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Papers of the Week


Papers: 5 Feb 2022 - 11 Feb 2022


Human Studies


2022 Feb 07


J Pain

Trends in Prescriptions for Non-opioid Pain Medications among U.S. Adults with Moderate or Severe Pain, 2014-2018.

Authors

Gorfinkel LR, Hasin D, Saxon AJ, Wall M, Martins SS, Cerdá M, Keyes K, Fink DS, Keyhani S, Maynard CC, Olfson M
J Pain. 2022 Feb 07.
PMID: 35143969.

Abstract

As opioid prescribing has declined, it is unclear how the landscape of prescription pain treatment across the US has changed. We used nationally-representative data from the Medical Expenditure Health Survey, 2014-2018 to examine trends in prescriptions for opioid and non-opioid pain medications, including acetaminophen, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), gabapentinoids, and antidepressants among US adults with self-reported pain. Overall, from 2014-2018, the percentage of participants receiving a prescription for opioids declined, (38.8% vs. 32.8%), remained stable for NSAIDs (26.8% vs. 27.7%), and increased for acetaminophen (1.6% vs. 2.3%), antidepressants (9.6% vs. 12.0%) and gabapentinoids (13.2% vs. 19.0%). In this period, the adjusted odds of receiving an opioid prescription decreased (aOR=0.93, 95% CI=0.90-0.96), while the adjusted odds of receiving antidepressant, gabapentinoid and acetaminophen prescriptions increased (antidepressants: aOR=1.08, 95% CI=1.03-1.13 gabapentinoids: aOR=1.11, 95% CI=1.06-1.17; acetaminophen: aOR=1.10, 95% CI: 1.02-1.20). Secondary analyses stratifiying within the 2014-2016 and 2016-2018 periods revealed particular increases in prescriptions for gabapentinoids (aOR=1.13, 95% CI=1.05-1.21) and antidepressants (aOR=1.23, 95% CI=1.12-1.35) since 2016.