Researchers recently found that patients with fibromyalgia and rheumatoid arthritis represent the highest proportion of long-term opioid users.
- Used to relieve pain, opioids, however, pose risks of physical dependence and addiction.
- Opioids can be prescribed in particular to relieve pain related to fibromyalgia or rheumatoid arthritis.
- Researchers have recently alerted to the high proportion of opioid prescriptions made over the long term.
Opioids, such as morphine, are common drugs used to reduce pain. They are usually prescribed in cases of rheumatic and musculoskeletal conditions. In the long term, however, their frequent use can create addiction, which can have serious health consequences.
Too long use of opioids in rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases
In a study published in the journal Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, researchers have found that patients with rheumatoid arthritis or fibromyalgia are at high risk of long-term opioid use, which promotes addiction to these drugs.
To reach this conclusion, the scientists determined the proportion of patients who have a long-term use, that is to say more than 90 days, of opioids. They analyzed the medical records of 841,047 adults from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD), a UK primary care database. Nearly 12,260 people suffered from rheumatoid arthritis and 21,189 from fibromyalgia. Other rheumatic and musculoskeletal pathologies have also been identified such as psoriatic arthritis, axial spondylitis or systemic lupus erythematosus.
Before or after diagnosis, each patient received a prescription for opioids between January 2006 and the end of October 2021.
Fibromyalgia and rheumatoid arthritis: high long-term opioid use
Long-term opioid use was divided into three categories: standard, meaning three or more opioid prescriptions in 90 days, strict, meaning ten or more opioid prescriptions in a period more than 90 days, or 120 days of opioid supply in the first year, or broad, which was more than three opioid prescriptions at monthly intervals in the first 12 months.
According to the findings of this research, patients with fibromyalgia represented the highest proportion of long-term opioid users, followed by patients with rheumatoid arthritis and those with axial spondyloarthritis.
“The results warrant vigilance in the practice of prescribing opioids for [ndlr les affections rhumatoïdes et musculo-squelettiques] since long-term opioid therapy is associated with poor outcomes (e.g., opioid dependence and opioid-related adverse effects)”the study officials warned.
