In a United Kingdom–based trial using data from anonymized medical records in Clinical Practice Research Datalink published by Huang et al in Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, researchers identified trends of long-term opioid use in patients with fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, and axial spondyloarthritis. Researchers pointed out that many patients with rheumatic or musculoskeletal diseases who start opioids for the first time become long-term users and emphasized the importance of vigilance in prescribing opioids to this patient population. They concluded their letter by writing, “Introduction of prompt interventions, such as medication reviews or deprescribing, to ensure the appropriateness of long-term opioid therapy, and proactive consideration of nonpharmacological treatments for pain relief would also be of benefit to reduce avoidable harms in this patient population.”
May 25, 2023