Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36777316›Full record

ArticleLancet regional health. Americas2022

Adverse outcomes associated with concurrent gabapentin, opioid, and benzodiazepine utilization: A nested case-control study.

Abisola Olopoenia, Wendy Camelo-Castillo, Danya M Qato, Adepeju Adekoya, Frank Palumbo, Leah Sera, Linda Simoni-Wastila

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Lancet regional health. Americas, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 20 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
20citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
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

20 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Guideline
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  9. Opioid consumption after lower limb amputation in Medicare beneficiaries.PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitation · 2025
    Article
  10. Article
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  13. Review
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  15. The burden of acute pain in the U.S. in the wake of the opioid crisis.Frontiers in pain research (Lausanne, Switzerland) · 2025
    Review
  16. Article
  17. Article
  18. Article
  19. Article
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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

7 authors.

Abisola OlopoeniaDepartment of Pharmaceutical Health Services Research, University of Maryland Baltimore, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Wendy Camelo-CastilloDepartment of Pharmaceutical Health Services Research, University of Maryland Baltimore, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Danya M QatoDepartment of Pharmaceutical Health Services Research, University of Maryland Baltimore, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Adepeju AdekoyaJohns Hopkins Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology & Critical Care Medicine, Division of Chronic Pain Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Frank PalumboDepartment of Pharmaceutical Health Services Research, University of Maryland Baltimore, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Leah SeraDepartment of Pharmacy Practice and Science, University of Maryland Baltimore, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Linda Simoni-WastilaDepartment of Pharmaceutical Health Services Research, University of Maryland Baltimore, Baltimore, MD, USA.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Gabapentin, opioids, and/or benzodiazepines are commonly prescribed for a variety of pain and psychiatric conditions. Despite the high likelihood of co-prescription of these medications, little is known about co-utilization of gabapentin (GABA), opioids (OP), and benzodiazepines (BZD) and associated public health outcomes. Methods: Using Medicare CCW Data, 2013-2016, we conducted a nested case-control study to examine the association between concurrent utilization of GABA, OP, and BZD and respiratory depression, opioid, and substance-related overdose among Medicare disabled beneficiaries. Cases and controls were Fee-for-service disabled beneficiaries who had a diagnosis of acute pain (AP), chronic pain (CP) or mental health conditions (MH) and received GABA, OP or BZD. Cases with respiratory depression, opioid or substance-related overdose were matched with up to 4 controls on socio-demographics, year of cohort entry and disease risk score. Primary exposure was concurrent medication utilization defined as an overlap of at least one day in prescriptions for GABA, OP and BZD. Findings: Across all cohorts, the majority of cases and controls were under 65, female, dually eligible and had prior histories of pain and mental health conditions. GABA+OP+BZD use was associated with increased odds of respiratory depression [AOR(95%CI)-AP: 1.35 (1.19-1.52), CP:1.24 (1.11-1.38) and MH: 1.16 (1.02-1.32) vs. OP only], opioid-related overdose [AP: 1.43 (1.04-1.98), CP: 1.47 (1.07-2.00) and MH: 1.44 (1.04-2.00) vs. OP only], and substance-related overdose [AP: 1.77 (1.26-2.50), CP: 1.70 (1.24-2.34) and MH: 1.92 (1.31-2.82) vs. GABA only]. While there were cohort differences in the association between GABA+OP and both respiratory depression and opioid-related overdose, GABA+OP and GABA+BZD use were associated with significantly higher odds of substance-related overdose across all clinical cohorts. Interpretation: Among Medicare disabled beneficiaries, concurrent utilization of gabapentin, opioids, and benzodiazepines is associated with multiple adverse outcomes. Given this, it is imperative that the benefits and risks of co-prescribing these medications be comprehensively examined. Funding: None.

Indexed as

BenzodiazepineGabapentinMental healthOpioidsPain

Identifiers

PMID36777316
PMCPMC9904085

What OpenQuestion holds

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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.