Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36219305›Full record

ArticleJournal of general internal medicine2022

Medication Use Evaluation of High-Dose Long-Term Opioid De-prescribing in Multiple Veterans Affairs Medical Centers.

Alexis K Barrett, Friedhelm Sandbrink, Aram Mardian, Elizabeth M Oliva, Virginia Torrise, Rongping Zhang, Kenneth Bukowski, Muriel Burk, Francesca E Cunningham

Open access · bronzeAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of general internal medicine, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
0.6field-weighted citation impact, top 31% of its field
1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed, 3 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors at 5 institutions in 1 country.

Alexis K BarrettVA Pharmacy Benefits Management Services and Center for Medication Safety, Hines VA, Hines, IL, USA. alexis.barrett@va.gov.ORCID 0000-0002-9339-5392
Friedhelm SandbrinkWashington DC VA Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA.
Aram MardianPhoenix VA Healthcare System, Phoenix, AZ, USA.
Elizabeth M OlivaVA Program Evaluation and Resource Center, Menlo Park, CA, USA.
Virginia TorriseVA Pharmacy Benefits Management Services, United States Department of Veterans Affairs, Washington, DC, USA.
Rongping ZhangVA Pharmacy Benefits Management Services and Center for Medication Safety, Hines VA, Hines, IL, USA.
Kenneth BukowskiVA Pharmacy Benefits Management Services and Center for Medication Safety, Hines VA, Hines, IL, USA.
Muriel BurkVA Pharmacy Benefits Management Services and Center for Medication Safety, Hines VA, Hines, IL, USA.
Francesca E CunninghamVA Pharmacy Benefits Management Services and Center for Medication Safety, Hines VA, Hines, IL, USA.
Medication Management (United States) · USPhoenix VA Health Care System · USUnited States Department of Veterans Affairs · USVA Palo Alto Health Care System · USWashington DC VA Medical Center · US

Funding

HSRD VA Research Grant 16-078: Effectiveness of a Rescue Medication in Preventing Opioid Overdose in VeteransNIDA NIH HHS Data and Safety Monitory Board MemberPatient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute EMPOWER study (Effective Management of Pain and Opioid-Free Ways to Enhance Relief)VA Presenter support
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe Opioid Safety Initiative (OSI) was implemented in 2013 to enhance the safe and appropriate use of opioids in the Veterans Health Administration (VA). Opioid use decreased nationally in subsequent years, but characterization of opioid de-prescribing practices has not been well established.

objectivesTo describe changes in patient characteristics and patterns of de-prescribing since OSI implementation for opioid users at > 90 morphine equivalent daily dose for at least 90 days for those that discontinued opioids within the VA.

designRetrospective observational pre-post intervention medication use evaluation using VA data and electronic health records to identify differences in opioid de-prescribing between fiscal year 2013 (FY13; early OSI) and FY17 (late OSI). Reviewers' insights for local opioid management and de-prescribing practices collected through web-based post-data collection survey.

participantsVeterans prescribed high-dose long-term opioid therapy in FY13 and FY17 who subsequently discontinued opioids at 27 VA medical centers. MAIN MEASURES: Chart review data from local facility reviewers identified socioeconomic characteristics, opioid de-prescribing rationale (e.g., risk-benefit, diversion) and practices (e.g., rate of opioid discontinuation, taper monitoring activities, withdrawal monitoring), and outcomes following discontinuation. KEY

resultsAmong 315 patients in FY13 and 322 patients in FY17 with opioid discontinuation, discontinuation rationale focused on diversion in FY13 and risk-benefit in FY17. Clinical pharmacists and pain management specialists had increased involvement in FY17 opioid discontinuations (36% versus 16%). Of all discontinuations, 56% of patients were tapered in FY13 versus 70% of patients in FY17. Tapering plans were longer in FY17 than in FY13 (163 days versus 65 days). Transitions to non-opioid pain therapy following opioid discontinuation were higher in FY17 compared to FY13 (70% versus 60%).

conclusionsVeterans discontinued from high-dose long-term opioids in FY17 were more optimally managed compared to those in FY13. Findings suggest improvements in opioid de-prescribing following OSI implementation, but interpretation is limited by study design.

Indexed as

Chronic PainOpioid-Related DisordersVeteransAnalgesics, OpioidHumansPractice Patterns, Physicians'Retrospective StudiesUnited StatesUnited States Department of Veterans AffairsAnalgesics, Opioidanalgesicsdrug evaluationopioidopioid-related disordersVA

Identifiers

PMID36219305
PMCPMC9708996
OpenAlexW4304196062

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.