Persistence patterns of opioid use over three follow-up years: the difference between non-cancer and cancer pain

• Main Authors: Abdullah Sani, Asween Rowena, Zin, Che Suraya, Mohamed, Abdul Hadi, Izat, Munira, Ng, Kim Swan
• Format: Conference or Workshop Item
• Language: English
• Published: 2018
• Subjects: RS Pharmacy and materia medica
• Online Access: http://irep.iium.edu.my/63286/1/180404_program_book_abtract_MASP.pdf; http://irep.iium.edu.my/63286/; http://www.masp.org.my/

Persistence Patterns Of Opioid Use Over Three Follow-Up Years: The Difference Between Non-cancer And Cancer Pain Asween Rowena Sani1, Che Suraya Zin1, Abdul Hadi Mohamed1, Munira Izat2, Tan Hung Ling2 and Ng Kim Swan3 1International Islamic University Malaysia, Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia. 2Hospital Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. 3Hospital Selayang, Selangor, Malaysia. Background: This study examined the persistence patterns of opioid use in patients with non-cancer and cancer pain over three follow-up years. Methods: All prescriptions for opioids (buprenorphine, dihydrocodeine, fentanyl, oxycodone, morphine) issued by the outpatient tertiary hospital settings between 2013 and 2015 were examined. Wide definition of persistence refers to patients prescribed >0.7DDD or >16.7mg morphine equivalents (MME) per day for at least 3 quarters of a year. Intermediate persistence refers to patients prescribed >1 DDD or 12.3 MME per day in a year, and strict persistence refers to patients prescribed >2 DDD or 49.3 MME per day in a year. Patients who did not meet any of the definitions were categorized as non-persistent. The number of patients in each definition at the end of a 3-year follow-up period were calculated. Analyses were performed using Stata 13. Results: Non-persistent opioid users were predominant in both non-cancer (86%) and cancer (94%) groups. Persistent opioid users in the wide, intermediate, and strict definitions at the end of follow up period were 19% (n=4/21) ,43% (n=3/7), and 25% (n=1/4) vs. 6% (n=2/31), 0% (n=0/3), and 17% (n=1/6) in the non-cancer vs. cancer groups respectively. Conclusion: Non-cancer pain patients in the intermediate and cancer pain in the strict definitions were most likely to continue opioid treatment over a 3-year period. Future work to determine factors related to differential in persistence patterns of opioid use particularly in non-cancer pain patients. Acknowledgement: CSZ was supported by research grants from the Ministry of Education Malaysia Fundamental Research Grant Scheme-FRGS 15-195-0436).