Opium addiction is associated with increased risk of ERCP-related complications: A matched case-control study

The potential impact of opium addiction on medical procedures has not been thoroughly investigated. In the present study, we aimed at investigating the potential association between opium addiction and the outcomes of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP).

In this retrospective case-control study, patients who underwent ERCP between July 2021 and October 2023 at a tertiary care center were screened and patients with opium addiction were matched with non-addict patients based on age, sex, ERCP indication and the cannulation approach at 1:1 ratio. The analysis compared the ERCP findings and post-ERCP complications between the two groups.

Overall, 276 patients with and without opium addiction were included (n = 138 for each group). The overall complication rate in the opium group was 10.1%, significantly higher than the control group (1.4%) (p = 0.003). Post-ERCP pancreatitis (5.8% vs. 1.4%, p = 0.046), bleeding (2.9% vs. 0%, p = 0.044) and perforation (1.4% vs. 0%, p = 0.156) were more common in the opium group. The procedural success rate of ERCP was 79.0% in opium group, while patients without opium addiction had a success rate of 85.5%, but it was not statistically significant (p = 0.207).

ERCP could be associated with higher rate of complications in opium-addict patients. Accurate procedural techniques and appropriate prophylaxis should be considered to reduce the risk of complications.