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Is There Any Role for Opioids in the Management of Knee and Hip Osteoarthritis? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Osani, Mikala C. ; Lohmander, L. Stefan LU orcid and Bannuru, Raveendhara R. (2021) In Arthritis Care and Research 73(10). p.1413-1424
Abstract

Objective: Opioids have long been prescribed for chronic pain conditions, including osteoarthritis (OA). However, there is little information about their temporal efficacy, or differences in efficacy and safety between opioids with strong versus weak/intermediate μ opioid receptor–binding affinity. To explore these research questions, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) conducted in patients with knee and/or hip OA. Methods: We searched Medline, Embase, PubMed Central, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials from inception to December 2019 and sought unpublished data. Placebo-controlled RCTs of oral opioids in patients with knee and/or hip OA were included.... (More)

Objective: Opioids have long been prescribed for chronic pain conditions, including osteoarthritis (OA). However, there is little information about their temporal efficacy, or differences in efficacy and safety between opioids with strong versus weak/intermediate μ opioid receptor–binding affinity. To explore these research questions, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) conducted in patients with knee and/or hip OA. Methods: We searched Medline, Embase, PubMed Central, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials from inception to December 2019 and sought unpublished data. Placebo-controlled RCTs of oral opioids in patients with knee and/or hip OA were included. Standardized mean differences (SMDs) were calculated for pain and function at 2, 4, 8, and 12 weeks. Subgroup analyses for strong and weak/intermediate opioids were conducted. Meta-regression was performed to assess the impact of dosage (morphine equivalency) on pain relief. Risk ratios were calculated for safety at the final follow-up. Results: A total of 18 RCTs (9,283 participants) were included. Opioids demonstrated small benefits on pain at each time point, with SMDs ranging from –0.28 (95% confidence interval [95% CI] –0.38, –0.17) to –0.19 (95% CI –0.29, –0.08); similar effects were observed for function. Strong opioids demonstrated consistently inferior efficacy and overall worse safety than weak/intermediate opioids. Meta-regression revealed that incremental pain relief achieved beyond 20–50-mg doses was not substantial in the context of increased safety risks. Conclusion: Opioids provide minimal relief of OA symptoms within a 12-week period, and they are known to cause discomfort in a majority of patients. Clinicians and policy makers should reconsider the utility of opioids in the management of OA.

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author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Arthritis Care and Research
volume
73
issue
10
pages
12 pages
publisher
John Wiley & Sons Inc.
external identifiers
  • pmid:32583972
  • scopus:85100477301
ISSN
2151-464X
DOI
10.1002/acr.24363
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
60a309a7-5b31-4272-b029-7f0743b59bee
date added to LUP
2021-12-08 15:13:40
date last changed
2024-04-06 14:46:14
@article{60a309a7-5b31-4272-b029-7f0743b59bee,
  abstract     = {{<p>Objective: Opioids have long been prescribed for chronic pain conditions, including osteoarthritis (OA). However, there is little information about their temporal efficacy, or differences in efficacy and safety between opioids with strong versus weak/intermediate μ opioid receptor–binding affinity. To explore these research questions, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) conducted in patients with knee and/or hip OA. Methods: We searched Medline, Embase, PubMed Central, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials from inception to December 2019 and sought unpublished data. Placebo-controlled RCTs of oral opioids in patients with knee and/or hip OA were included. Standardized mean differences (SMDs) were calculated for pain and function at 2, 4, 8, and 12 weeks. Subgroup analyses for strong and weak/intermediate opioids were conducted. Meta-regression was performed to assess the impact of dosage (morphine equivalency) on pain relief. Risk ratios were calculated for safety at the final follow-up. Results: A total of 18 RCTs (9,283 participants) were included. Opioids demonstrated small benefits on pain at each time point, with SMDs ranging from –0.28 (95% confidence interval [95% CI] –0.38, –0.17) to –0.19 (95% CI –0.29, –0.08); similar effects were observed for function. Strong opioids demonstrated consistently inferior efficacy and overall worse safety than weak/intermediate opioids. Meta-regression revealed that incremental pain relief achieved beyond 20–50-mg doses was not substantial in the context of increased safety risks. Conclusion: Opioids provide minimal relief of OA symptoms within a 12-week period, and they are known to cause discomfort in a majority of patients. Clinicians and policy makers should reconsider the utility of opioids in the management of OA.</p>}},
  author       = {{Osani, Mikala C. and Lohmander, L. Stefan and Bannuru, Raveendhara R.}},
  issn         = {{2151-464X}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{10}},
  pages        = {{1413--1424}},
  publisher    = {{John Wiley & Sons Inc.}},
  series       = {{Arthritis Care and Research}},
  title        = {{Is There Any Role for Opioids in the Management of Knee and Hip Osteoarthritis? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/acr.24363}},
  doi          = {{10.1002/acr.24363}},
  volume       = {{73}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}