The Social and Functional Implications of High- Versus Low-Dose Opioids on Chronic Non-Cancer Pain.

BACKGROUND: Chronic non-cancer pain (CNCP) is a major health concern. Opioids may be a useful treatment option, but their use still remains controversial given the significant risks and epidemic of opioid addiction and abuse. There is limited data on whether opioid therapy is an effective treatment option for chronic non-cancer pain. OBJECTIVE: To assess both physical and emotional dimensions of health for patients on opioid therapy for CNCP by reviewing the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) . STUDY DESIGN: This study was a retrospective cohort review. SETTING: Outpatient pain clinic. METHODS: We recruited 182 patients at the West Penn Pain Institute outpatient pain clinic: 94 patients were recruited for the low-dose opioid group (5-30 morphine milligram equivalents [MME]) while 88 patients were recruited for the high-dose opioid group (> 90 MME). Each patient filled out the SF-36 survey used to assess both the physical and emotional dimensions of their health. We also analyzed patients' employment status, reasons for unemployment, pain diagnosis, side effects, and compliance issues through the electronic medical record (EMR). RESULTS: Mean scores on General Health Perceptions for the low-dose and high-dose opioid groups were 50.3 ± 21.6 and 44.4 ± 21.9, respectively (P = .07). Though not reaching statistical significance, high-dose patients had lower item scores, indicating a perception of poorer health. There were no significant differences between the low-dose and high-dose opioid treatment groups on any of the mean scores from the 8 domains of the SF-36. There was a statistically significant association between opioid treatment group and working status, noncompliance, and the self-reported number of side effects. Patients treated with high-dose opioids had significantly higher rates of unemployment (85%) than did low-dose opioid patients (66%) (x-squared[1] = 8.48, P =.004; odds ratio [OR] = 2.89 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.39-6.01]). Unemployed patients in the high-dose treatment group were more likely to list disability as unemployment while retirement was the most common response in the low-dose treatment group. Patients treated with high-dose opioids had significantly higher rates of self-reported side effects (46%) than did low-dose opioid patients (21%) (x-squared[1] = 12.02, P =.001; OR = 3.08 [95% CI, 1.61-5.89]). Patients treated with high-dose opioids had significantly higher rates of noncompliance (49%) than did low-dose opioid patients (33%) (x-squared[1] = 4.75, P =.029; OR = 1.94 [95% CI, 1.07-3.54]). Thus, the odds of a high-dose opioid patient being unemployed were 2.89 times greater than the odds for a low-dose opioid patient; the odds of a high-dose opioid patient self-reporting side-effects were 3.08 times greater than the odds for a low-dose opioid patient; and the odds of a high-dose opioid patient being noncompliant with their medications were 1.94 times greater than the odds for a low-dose opioid patient. LIMITATIONS: The observation al design prohibits drawing causal relationships, and entry criteria was restricted. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that patients receiving low-dose and high-dose opioid treatment do not have significantly different quality-of-life outcomes. Future studies that incorporate longitudinal data are necessary to examine the temporal relationship between quality of life and opioid therapy. KEY WORDS: Chronic pain, chronic non-cancer pain, opioids, pain, quality of life, side effects, noncompliance, unemployment.

Retinal artery and vein thrombotic occlusion during pregnancy: markers for familial thrombophilia and adverse pregnancy outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Ocular vascular occlusion (OVO), first diagnosed during or immediately after giving birth, often reflects superposition of the physiologic thrombophilia of pregnancy on previously undiagnosed underlying familial or acquired thrombophilia associated with spontaneous abortion, eclampsia, or maternal thrombosis. SPECIFIC AIM: We describe OVO, first diagnosed during pregnancy or immediately postpartum, in three young females (ages 32, 35, 40) associated with previously undiagnosed familial thrombophilia. RESULTS: Branch retinal artery occlusion (BRAO) occurred at 9 and 13 weeks gestation in two females, aged 32 and 35. Central retinal vein occlusion occurred immediately postpartum in a 40-year-old. One of the two females with BRAO subsequently developed eclampsia, and one had a history of unexplained first trimester spontaneous abortion. All three females were found to have previously unexplained familial thrombophilia. The two females with BRAO had low first trimester free protein S 42 (41%), lower normal limit (50%), and one of these two had high factor VIII (165%, upper normal limit 150%). The woman with central retinal vein occlusion had high factor XI (169%, upper normal limit 150%). Enoxaparin (40-60 mg/day) was started and continued throughout pregnancy in both females with BRAO to prevent maternal-placental thrombosis, and of these two females, one had an uncomplicated pregnancy course and term delivery, and the second was at gestational week 22 without complications at the time of this manuscript. There were no further OVO events in the two females treated with enoxaparin or in the untreated patient with postpartum eclampsia. CONCLUSION: OVO during pregnancy may be a marker for familial or acquired thrombophilia, which confers increased thrombotic risk to the mother and pregnancy, associated with spontaneous abortion or eclampsia. OVO during pregnancy, particularly when coupled with antecedent adverse pregnancy outcomes, should prompt urgent thrombophilia evaluation and institution of thromboprophylaxis to prevent adverse maternal and fetal-placental thrombotic events.

Detection of orthopaedic implants by airport metal detectors.

OBJECTIVES: To report the effect of patient's body mass index (BMI), implant type, size, location, number, and material on detection by certified Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airport metal detectors set to today's standard sensitivity. DESIGN: Retrospective clinical study. SETTING: Level 1 university trauma center. PATIENTS: Ninety-six regularly scheduled trauma clinic patients with a wide variety of orthopaedic implants were enrolled in the study from August 2004 through December 2004. INTERVENTION: Patients walked through an airport arch metal detector and were also wanded with a handheld metal detector. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: Detection of implants by arch detector or wand was recorded. We also gathered information regarding BMI, location of implants, type, metal composition, and size. RESULTS: All unilateral prostheses (8/8) and bilateral prostheses (1/1) were detected. Subjects with 4 or fewer screws and no other implants were never detected by the arch metal detector (0/7). For the remaining 78 subjects, the 2 best predictors of detection by the arch were having plates of length >10 holes and having titanium nails (P < 0.001 for each predictor, Wald's test for effects in a logistic model). CONCLUSIONS: Prostheses, plates of length >10 holes, and titanium nails were the best predictors of detection by the arch. These 3 factors accounted for 42 of the 43 detections by the arch. Body mass index was not shown to affect detectability of orthopaedic implants.