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Concurrent prescribing of opioids with other sedating medications after cancer diagnosis: a population-level analysis.
- Source :
-
Supportive Care in Cancer . Dec2022, Vol. 30 Issue 12, p9781-9791. 11p. - Publication Year :
- 2022
-
Abstract
- <bold>Purpose: </bold>Cancer is a major reason for concurrent prescription of opioids with other sedating medications-particularly benzodiazepines and gabapentinoids-yet population-based assessments of the extent and predictors of concurrent prescribing among clinically and demographically diverse patients with cancer are lacking.<bold>Methods: </bold>We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients with non-metastatic cancer using North Carolina cancer registry data linked with Medicare and private insurance claims (2013-2016). We used modified Poisson regression to assess associations of patient characteristic with adjusted relative risk (aRR) of new concurrent prescribing of opioids with benzodiazepines or gabapentinoids after diagnosis.<bold>Results: </bold>Overall, 15% of patients were concurrently prescribed opioids with benzodiazepines or gabapentinoids. Characteristics independently associated with an increased risk of concurrent prescribing included cancer type (e.g., aRR cervical vs. colorectal cancer: 1.55, 95% CI: 1.12-2.14); prior use of opioids (aRR: 2.43, 95% CI:2.21-2.67), benzodiazepines (aRR: 4.08, 95% CI: 3.72-4.48), or gabapentinoids (3.82, 95% CI: 3.31-4.39), and premorbid mental health conditions, including substance use disorder (aRR: 1.27, 95% CI: 1.05-1.54). Black and Hispanic patients were less likely to experience concurrent prescribing (aRR, Black vs. White: 0.35, 95% CI: 0.15-0.83; aRR, Hispanic vs. White: 0.75, 95% CI: 0.66-0.85).<bold>Conclusion: </bold>Approximately 1 in 7 patients with cancer was concurrently prescribed opioids with other sedating medications. Associations between patient characteristics and risk of concurrent prescribing highlight predictors of concurrent prescribing and suggest a rationale for systematic assessment of substance use history at diagnosis. Future research could explore inequitable pain and symptom management and investigate risk of adverse medication-related events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 09414355
- Volume :
- 30
- Issue :
- 12
- Database :
- Academic Search Index
- Journal :
- Supportive Care in Cancer
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 160540718
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-022-07439-y