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Higher rate of disability seen in low back pain patients prescribed opioids
Researchers from the United Kingdom have found that use of opioids correlated with worse function in patients with low back pain at 6-month follow-up, according to results of this study.
“Our findings indicate that even after adjusting for a substantial number of potential confounders, opioids were associated with slightly worse functioning in back pain patients at 6-month follow-up,” the researchers wrote in their study abstract. “Further research may help us understand the mechanisms underlying these findings, and inform clinical decisions regarding the usefulness of opioids for back pain.”
Researchers identified 715 patients with low back pain and evaluated their opioid electronic health records and morphine equivalent doses at baseline and 6 months, according to the abstract. Of these patients, 234 patients were prescribed opioids.
After multivariate analysis, the researchers found opioid use was significantly associated with high disability compared to patients who did not take opioids. The researchers used the Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire to measure disability at 6 months.
Disclosure: The authors have no relevant financial disclosures.