH being 4.67 IU/L (0.6-12.0) and his FSH 4.7 IU/L (1.0-12.0), in keeping with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. He went through normal pubertal development and had no anosmia. Workup revealed an elevated prolactin level of 73.8 ug/l (3.5-19.4). He had no galactorrhea or gynecomastia and an MRI sella revealed a normal pituitary gland. His elevated prolactin level was determined to be secondary to his opioid medication and/or metoclopramide use. His hypogonadotropic hypogonadism was deemed secondary to his opioid medications and/or hyperprolactinemia. Conclusion: This case demonstrated variegate porphyria as a likely cause of elevated SHBG, similar to AIP. In patients with variegate porphyria and symptoms of hypogonadism, the SHBG should be measured and if it is elevated, the bioavailable or free testosterone levels should be used in assess instead of relying on the total testosterone levels. As has been previously shown, this case also illustrated the use of opioid medications as a cause of hypogonadotropic hypogonadism.

Causes of hypercapnic respiratory failure: a population-based case-control study

ObjectiveThere are no population-based data on the relative importance of specific causes of hypercapnic respiratory failure (HRF). We sought to quantify the associations between hospitalisation with HRF and potential antecedent causes including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), obstructive sleep apnea, and congestive cardiac failure. We used data on the prevalence of these conditions to estimate the population attributable fraction for each cause.MethodsA case–control study was conducted among residents aged ≥ 40 years from the Liverpool local government area in Sydney, Australia. Cases were identified from hospital records based on PaCO2 > 45 mmHg. Controls were randomly selected from the study population using a cluster sampling design. We collected self-reported data on medication use and performed spirometry, limited-channel sleep studies, venous sampling for N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels, and sniff nasal inspiratory pressure (SNIP) measurements. Logistic regression analyses were performed using directed acyclic graphs to identify covariates.ResultsWe recruited 42 cases and 105 controls. HRF was strongly associated with post-bronchodilator airflow obstruction, elevated NT-proBNP levels, reduced SNIP measurements and self-reported opioid medication use. There were no differences in the apnoea-hypopnea index or oxygen desaturation index between groups. COPD had the highest population attributable fraction (42%, 95% confidence interval 18% to 59%).ConclusionsCOPD, congestive cardiac failure, and self-reported use of opioid medications, but not obstructive sleep apnea, are important causes of HRF among adults over 40 years old. No single cause accounts for the majority of cases based on the population attributable fraction.

Nursing Best Practice: Safe Use, Storage, and Disposal of Opioid Medications & the Critical Contribution of Perianesthesia Nurses

Nursing Best Practice: Safe Use, Storage, and Disposal of Opioid Medications & the Critical Contribution of Perianesthesia Nurses

Factors associated with use of opioid rescue medication after surgery

BackgroundOpioid exposure after surgery increases risk of persistent opioid use. Here, we characterize at-home use of opioid rescue medication during 1–2 days after outpatient surgery (N=270) in a postoperative opioid-sparing...

Patient Selection Criteria in Ambulatory Spine Surgery: Single Canadian Provincial Experience

Ambulatory spinal surgery is a care delivery model meant to improve patient outcomes and reduce in-hospital length of stay (LOS). We reviewed the experience of implementing an outpatient spine surgery program in Manitoba, Canada and highlight elements that can be used to reduce LOS and re-presentation to hospital. This is a retrospective cohort study using data from the Canadian Spine Outcomes and Research Network and independent chart review of adult patients undergoing outpatient spinal surgery between 2015 and 2018. Patient demographics, comorbidities, perioperative course, LOS, and readmissions were analyzed. We included 217 patients in this analysis. The mean LOS was 36.2 hours; 71.98% of patients had a LOS <24 hours. A Kruskal-Wallis test by ranks analysis was conducted and identified 7 elements that correlated with prolonged length of stay (>1 day): age older than 55 (P= 0.027), body mass index >25 (P= 0.045), uncontrolled diabetes (P= 0.015), preoperative use of opioid medication (P= 0.024), American Society of Anesthesiologists classification of 3 (P= 0.023), non-minimally invasive surgical approach, and multilevel procedures. Most (94.1%) of the patients with none of these elements (i.e., age <55, low body mass index, normal/controlled diabetes, minimal preoperative opioid use, American Society of Anesthesiologist classification <3, minimally invasive surgical procedure) had a favorable LOS, <24 hours, compared with 84.8% with 1 risk factor, 80.4% of those with two, 69.8% with three, 53.1% with four, and 31.2% with 5 or more. A small number of patients (14.98%) presented to an emergency department within 90 days of their operation, and there was a 6.28% readmission rate. We identified several patient and surgical criteria that correlate with prolonged length of stays following planned ambulatory spine surgery. Our work provides some empiric evidence to help guide surgeons on which patients and approaches are ideal for ambulatory surgery.