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Opioid use in patients with polymyalgia rheumatica
Michael D Richter1, Sara J Achenbach2, Jorge A Zamora-Legoff3
1Division of Graduate Medical Education, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN, USA. richter.michael@mayo.edu.
Clinical and Experimental Rheumatology
|July 1, 2017
Summary
Chronic opioid use is not more common in polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) patients than in the general population. This study found similar rates of opioid prescriptions between PMR patients and non-PMR individuals.
Area of Science:
- Rheumatology
- Pain Management
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) is an inflammatory condition.
- Chronic opioid use is a significant public health concern.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate chronic opioid use trends in PMR patients.
- To compare opioid use in PMR patients versus non-PMR individuals over an 11-year period.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective population-based study (2005-2015) in Olmsted County, MN.
- Included patients meeting 2012 ACR criteria for PMR and comparison subjects.
- Poisson regression analyzed opioid prescription data.
Main Results:
- 244 PMR patients and 211 non-PMR subjects were analyzed.
- Chronic opioid use rates were similar: 7.5% in PMR vs. 5.2% in non-PMR.
- No significant difference in any opioid use (RR 1.10, p=0.14); higher rates in both groups over 80.
Conclusions:
- PMR patients do not exhibit higher chronic opioid use compared to the general population.
- Opioid prescribing patterns appear consistent between PMR and non-PMR groups.
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