Little Evidence Supports Opioid Use for Chronic Pain
|
By HospiMedica International staff writers Posted on 27 Jan 2015 |
|
A new study reveals that there is paltry evidence for the long-term safety and efficacy of opioids in the treatment of chronic pain.
Researchers at the Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU; Portland, USA) and the University of Washington (Seattle, USA) searched MEDLINE, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, PsycINFO, and other sources for randomized trials and observational studies that evaluated the effectiveness and harms of opioid therapy in adults with chronic pain who were prescribed long-term (over three months) therapy.
The results showed that no study of opioid therapy evaluated long-term outcomes related to pain, function, quality of life, opioid abuse, or addiction. Conversely, observational studies suggested that opioid therapy for chronic pain is in fact associated with increased risk for overdose, opioid abuse, fractures, myocardial infarction (MI), and markers of sexual dysfunction, although there are few studies for each of these outcomes; for some harms, higher doses were associated with increased risk. The study was published on January 13, 2015, in Annals of Internal Medicine.
“The lack of scientific evidence on effectiveness and harms of long-term opioid therapy for chronic pain is clear and is in striking contrast to its widespread use for this condition and the large increase in prescription opioid-related overdoses,” concluded lead author Roger Chou, MD, of OHSU, and colleagues. “Evidence is insufficient to determine the effectiveness of long-term opioid therapy for improving chronic pain and function. Most randomized, controlled trials of opioids for chronic pain were shorter than 6 weeks, and nearly all ran for no longer than 16 weeks.”
Prescriptions of opioid medications for chronic pain have increased dramatically, a trend that has been accompanied by greatly increased levels of opioid overdose, abuse, addiction, and diversion. When compared with placebo, opioid therapy has been found to be associated with alleviation of pain in the short term, but most opioid trials do not extend beyond six weeks and are of limited relevance to long-term opioid use.
Related Links:
Oregon Health & Science University
University of Washington
Researchers at the Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU; Portland, USA) and the University of Washington (Seattle, USA) searched MEDLINE, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, PsycINFO, and other sources for randomized trials and observational studies that evaluated the effectiveness and harms of opioid therapy in adults with chronic pain who were prescribed long-term (over three months) therapy.
The results showed that no study of opioid therapy evaluated long-term outcomes related to pain, function, quality of life, opioid abuse, or addiction. Conversely, observational studies suggested that opioid therapy for chronic pain is in fact associated with increased risk for overdose, opioid abuse, fractures, myocardial infarction (MI), and markers of sexual dysfunction, although there are few studies for each of these outcomes; for some harms, higher doses were associated with increased risk. The study was published on January 13, 2015, in Annals of Internal Medicine.
“The lack of scientific evidence on effectiveness and harms of long-term opioid therapy for chronic pain is clear and is in striking contrast to its widespread use for this condition and the large increase in prescription opioid-related overdoses,” concluded lead author Roger Chou, MD, of OHSU, and colleagues. “Evidence is insufficient to determine the effectiveness of long-term opioid therapy for improving chronic pain and function. Most randomized, controlled trials of opioids for chronic pain were shorter than 6 weeks, and nearly all ran for no longer than 16 weeks.”
Prescriptions of opioid medications for chronic pain have increased dramatically, a trend that has been accompanied by greatly increased levels of opioid overdose, abuse, addiction, and diversion. When compared with placebo, opioid therapy has been found to be associated with alleviation of pain in the short term, but most opioid trials do not extend beyond six weeks and are of limited relevance to long-term opioid use.
Related Links:
Oregon Health & Science University
University of Washington
Gold Member
POC Blood Gas Analyzer
Stat Profile Prime Plus
Gold Member
STI Test
Vivalytic Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) Array
Silver Member
Compact 14-Day Uninterrupted Holter ECG
NR-314P
New
Single Chamber Ultrasonic - Wash / Rinse
565 PLUS Series
Latest Critical Care News
- Breakthrough Computational Method Predicts Sudden Cardiac Death
- Ingestible Microbiome Sampling Pill to Help Diagnose Wide Range of Health Conditions
- GPS-Like Smart Pills with AI Provide Real-Time 3D Monitoring Of Gastrointestinal Health
- Bioengineering Breakthrough to Improve Bone Regeneration Treatments
- Soft Robots with Electronic Skins and Artificial Muscles to Provide Medical Treatment
- AI Camera Technology Helps Doctors Quickly Assess Severity of Infections
- Machine Learning Delivers Personalized Oxygenation for Patients on Ventilators
- New AI Algorithm Detects Rare Epileptic Seizures from EEG Data
- Facial Thermal Imaging Combined with AI Predicts Coronary Artery Disease
- AI Technology Predicts Cardiac Events 10 Years in Advance
- Recyclable ‘Smart Skin’ Monitors Biological Signals on Demand
- Novel Catheter to Reduce Risk for Associated Urinary Tract Infections and Sepsis
- AI Doubles Medical Professionals’ Accuracy in Reading EEG Charts of ICU Patients
- Flexible Device Enables Sweat Gland Stimulation and Simultaneous Biosensing
- WHO Publishes First Global Guidelines to Reduce Bloodstream Infections from Catheter Use
- Innovative Material Paves Way for Next-Generation Wearable Devices
Channels
Surgical Techniques
view channel
Total Robotic Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Proves More Beneficial than Conventional Laparoscopy
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 42.4% of Americans are affected by obesity. Research indicates that obesity can compromise the immune system, trigger chronic inflammation,... Read more
Wirelessly Activated Robotic Device Aids Digestion in Patients with Compromised Organs
The transport of fluids and solids is essential in the human body, driven by a wave-like movement in the lumen known as peristalsis. However, peristalsis can be disrupted in patients who have obstructions... Read more
Patient Care
view channel
First-Of-Its-Kind Portable Germicidal Light Technology Disinfects High-Touch Clinical Surfaces in Seconds
Reducing healthcare-acquired infections (HAIs) remains a pressing issue within global healthcare systems. In the United States alone, 1.7 million patients contract HAIs annually, leading to approximately... Read more
Surgical Capacity Optimization Solution Helps Hospitals Boost OR Utilization
An innovative solution has the capability to transform surgical capacity utilization by targeting the root cause of surgical block time inefficiencies. Fujitsu Limited’s (Tokyo, Japan) Surgical Capacity... Read more
Game-Changing Innovation in Surgical Instrument Sterilization Significantly Improves OR Throughput
A groundbreaking innovation enables hospitals to significantly improve instrument processing time and throughput in operating rooms (ORs) and sterile processing departments. Turbett Surgical, Inc.... Read more
Health IT
view channel
Machine Learning Model Improves Mortality Risk Prediction for Cardiac Surgery Patients
Machine learning algorithms have been deployed to create predictive models in various medical fields, with some demonstrating improved outcomes compared to their standard-of-care counterparts.... Read more
Strategic Collaboration to Develop and Integrate Generative AI into Healthcare
Top industry experts have underscored the immediate requirement for healthcare systems and hospitals to respond to severe cost and margin pressures. Close to half of U.S. hospitals ended 2022 in the red... Read more
AI-Enabled Operating Rooms Solution Helps Hospitals Maximize Utilization and Unlock Capacity
For healthcare organizations, optimizing operating room (OR) utilization during prime time hours is a complex challenge. Surgeons and clinics face difficulties in finding available slots for booking cases,... Read more
AI Predicts Pancreatic Cancer Three Years before Diagnosis from Patients’ Medical Records
Screening for common cancers like breast, cervix, and prostate cancer relies on relatively simple and highly effective techniques, such as mammograms, Pap smears, and blood tests. These methods have revolutionized... Read morePoint of Care
view channel
POCT for Infectious Diseases Delivers Laboratory Equivalent Pathology Results
On-site pathology tests for infectious diseases in rural and remote locations can achieve the same level of reliability and accuracy as those conducted in hospital laboratories, a recent study suggests.... Read more
Cartridge-Based Hemostasis Analyzer System Enables Faster Coagulation Testing
Quickly assessing a patient's total hemostasis status can be critical to influencing clinical outcomes and using blood products. Haemonetics Corporation (Boston, MA, USA) has now obtained 510(k) clearance... Read more
Critical Bleeding Management System to Help Hospitals Further Standardize Viscoelastic Testing
Surgical procedures are often accompanied by significant blood loss and the subsequent high likelihood of the need for allogeneic blood transfusions. These transfusions, while critical, are linked to various... Read more
Business
view channel
BD Acquires Edwards Lifesciences' Critical Care Product Group for USD 4.2 Billion
BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company, Franklin Lakes, NJ, USA) and Edwards Lifesciences (Irvine, CA, USA) have entered into a definitive agreement under which BD will acquire Edwards' Critical Care product... Read more
