Patient-Reported Outcomes and Opioid Use in Outpatients With Chronic Pain

The Weill Cornell Medical College Pain Registry database contains patient characteristics, treatments, and outcomes for a prospective cohort of 1,159 chronic pain patients who were seen at the Weill Cornell Medical College Pain Medicine outpatient clinic from July 8, 2011 to December 10, 2014. Patients aged 45 to 64 years comprised 43% followed by age ≥ 65 years at 37%. Fifty-eight percent were female. Average pain intensity (Brief Pain Inventory) was reported as mild by 22.3% of patients, moderate by 34.7%, and severe by 43.0%. For each pain intensity category, patient's report of average percent pain relief and health state (EuroQOL 5 Dimensions) was inversely related to average pain intensity category, whereas measures of pain interference, number of worst pain locations, and physical and psychological distress were directly related to pain intensity category. Seventy-seven percent of patients received an opioid at 1 or more clinic encounters. Median daily opioid dose in morphine equivalents was 55 with a range from 2 to 1,145 morphine equivalents. Regression analysis revealed that being male was associated with greater likelihood of an opioid ordered and higher average dosage than being female. The registry can identify patient characteristics and treatments that provide new insights into chronic pain management.

This article describes results of analyses of patient-reported outcomes and patient-related electronic health record data collected under standard of care from a prospective cohort of chronic pain outpatients at a New York City pain management clinic. The registry provides an opportunity to learn how to improve individualized chronic pain management.