Evidence does not support use of long-term opioid therapy for chronic pain

3.5 out of 5 stars The Effectivenss and Risks of Long-Term Opioid Therapy for Chronic Pain: A Systematic Review for a National Institutes of Health Pathways to Prevention Workshop. Chou R et al.  Ann Intern Med 2015 Jan 13 [Epub ahead of print] Abstract Although prescription opioids have been advocated and used for long-term treatment of chronic non-cancer pain, there is scant literature supporting such use. Most studies have been limited to a time period of 3 months or less. The purpose of this literature review was to assess the evidence pertaining to safety and effectiveness of long-term (> 1 year) opioid therapy for pain. The authors point out that when evaluating this question, in addition to potential benefits of pain relief, known risks of opioid therapy must be considered, including falls, fractures, motor vehicle accidents, and endocrinopathy. In addition, level of function and quality of life must be assessed. The authors searched several databases for relevant English-language literature published between January 2008 and August 2014. Among their findings: “No study of opioid therapy versus placebo, no opioid therapy, or nonopioid therapy evaluated long-term (> 1 year) outcomes related to pain, function, or quality of life.” “No randomized trial evaluated opioid abuse, addiction, or related outcomes with long-term opioid therapy versus placebo or no opioid therapy.” “One good-quality case-control study (5300 case patients) fo...
Source: The Poison Review - Category: Toxicology Authors: Tags: Medical chronic pain long-term opioids prescription analgesics Source Type: news