Health-Related Quality of Life among Chronic Opioid Users, Nonchronic Opioid Users, and Nonopioid Users with Chronic Noncancer Pain

Abstract

<div class="section"> <a class="named-anchor" id="hesr12836-sec-0001"> <!-- named anchor --> </a> <h5 class="section-title" id="d443359e275">Objective</h5> <p id="d443359e277">Evaluate the association between opioid therapy and health‐related quality of life ( <span style="fixed-case">HRQ</span>oL) in participants with chronic, noncancer pain ( <span style="fixed-case">CNCP</span>). </p> </div><div class="section"> <a class="named-anchor" id="hesr12836-sec-0002"> <!-- named anchor --> </a> <h5 class="section-title" id="d443359e286">Data Sources</h5> <p id="d443359e288">Medical Expenditure Panel Survey Longitudinal, Medical Conditions, and Prescription Files. </p> </div><div class="section"> <a class="named-anchor" id="hesr12836-sec-0003"> <!-- named anchor --> </a> <h5 class="section-title" id="d443359e291">Study Design</h5> <p id="d443359e293">Using a retrospective cohort study design, the Mental Health Component ( <span style="fixed-case">MCS</span>12) and Physical Health Component ( <span style="fixed-case">PCS</span>12) scores of the Short Form‐12 Version 2 were assessed to measure mental and physical <span style="fixed-case">HRQ</span>oL. </p> </div><div class="section"> <a class="named-anchor" id="hesr12836-sec-0004"> <!-- named anchor --> </a> <h5 class="section-title" id="d443359e305">Data Collection</h5> <p id="d443359e307">Chronic, noncancer pain participants were classified as chronic, nonchronic, and nonopioid users. One‐to‐one propensity score matching was employed to match chronic opioid users to nonchronic opioid users plus nonchronic opioid users and chronic opioid users to nonopioid users. </p> </div><div class="section"> <a class="named-anchor" id="hesr12836-sec-0005"> <!-- named anchor --> </a> <h5 class="section-title" id="d443359e310">Principal Findings</h5> <p id="d443359e312">A total of 5,876 participants were identified. After matching, <span style="fixed-case">PCS</span>12 was not significantly different between nonchronic versus nonopioid users ( <span style="fixed-case">LSM</span> Diff = −0.98, 95% <span style="fixed-case">CI</span>: −2.07, 0.10), chronic versus nonopioid users ( <span style="fixed-case">LSM</span> Diff = −2.24, 95% <span style="fixed-case">CI</span>: −4.58, 0.10), or chronic versus nonchronic opioid users ( <span style="fixed-case">LSM</span> Diff = −2.23, 95% <span style="fixed-case">CI</span>: −4.53, 0.05). Similarly, <span style="fixed-case">MCS</span>12 was not significantly different between nonchronic versus nonopioid users ( <span style="fixed-case">LSM</span> Diff = 0.76, 95% <span style="fixed-case">CI</span>: −0.46, 1.98), chronic versus nonopioid users ( <span style="fixed-case">LSM</span> Diff = 1.08, 95% <span style="fixed-case">CI</span>: −1.26, 3.42), or chronic versus nonchronic opioid users ( <span style="fixed-case">LSM</span> Diff = −0.57, 95% <span style="fixed-case">CI</span>: −2.90, 1.77). </p> </div><div class="section"> <a class="named-anchor" id="hesr12836-sec-0006"> <!-- named anchor --> </a> <h5 class="section-title" id="d443359e359">Conclusions</h5> <p id="d443359e361">Clinicians should evaluate opioid use in participants with <span style="fixed-case">CNCP</span> as opioid use is not correlated with better <span style="fixed-case">HRQ</span>oL. </p> </div>