Association Between Initial Opioid Prescribing Patterns and Subsequent Long-Term Use Among Opioid-Naïve Patients: A Statewide Retrospective Cohort Study

Deyo, Richard A.; Hallvik, Sara E.; Hildebran, Christi; Marino, Miguel; Dexter, Eve; Irvine, Jessica M.; O’Kane, Nicole; Van Otterloo, Joshua; Wright, Dagan A.; Leichtling, Gillian; Millet, Lisa M.

doi:10.1007/s11606-016-3810-3

Association Between Initial Opioid Prescribing Patterns and Subsequent Long-Term Use Among Opioid-Naïve Patients: A Statewide Retrospective Cohort Study

BackgroundLong-term efficacy of opioids for non-cancer pain is unproven, but risks argue for cautious prescribing. Few data suggest how long or how much opioid can be prescribed for opioid-naïve patients without inadvertently promoting long-term use.ObjectiveTo examine the association between ini…