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Preoperative opioid use linked with lower return-to-work rate after cervical fusion
Results from this study demonstrated workers’ compensation patients who used opioids prior to cervical fusion for degenerative disc disease were less likely to return to work compared with those who had no previous opioid use.
Researchers identified 77 patients who were given opioids prior to single-level cervical fusion for degenerative disc disease and compared their return-to-work rates with 204 patients who underwent fusion without prior opioid use. All patients in the study qualified for workers’ compensation. Investigators collected data that included age at index fusion, days absent from work and time between injury and surgery.
The primary outcome of the study was whether patients met criteria for return-to-work within 3-years follow-up. Investigators also assessed return-to-work rates at 1 year, days absent from work, new litigation, whether new permanent disability was awarded, surgical complications and additional procedures needed at 3-year follow-up. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine how preoperative opioid use affected return-to-work status.
Results showed 36.4% of patients who used opioids preoperatively met criteria for returning to work and 56.4% of patients who did not use opioids met these criteria. Investigators noted opioid users were less likely to meet the return-to-work criteria (odds ratio of 0.44). After 1-year postoperatively, 24.7% of patients who used opioids returned to work vs. 45.6% of those who did not use opioids. Opioids users on average were absent 255 more days compared with patients who did not use opioids preoperatively. ‒ by Monica Jaramillo
Disclosures: Faour reports no relevant financial disclosures. Please see the full study for a list of all other authors’ relevant financial disclosures.