Objectives

Chronic opioid therapy (COT) for chronic noncancer pain (CNCP) is characterized by both high rates of patient-initiated discontinuation and by perceived helpfulness among those who sustain opioid use. This study examines predictors of the desire to cut down or stop opioid therapy among patients receiving COT who report that opioids are helpful for relieving pain.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional survey of 1737 selected patients receiving COT for CNCP who perceived opioids to be helpful in relieving their pain. Ambivalence about opioid use was assessed by agreement/disagreement with a statement indicating that they would like to stop or cut down the use of prescribed opioid medications. Depression was measured with the 8-item Patient Health Questionnaire.

Results

A high percentage (43.3%) of survey respondents who found opioids helpful also reported the desire to stop or cut down opioids. Half of these patients reporting the desire to stop or cut down were clinically depressed, compared with a third of those not wanting to stop or cut down, a highly significant difference after controlling for covariates (P<0.0001). The group wanting to stop or cut down opioid use also reported significantly higher levels of opioid-related psychosocial problems and opioid control concerns.

Discussion

There are high rates of ambivalence about opioid use among COT recipients who consider opioids helpful for pain relief. Depressed patients are more likely to be ambivalent about use of prescribed opioids. Eliciting patient ambivalence may be helpful in patients who are not benefiting from long-term opioid use as an initial step toward consideration of discontinuation.

Background

Chronic opioid therapy has increased dramatically, as have complications related to prescription opioids. Little is known about the problems and concerns attributed to opioids by patients receiving different opioid doses.

Methods

We surveyed 1883 patients who were receiving chronic opioid therapy for chronic noncancer pain. Opioid regimen characteristics were ascertained from electronic pharmacy records. Patient-reported opioid-related problems and concerns were measured using the Prescription Opioid Difficulties Scale. Depression was assessed with the Patient Health Questionnaire.

Results

Patients prescribed higher opioid doses reported modestly higher pain intensity and pain impact. After adjustment, patients on higher doses attributed higher levels of psychosocial problems and control concerns to prescribed opioids (P<.0001). They also had higher levels of depression and were more likely to meet criteria for clinical depression. Over 60% of patients receiving 120+ mg daily (morphine equivalent) were clinically depressed, a 2.6-fold higher risk (95% confidence interval: 1.5-4.4) than patients on low-dose regimens (<20 mg daily).

Conclusions

Higher opioid doses were associated with somewhat higher pain severity and higher levels of patient-reported opioid-related psychosocial problems, control concerns and depression. These findings may result from patient selection for high-dose therapy or problems caused by higher-dose opioids.