scholarly journals Physicians Experience with and Expectations of the Safety and Tolerability of WHO-Step III Opioids for Chronic (Low) Back Pain: Post Hoc Analysis of Data from a German Cross-Sectional Physician Survey

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Michael A. Ueberall ◽  
Alice Eberhardt ◽  
Gerhard H. H. Mueller-Schwefe

Objective. To describe physicians’ daily life experience with WHO-step III opioids in the treatment of chronic (low) back pain (CLBP). Methods. Post hoc analysis of data from a cross-sectional online survey with 4.283 Germany physicians. Results. With a reported median use in 17% of affected patients, WHO-step III opioids play a minor role in treatment of CLBP in daily practice associated with a broad spectrum of positive and negative effects. If prescribed, potent opioids were reported to show clinically relevant effects (such as ≥50% pain relief) in approximately 3 of 4 patients (median 72%). Analgesic effects reported are frequently related with adverse events (AEs). Only 20% of patients were reported to remain free of any AE. Most frequently reported AE was constipation (50%), also graded highest for AE-related daily life restrictions (median 46%). Specific AE countermeasures were reported to be necessary in approximately half of patients (median 45%); nevertheless AE-related premature discontinuation rates reported were high (median 22%). Fentanyl/morphine were the most/least prevalently prescribed potent opioids mentioned (median 20 versus 8%). Conclusion. Overall, use of WHO-step III opioids for CLBP is low. AEs, especially constipation, are commonly reported and interfere significantly with analgesic effects in daily practice. Nevertheless, beneficial effects outweigh related AEs in most patients with CLBP.

2017 ◽  
Vol Volume 10 ◽  
pp. 2157-2168 ◽  
Author(s):  
Toshinaga Tsuji ◽  
Naohiro Itoh ◽  
Mitsuhiro Ishida ◽  
Toshimitsu Ochiai ◽  
Shin-ichi Konno

2014 ◽  
Vol 36 (4) ◽  
pp. 544-551 ◽  
Author(s):  
Owen D. Williamson ◽  
Melissa Schroer ◽  
Dustin D. Ruff ◽  
Jonna Ahl ◽  
Anthony Margherita ◽  
...  

2022 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yueming Hu ◽  
Zechuan Yang ◽  
Yong Li ◽  
Yong Xu ◽  
Mengge Tian ◽  
...  

Background: Few studies have focused on depressive symptoms among patients with chronic low back pain in China. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to assess the prevalence and associated factors of depressive symptoms in patients with chronic low back pain.Methods: From May to August 2021, 1,172 patients with chronic low back pain were recruited in China. Depressive symptoms were assessed through the Patient Health Questionnaire. Associations of demographic characteristics, clinical characters and social-psychological factors with depressive symptoms were investigated among patients with chronic low back pain.Results: The prevalence of depressive symptoms was 25.00%. Logistic regression analysis found that duration of pain in 1-5 years (1-3 years: OR = 2.91, 95%CI: 1.65-5.14, 3-5 years: OR = 3.09, 95%CI: 1.55-6.15) and more severe pain (OR = 1.13, 95%CI: 1.10-1.17) were associated with higher risks of depressive symptoms. Better family function (good family function: OR = 0.25, 95%CI: 0.15-0.41, moderate family dysfunction: OR = 0.47, 95%CI: 0.29-0.77) and higher pain self-efficacy (OR = 0.94, 95%CI: 0.93-0.95) were associated with lower risks of depressive symptoms.Conclusion: Patients with chronic low back pain have a high prevalence of depressive symptoms in China. Duration of pain, pain severity, family function and pain self-efficacy were predictors of depressive symptoms among chronic low back pain patients in China. Early identification of the associated factors may be helpful for the timely management of depressive symptoms.


2014 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 323 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aleksandra Zgierska, MD, PhD ◽  
Margaret L. Wallace, PharmD, BCACP ◽  
Cindy A. Burzinski, MS ◽  
Jennifer Cox, BS ◽  
Miroslav Backonja, MD

Objective: Refractory chronic low back pain (CLBP) often leads to treatment with long-term opioids. Our goal was to describe the pharmaco-toxicological profile of opioid-treated CLBP patients and identify potential areas for care optimization.Design: Cross-sectional analysis.Setting: Outpatient primary care.Participants: CLBP patients prescribed ≥ 30 mg/d of morphine-equivalent dose (MED) for ≥3 months.Outcome Measures: Self-reported clinical, medication (verified) and substance use, and urine drug testing (UDT) data were collected.Results: Participants (N = 35) were 51.8 ± 9.7 years old, 80 percent female with CLBP for 14.2 ± 10.1 years, treated with opioids for 7.9 ± 5.7 years, with severe disability (Oswestry Disability Index score: 66.7 ± 11.4), and average pain score of 5.6 ± 1.5 (0-10 rating scale). Participants reported using tobacco (N = 14), alcohol (N = 9) and illicit drugs or unprescribed medications (N = 10). On average, participants took 13.4 ± 6.8 daily medications, including 4.7 ± 1.8 pain-modulating and 4.7 ± 2.0 sedating medications. Among prescribed opioids, 57.1 percent were long-acting and 91.4 percent were short-acting, with a total of 144.5 ± 127.8 mg/d of MED. Sixteen participants were prescribed benzodiazepines and/or zolpidem/zaleplon. Fifteen participants had UDT positive for illicit drugs or unprescribed medications; in addition, eight tested positive for alcohol and 19 for cotinine. Compared to those with negative UDTs, those with positive UDTs (N = 15) received lower daily “total” and “extended release” opioid doses, and were more likely to test positive for cotinine (p < 0.05).Conclusions: Study findings corroborate existing evidence for high medication burden and high likelihood of substance misuse among opioid-treated CLBP patients. Further research is needed to help understand causality and ways to optimize care and clinical outcomes.


2016 ◽  
Vol 96 (7) ◽  
pp. 1049-1056 ◽  
Author(s):  
Corey B. Simon ◽  
Trevor A. Lentz ◽  
Mark D. Bishop ◽  
Joseph L. Riley ◽  
Roger B. Fillingim ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Because of its high global burden, determining biopsychosocial influences of chronic low back pain (CLBP) is a research priority. Psychological factors such as pain catastrophizing are well established. However, cognitive factors such as working memory warrant further investigation to be clinically useful. Objective The purpose of this study was to determine how working memory and pain catastrophizing are associated with CLBP measures of daily pain intensity and movement-evoked pain intensity. Design This study was a cross-sectional analysis of individuals with ≥3 months of CLBP (n=60) compared with pain-free controls (n=30). Method Participants completed measures of working memory, pain catastrophizing, and daily pain intensity. Movement-evoked pain intensity was assessed using the Back Performance Scale. Outcome measures were compared between individuals with CLBP and those who were pain-free using nonparametric testing. Associations were determined using multivariate regression analyses. Results Participants with CLBP (mean age=47.7 years, 68% female) had lower working memory performance (P=.008) and higher pain catastrophizing (P&lt;.001) compared with pain-free controls (mean age=47.6 years, 63% female). For individuals with CLBP, only working memory remained associated with daily pain intensity (R2=.07, standardized beta=−.308, P=.041) and movement-evoked pain intensity (R2=.14, standardized beta=−.502, P=.001) after accounting for age, sex, education, and interactions between pain catastrophizing and working memory. Limitations The cross-sectional design prevented prospective analysis. Findings also are not indicative of overall working memory (eg, spatial) or cognitive performance. Conclusion Working memory demonstrated the strongest association with daily pain and movement-evoked pain intensity compared with (and after accounting for) established CLBP factors. Future research will elucidate the prognostic value of working memory on prevention and recovery of CLBP.


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