SynthesisThe Cochrane database of systematic reviews2013
Interventions for the reduction of prescribed opioid use in chronic non-cancer pain.
Synthesis in The Cochrane database of systematic reviews, 2013. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 25 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
25 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 37 citations in OpenAlex.
- Efficacy of interventions to reduce long term opioid treatment for chronic non-cancer pain: systematic review and meta-analysis.BMJ (Clinical research ed.) · 2022Pooled it
- Deprescribing Opioids in Chronic Non-cancer Pain: Systematic Review of Randomised Trials.Drugs · 2020Pooled it
- Interventions for the reduction of prescribed opioid use in chronic non-cancer pain.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2017Pooled it
- Adverse events associated with medium- and long-term use of opioids for chronic non-cancer pain: an overview of Cochrane Reviews.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2017Pooled it
- Government Direct-to-Consumer Education to Reduce Prescription Opioid Use: A Cluster Randomized Clinical Trial.JAMA network open · 2024Trial
- Clinical and Economic Evaluation of Acupuncture for Opioid-Dependent Patients Receiving Methadone Maintenance Treatment: The Integrative Clinical Trial and Evidence-Based Data.Frontiers in public health · 2021Trial
- Prescription Opioid Taper Support for Outpatients With Chronic Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial.The journal of pain · 2017Trial
- Pain volatility and prescription opioid addiction treatment outcomes in patients with chronic pain.Experimental and clinical psychopharmacology · 2015Trial
- Opioid reduction in patients with chronic non-cancer pain undergoing treatment with medicinal cannabis.Pain management · 2025Article
- Optimal Information for Chronic Pain (OICP): Delphi Consensus on Patient Assessment and Interventional Techniques.Journal of pain research · 2025Article
- Electroacupuncture for Pain Therapy: A Bibliometric Analysis and Content Review Update for 1 Decade (2013-2022).Medical acupuncture · 2024Review
- General practice responses to opioid prescribing feedback: a qualitative process evaluation.The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners · 2021Article
- Integrated Primary Healthcare Opioid Tapering Interventions: A Mixed-Methods Study of Feasibility and Acceptability in Two General Practices in New South Wales, Australia.International journal of integrated care · 2020Article
- Medical Record Documentation About Opioid Tapering: Examining Benefit-to-Harm Framework and Patient Engagement.Pain medicine (Malden, Mass.) · 2020Article
- Evaluation of a primary care-based opioid and pain review service: a mixed-methods evaluation in two GP practices in England.The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners · 2020Article
- Acceptability of a primary care-based opioid and pain review service: a mixed-methods evaluation in England.The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners · 2020Article
- General practitioners and management of chronic noncancer pain: a cross-sectional survey of influences on opioid deprescribing.Journal of pain research · 2019Article
- Analgesic reduction during an interdisciplinary pain management programme: treatment effects and processes of change.British journal of pain · 2018Article
- Provider and patient perspectives on opioids and alternative treatments for managing chronic pain: a qualitative study.BMC family practice · 2017Article
- The Harnessing Online Peer Education (HOPE) Intervention for Reducing Prescription Drug Abuse: A Qualitative Study.Journal of substance use · 2017Article
Corrections and comments
- Updated by
Authors and funding
7 authors at 4 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundPatients with chronic non-cancer pain who are prescribed and are taking opioids can have a history of long term high dose opioid use without effective pain relief. In those without good pain relief, reduction of prescribed opioid dose may be the desired and shared goal of both patient and clinician. Simple unsupervised reduction of opioid use is clinically challenging, and very difficult to achieve and maintain.
objectivesTo investigate the effectiveness of different methods designed to achieve reduction or cessation of prescribed opioid use for the management of chronic non-cancer pain. SEARCH
methodsWe searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, and EMBASE from inception to 8th April 2013, as well as bibliographies. SELECTION CRITERIA: Included studies had to be randomised controlled trials comparing opioid users receiving an intervention with a control group receiving treatment as usual, active control, or placebo. The aim of the study had to include a treatment goal of dose reduction or cessation of opioid medication. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: We sought data relating to prescribed opioid use, adverse events of opioid reduction, pain, and psychological and physical function. MAIN
resultsTwo studies provided information on 86 participants. One compared electroacupuncture with sham acupuncture for 20 minutes twice a week for six weeks; there was no difference between treatments. The other followed 11 weeks of cognitive behavioural therapy with either therapeutic interactive voice response through a computer for four months or usual treatment; the active group had a significant reduction in opioid use, while the usual care group had a significant increase. AUTHORS'
conclusionsBoth included studies were at significant risk of bias because of their small size, together with other important issues, including blinding. Because of this risk and the paucity of relevant studies, no conclusions can be drawn regarding the effectiveness of interventions for opioid withdrawal in chronic non-cancer pain.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.