Opioid therapy in non-cancer chronic pain patients: Trends and efficacy in different types of pain, patients age and gender

Background: In both developing and developed countries, chronic pain remains a real issue and a true disease that affects up to 42% of the population in some areas. Opioids are widely used for the management of chronic pain with variations in prescribing practices, indications and observed efficacy....

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Main Authors: Yasin S AlMakadma, Karen Simpson
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2013-01-01
Series:Saudi Journal of Anaesthesia
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.saudija.org/article.asp?issn=1658-354X;year=2013;volume=7;issue=3;spage=291;epage=295;aulast=AlMakadma
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author Yasin S AlMakadma
Karen Simpson
author_facet Yasin S AlMakadma
Karen Simpson
author_sort Yasin S AlMakadma
collection DOAJ
description Background: In both developing and developed countries, chronic pain remains a real issue and a true disease that affects up to 42% of the population in some areas. Opioids are widely used for the management of chronic pain with variations in prescribing practices, indications and observed efficacy. Aim: to analyze trends in opioids prescribing and patient response in chronic non-cancer pain conditions. Methods: Retrospective study of 1500 casenotes of patients suffering variable non-cancer chronic pain conditions. Detailed review of those cases who were managed using opioids. Statistical analysis using "SOFA" software set. Results: The prevalence of opioids prescribing in patients suffering this condition was thus around 35% (n=526). Women older than 50 years were more likely than men to have a chronic pain condition and to be given opioid therapy for 1 year or more. Opioid efficacy on neuropathic and mixed types of pain was found to be significant with relatively low rate of drop-out and limited side-effects that are not life threatening. Overall, patients stopped or changed their opioid medication due to inefficacy in only 12.7% of cases. Conclusions: The simple fact of having pain is itself a source of self-reported disability regardless of the actual physiological or pathological mechanism. Policy makers should be aware of the huge impact of chronic pain disease and of its serious effects on social and economical well-being. In developing countries, chronic pain could represent a real challenge for all parties. Multimodal management, including opioids, appears crucial for the approach of this disease.
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spelling doaj.art-3212bc2923f7497c8dd6d4cb21b144d82022-12-22T03:32:39ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsSaudi Journal of Anaesthesia1658-354X2013-01-017329129510.4103/1658-354X.115362Opioid therapy in non-cancer chronic pain patients: Trends and efficacy in different types of pain, patients age and genderYasin S AlMakadmaKaren SimpsonBackground: In both developing and developed countries, chronic pain remains a real issue and a true disease that affects up to 42% of the population in some areas. Opioids are widely used for the management of chronic pain with variations in prescribing practices, indications and observed efficacy. Aim: to analyze trends in opioids prescribing and patient response in chronic non-cancer pain conditions. Methods: Retrospective study of 1500 casenotes of patients suffering variable non-cancer chronic pain conditions. Detailed review of those cases who were managed using opioids. Statistical analysis using "SOFA" software set. Results: The prevalence of opioids prescribing in patients suffering this condition was thus around 35% (n=526). Women older than 50 years were more likely than men to have a chronic pain condition and to be given opioid therapy for 1 year or more. Opioid efficacy on neuropathic and mixed types of pain was found to be significant with relatively low rate of drop-out and limited side-effects that are not life threatening. Overall, patients stopped or changed their opioid medication due to inefficacy in only 12.7% of cases. Conclusions: The simple fact of having pain is itself a source of self-reported disability regardless of the actual physiological or pathological mechanism. Policy makers should be aware of the huge impact of chronic pain disease and of its serious effects on social and economical well-being. In developing countries, chronic pain could represent a real challenge for all parties. Multimodal management, including opioids, appears crucial for the approach of this disease.http://www.saudija.org/article.asp?issn=1658-354X;year=2013;volume=7;issue=3;spage=291;epage=295;aulast=AlMakadmaAgechronic paingenderneuropathicopioids
spellingShingle Yasin S AlMakadma
Karen Simpson
Opioid therapy in non-cancer chronic pain patients: Trends and efficacy in different types of pain, patients age and gender
Saudi Journal of Anaesthesia
Age
chronic pain
gender
neuropathic
opioids
title Opioid therapy in non-cancer chronic pain patients: Trends and efficacy in different types of pain, patients age and gender
title_full Opioid therapy in non-cancer chronic pain patients: Trends and efficacy in different types of pain, patients age and gender
title_fullStr Opioid therapy in non-cancer chronic pain patients: Trends and efficacy in different types of pain, patients age and gender
title_full_unstemmed Opioid therapy in non-cancer chronic pain patients: Trends and efficacy in different types of pain, patients age and gender
title_short Opioid therapy in non-cancer chronic pain patients: Trends and efficacy in different types of pain, patients age and gender
title_sort opioid therapy in non cancer chronic pain patients trends and efficacy in different types of pain patients age and gender
topic Age
chronic pain
gender
neuropathic
opioids
url http://www.saudija.org/article.asp?issn=1658-354X;year=2013;volume=7;issue=3;spage=291;epage=295;aulast=AlMakadma
work_keys_str_mv AT yasinsalmakadma opioidtherapyinnoncancerchronicpainpatientstrendsandefficacyindifferenttypesofpainpatientsageandgender
AT karensimpson opioidtherapyinnoncancerchronicpainpatientstrendsandefficacyindifferenttypesofpainpatientsageandgender