[Safety-relevant performance of patients on chronic opioid therapy]

Is there a difference in performance and psychomotor function between patients on chronic opioid therapy and healthy controls and which factors influence the performance of the patients?

A total of 80 patients and 243 healthy controls were investigated with computer-based tests concerning concentration, coordination, reaction time, vigilance, and perception.

The patients' results were worse in the test for concentration and better in the test for coordination than the results of the healthy controls. The results in the tests for reaction time, vigilance, and perception did not significantly differ between the two groups. Patients receiving an antidepressant in addition to the opioid were worse in the test for concentration than patients without antidepressant. Patients older than 50 years were impaired in four of five tests, and patients driving a car within the last 12 months had better results than patients without driving experience. Pain intensity, dose of opioid, mental feeling and side effects did not influence the results of the patients.

Psychomotor function and performance are not inevitably impaired in patients receiving opioids for pain therapy, but the ranges in the results prevent general conclusions. Performance and driving ability must be evaluated individually.