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AHRQ Research Studies
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Research Studies is a compilation of published research articles funded by AHRQ or authored by AHRQ researchers.
Results
1 to 17 of 17 Research Studies DisplayedCalcaterra SL, Martin M, Bottner R
Management of opioid use disorder and associated conditions among hospitalized adults: a consensus statement from the Society of Hospital Medicine.
This paper discusses the findings of a Society of Hospital Medicine working group convened to develop a Consensus Statement on the management of opioid use disorder (OUD) and associated conditions among hospitalized adults. The statement is intended for clinicians practicing medicine in the inpatient setting (e.g., hospitalists, primary care physicians, family physicians, advanced practice nurses, and physician assistants) and is intended to apply to hospitalized adults at risk for, or diagnosed with, OUD. The first step of the working group to develop the statement was to conduct a systematic review of relevant guidelines and compose a draft statement based on extracted recommendations. In the next step the working group obtained feedback on the draft statement from external experts in addiction medicine, SHM members, professional societies, harm reduction organizations and advocacy groups, and peer reviewers. This iterative development process resulted in a final Consensus Statement consisting of 18 recommendations covering the following topics: (1) identification and treatment of OUD and opioid withdrawal, (2) perioperative and acute pain management in patients with OUD, and (3) methods to optimize care transitions at hospital discharge for patients with OUD.
AHRQ-funded; HS026215.
Citation: Calcaterra SL, Martin M, Bottner R .
Management of opioid use disorder and associated conditions among hospitalized adults: a consensus statement from the Society of Hospital Medicine.
J Hosp Med 2022 Sep;17(9):744-56. doi: 10.1002/jhm.12893..
Keywords: Opioids, Substance Abuse, Behavioral Health, Evidence-Based Practice, Guidelines, Inpatient Care
Calcaterras SL, Bottner R, Martin M
Management of opioid use disorder, opioid withdrawal, and opioid overdose prevention in hospitalized adults: a systematic review of existing guidelines.
This study evaluated the quality and content of existing guidelines for in-hospital opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment and management. A literature search was done on several databases, websites of relevant societies and advocacy organizations, and selected international search engines. Nineteen guidelines published between January 2010 and June 2020 met the selection criteria. The majority of guidelines were based on observational studies or expert consensus. They recommended the use of nonstigmatizing language among patients with OUD; to assess patients with unhealthy opioid use for OUD using the Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Diseases-5th Edition criteria; use of methadone or buprenorphine to treat OUD and opioid withdrawal; use of multimodal, nonopioid therapy, and when needed, short-acting opioid analgesics in addition to buprenorphine or methadone, for acute pain management; ensuring linkage to ongoing methadone or buprenorphine treatment; referring patients to psychosocial treatment; and ensuring access to naloxone for opioid overdose reversal.
AHRQ-funded; HS026215.
Citation: Calcaterras SL, Bottner R, Martin M .
Management of opioid use disorder, opioid withdrawal, and opioid overdose prevention in hospitalized adults: a systematic review of existing guidelines.
J Hosp Med 2022 Sep;17(9):679-92. doi: 10.1002/jhm.12908..
Keywords: Opioids, Substance Abuse, Behavioral Health, Evidence-Based Practice, Guidelines, Inpatient Care
Korthuis PT, Cook RR, Lum PJ
HIV clinic-based extended-release naltrexone versus treatment as usual for people with HIV and opioid use disorder: a non-blinded, randomized non-inferiority trial.
Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) treatment medications can improve outcomes for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and also reduce opioid use. The purpose of the study was to determine if outpatient naltrexone treatment could also reduce opioid use and improve outcomes for HIV. The researchers reported that enrollment was stopped early because of slower than expected recruitment, resulting in 114 final participants with untreated OUD and HIV, with 62% positive for fentanyl, 60% positive for cocaine, and 47% positive for other opioids at the baseline. The intervention compared treatment as usual (TAU) of methadone or buprenorphine with extended-release naltrexone (XR-NTX) on group differences in viral suppression at 24 weeks and past 30-day use of opioids at 24 weeks. The study reported that at 24 weeks the outcome of viral suppression was similar for TAU and XR-NTX, and that fewer XR-NTX participants initiated medication than TAU participants. The outcome of previous 30-day use of opioids was similar for TAU as compared to XR-NTX. Of those participants who did initiate medication, those administered XR-NTX experienced less days of opioid use when compared with TAU in the prior 30 days. The researchers reported that the study evidence was not conclusive but did support that XR-NTX is not inferior to TAU for HIV viral suppression, and that study participants who started XR-NTX used less opioids at 24 weeks than participants who were administered TAU.
AHRQ-funded; HS026370.
Citation: Korthuis PT, Cook RR, Lum PJ .
HIV clinic-based extended-release naltrexone versus treatment as usual for people with HIV and opioid use disorder: a non-blinded, randomized non-inferiority trial.
Addiction 2022 Jul;117(7):1961-71. doi: 10.1111/add.15836..
Keywords: Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Opioids, Substance Abuse, Behavioral Health, Medication, Treatments, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Outcomes, Evidence-Based Practice
Cedillo G, George MC, Deshpande R
Toward safer opioid prescribing in HIV care (TOWER): a mixed-methods, cluster-randomized trial.
Healthcare and behavioral health providers are lacking a methodology to implement the 2016 U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Opioid Prescribing Guideline (CDC Guideline), measure prescriber adherence to it, and systematically test its effect on patient and public health outcomes. The Guideline is currently being reviewed and revised due to concern that it may be harmful to people with chronic pain on long-term opioid therapy (CP-LTOT). The purpose of the study was to develop and test a CDC Guideline implementation strategy termed “TOWER,” focused on an outpatient HIV primary care setting with patients with CP-LTOT. The TOWER strategy included: 1) a patient-facing app for opioid management (OM-App); 2) a template for progress notes (OM-Note) intended to guide the patient’s office visit; and 3) a primary care provider (PCP) training. TOWER was developed in a multi-step, stakeholder-engaged process within a behavioral change framework. The researchers evaluated the TOWER strategy in a randomized-controlled trial of HIV-PCPs (N=11) and their patients with HIV and CP-LTOT (N=40). The main outcome was CDC Guideline adherence based on electronic health record (EHR) documentation and measured by the Safer Opioid Prescribing Tool (SOPTET). Qualitative data was also collected, including one-on-one PCP interviews. The study found that the PCPs randomized to utilize the TOWER strategy were 48% more CDC Guideline adherent. Qualitative data reflected high levels of intervention provider confidence in administering the TOWER processes, and that the OM-Note supported provider efforts, but experience with the patient-facing OM-App was mixed. The study concluded that adherence to the 2016 CDC Guidelines is not associated with worsening of outcomes for people with HIV with CP-LTOT, and adherence to the CDC Guidelines can be promoted and measured. The researchers recommend additional research into the scalability of these results and the impact of CDC Guideline adherence on public health.
AHRQ-funded; HS025641.
Citation: Cedillo G, George MC, Deshpande R .
Toward safer opioid prescribing in HIV care (TOWER): a mixed-methods, cluster-randomized trial.
Addict Sci Clin Pract 2022 May 16;17(1):28. doi: 10.1186/s13722-022-00311-8..
Keywords: Opioids, Medication, Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Guidelines, Evidence-Based Practice
Feliciano JL, Waldfogel JM, Sharma R
Pharmacologic interventions for breathlessness in patients with advanced cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
This systematic review and meta-analysis examined the use of pharmacological interventions for breathlessness in patients with advanced cancer. Studies were identified from database inception to May 2020 using predefined eligibility criteria. Pharmacologic intervention benefits and harms were compared, focusing on breathlessness, anxiety, exercise capacity and health-related quality of life. Out of 7729 unique citations, 19 studies with a total of 1424 patients were included. Opioids were not associated with more effectiveness than placebo for improving breathlessness or exercise capacity. Anxiolytics were also not associated with more effectiveness than placebo for breathlessness or anxiety. There was limited evidence for other pharmacologic interventions. There was some harm, but it was minimal in those short-term studies.
AHRQ-funded; 290201500006I.
Citation: Feliciano JL, Waldfogel JM, Sharma R .
Pharmacologic interventions for breathlessness in patients with advanced cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
JAMA Netw Open 2021 Feb;4(2):e2037632. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.37632..
Keywords: Cancer: Lung Cancer, Cancer, Respiratory Conditions, Medication, Treatments, Opioids, Evidence-Based Practice, Comparative Effectiveness, Quality of Life, Outcomes, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research
Chan B, Gean E, Arkhipova-Jenkins I
Retention strategies for medications for opioid use disorder in adults: a rapid evidence review.
This AHRQ-sponsored rapid evidence review looked at studies which include interventions to improve medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) retention. A search of MEDLINE and the Cochrane Library from February 2009 to August 2019 was conducted for systematic reviews and randomized trials of care settings, services, logistical support, continency management, HIT, extended-release (XR) formulations, and psychosocial interventions that assessed retention for at least 3 months. Two systematic reviews and 39 primary studies were included. Some studies showed initiating MOUD in soon-to-be-released incarcerated people improved retention following release. Fewer than half the studies reviewed focused on retention as a primary outcome.
AHRQ-funded; 290201700003C; HS022981.
Citation: Chan B, Gean E, Arkhipova-Jenkins I .
Retention strategies for medications for opioid use disorder in adults: a rapid evidence review.
J Addict Med 2020 Jan-Feb;15(1):74-84. doi: 10.1097/adm.0000000000000739..
Keywords: Opioids, Substance Abuse, Medication, Evidence-Based Practice
Navis A, George MC, Nmashie A
Validation of the Safer Opioid Prescribing Evaluation Tool (SOPET) for assessing adherence to the Centers for Disease Control opioid prescribing guidelines.
This study assessed the use of the Safer Opioid Prescribing Evaluation Tool (SOPET) which was designed to improve the implementation of the 2016 Centers for Disease Control Guidelines on the prescription of opioids for chronic pain. Four raters with varying levels of clinical experience were trained to use the SOPET and then used it to evaluate 21 baseline patient scenarios. Inter-rater reliability was measured using intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) estimates and their 95% confidence intervals for the total SOPET score based on a mean-rating absolute-agreement, two-way random-effects model. Inter-rater reliability was found to be good for the three physician raters (0.92, 0.97, and 0.99). However, inter-rater reliability for the non-physician rater was lower (0.67).
AHRQ-funded; HS025641.
Citation: Navis A, George MC, Nmashie A .
Validation of the Safer Opioid Prescribing Evaluation Tool (SOPET) for assessing adherence to the Centers for Disease Control opioid prescribing guidelines.
Pain Med 2020 Dec 25;21(12):3655-59. doi: 10.1093/pm/pnaa138..
Keywords: Opioids, Medication, Medication: Safety, Patient Safety, Guidelines, Practice Patterns, Pain, Chronic Conditions, Evidence-Based Practice
Chan B, Freeman M, Ayers C
A systematic review and meta-analysis of medications for stimulant use disorders in patients with co-occurring opioid use disorders.
This systematic review and meta-analysis looked at medication efficacy for stimulant use disorders in patients with co-occurring opioid use disorders. Multiple databases were searched through April 2019 for randomized controlled trials, and dual-screened studies using pre-specified inclusion criteria. Thirty-four trials of 22 medications focused on cocaine use disorder in patients with opioid use disorder. Most studies used methadone treatment for patients with opioid use disorder. Primary outcomes were abstinence, defined as stimulant-negative urine for three or more consecutive weeks. However, none of the six studies that assessed abstinence found significant differences among groups. The authors found moderate strength evidence that antidepressants and disulfiram worsened treatment retention. There was low-strength evidence that psychostimulants reduced cocaine use. There was only 1 trial for methamphetamine use disorder which had insufficient strength evidence for naltrexone.
AHRQ-funded; HS022981.
Citation: Chan B, Freeman M, Ayers C .
A systematic review and meta-analysis of medications for stimulant use disorders in patients with co-occurring opioid use disorders.
Drug Alcohol Depend 2020 Nov 1;216:108193. doi: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2020.108193..
Keywords: Opioids, Substance Abuse, Medication, Evidence-Based Practice
Shoemaker-Hunt SJ, Wyant BE
The effect of opioid stewardship interventions on key outcomes: a systematic review.
In this study, the investigators sought to identify potential patient safety practices to reduce high-risk opioid prescribing. They conducted a systematic review of the literature to identify opioid stewardship (OS) strategies implemented in primary care and other settings. The investigators concluded that the strength of the evidence was low to moderate that OS efforts decreased numbers of opioid prescriptions, proportion of patients on long-term opioids, or days' supply. The strength of the evidence for OS initiatives producing significant reductions in opioid dosages was moderate.
AHRQ-funded; 233201500013I.
Citation: Shoemaker-Hunt SJ, Wyant BE .
The effect of opioid stewardship interventions on key outcomes: a systematic review.
J Patient Saf 2020 Sep;16(3S Suppl 1):S36-s41. doi: 10.1097/pts.0000000000000710..
Keywords: Opioids, Medication, Medication: Safety, Patient Safety, Evidence-Based Practice, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Substance Abuse, Prevention
Samples H, Williams AR, Crystal S
Impact of long-term buprenorphine treatment on adverse health care outcomes In Medicaid.
The optimal, or even minimum, duration of medication treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD) needed to improve long-term outcomes has not been established empirically. As a result, health plans set potentially restrictive treatment standards to guide benefits and payment. To address this gap, the investigators used a National Quality Forum measure for OUD medication treatment duration (180 days) to examine the impact of longer treatment on health care outcomes within a key population of Medicaid enrollees.
AHRQ-funded; HS023258; HS021112.
Citation: Samples H, Williams AR, Crystal S .
Impact of long-term buprenorphine treatment on adverse health care outcomes In Medicaid.
Impact of long-term buprenorphine treatment on adverse health care outcomes In Medicaid..
Keywords: Medication, Substance Abuse, Opioids, Medicaid, Adverse Drug Events (ADE), Adverse Events, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Evidence-Based Practice, Outcomes
Jeffery MM, Hooten WM, Jena AB
Rates of physician coprescribing of opioids and benzodiazepines after the release of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines in 2016.
Researchers sought to determine whether the release of the CDC guidelines was associated with changes in co-prescription of opioids and benzodiazepines. Their study showed a reduction in the extent, but not the intensity, of co-prescribing of benzodiazepines for patients with long-term opioid use.
AHRQ-funded; HS025164.
Citation: Jeffery MM, Hooten WM, Jena AB .
Rates of physician coprescribing of opioids and benzodiazepines after the release of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines in 2016.
JAMA Netw Open 2019 Aug 2;2(8):e198325. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.8325..
Keywords: Opioids, Medication, Practice Patterns, Pain, Evidence-Based Practice, Guidelines
Kim HS, Kaplan SH, McCarthy DM
A comparison of analgesic prescribing among ED back and neck pain visits receiving physical therapy versus usual care.
Researchers used a retrospective cohort study to examine whether physical therapy (PT) is associated with lower analgesic prescribing in the emergency department (ED) setting. They found that, in this single center study, ED back and neck pain visits receiving PT were no less likely to receive an opioid prescription and were more likely to receive a benzodiazepine than visits receiving usual care. They conclude that, although prior studies demonstrated that PT may reduce opioid utilization in the subsequent year, these results indicated that analgesic prescribing is not reduced at the initial ED encounter.
AHRQ-funded; HS023011.
Citation: Kim HS, Kaplan SH, McCarthy DM .
A comparison of analgesic prescribing among ED back and neck pain visits receiving physical therapy versus usual care.
Am J Emerg Med 2019 Jul;37(7):1322-26. doi: 10.1016/j.ajem.2018.10.009..
Keywords: Opioids, Medication, Practice Patterns, Emergency Department, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Pain, Back Health and Pain, Outcomes, Evidence-Based Practice
Kim SC, Jin Y, Lee YC
Association of preoperative opioid use with mortality and short-term safety outcomes after total knee replacement.
The purpose of this study was to determine the association of preoperative opioid use among patients 65 years and older with mortality and other complications at 30 days post-total knee replacement (TKR). Findings show that continuous opioid users had a higher risk of revision operations, vertebral fractures, and opioid overdose at 30 days post-TKR but not of in-hospital or 30-day mortality, compared with opioid-naive patients. Highlights include the need for better understanding of patient characteristics associated with chronic opioid use to optimize preoperative assessment of overall risk after TKR.
AHRQ-funded; HS018910.
Citation: Kim SC, Jin Y, Lee YC .
Association of preoperative opioid use with mortality and short-term safety outcomes after total knee replacement.
JAMA Netw Open 2019 Jul 3;2(7):e198061. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.8061..
Keywords: Opioids, Medication, Surgery, Orthopedics, Elderly, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Mortality, Outcomes, Arthritis, Evidence-Based Practice
Howard R, Waljee J, Brummett C
Reduction in opioid prescribing through evidence-based prescribing guidelines.
The authors evaluated the effect of evidence-based postoperative prescribing guidelines in an effort to reduce overprescribing. The post-intervention group received opioid prescriptions for reduced dosages compared to the pre-intervention group. In the post-intervention group, 2.5% requested refills compared with 4.1% in the pre-intervention group. The authors indicated that this work will be used as a template for statewide practice transformation, which may serve as a platform for other states.
AHRQ-funded; HS023313.
Citation: Howard R, Waljee J, Brummett C .
Reduction in opioid prescribing through evidence-based prescribing guidelines.
JAMA Surg 2018 Mar;153(3):285-87. doi: 10.1001/jamasurg.2017.4436.
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Keywords: Evidence-Based Practice, Guidelines, Opioids, Practice Patterns, Surgery
Chou R, Korthuis PT, McCarty D
Management of suspected opioid overdose with naloxone in out-of-hospital settings: a systematic review.
This review synthesized evidence on 1) the effects of naloxone route of administration and dosing for suspected opioid overdose in out-of-hospital settings on mortality, reversal of overdose, and harms, and 2) the need for transport to a health care facility. It concluded that higher-concentration intranasal naloxone (2 mg/mL) seems to have efficacy similar to that of intramuscular naloxone for reversal of opioid overdose, with no difference in adverse events.
AHRQ-funded; 290201500009I.
Citation: Chou R, Korthuis PT, McCarty D .
Management of suspected opioid overdose with naloxone in out-of-hospital settings: a systematic review.
Ann Intern Med 2017 Dec 19;167(12):867-75. doi: 10.7326/m17-2224.
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Keywords: Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Evidence-Based Practice, Medication, Opioids, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research
Meisel ZF, Metlay JP, Sinnenberg L
A randomized trial testing the effect of narrative vignettes versus guideline summaries on provider response to a professional organization clinical policy for safe opioid prescribing.
The authors compared whether narrative vignettes embedded in the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) daily e-newsletter improved dissemination of the clinical policy to ACEP members, and engagement of members with the clinical policy, compared with traditional summary text. They found that the vignettes outperformed traditional guideline text in promoting engagement with an evidence-based clinical guideline related to opioid prescriptions.
AHRQ-funded; HS021956.
Citation: Meisel ZF, Metlay JP, Sinnenberg L .
A randomized trial testing the effect of narrative vignettes versus guideline summaries on provider response to a professional organization clinical policy for safe opioid prescribing.
Ann Emerg Med 2016 Dec;68(6):719-28. doi: 10.1016/j.annemergmed.2016.03.007.
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Keywords: Communication, Evidence-Based Practice, Guidelines, Opioids, Medication, Medication: Safety, Policy, Provider
Nuckols TK, Anderson L, Popescu I
Opioid prescribing: a systematic review and critical appraisal of guidelines for chronic pain.
This review evaluated the quality and content of guidelines on the use of opioids for chronic pain. Despite limited evidence and variable development methods, it concluded that recent guidelines on chronic pain agree on several opioid risk mitigation strategies, including upper dosing thresholds; cautions with certain medications; attention to drug–drug and drug–disease interactions; and use of risk assessment tools, treatment agreements, and urine drug testing.
AHRQ-funded; HS017954.
Citation: Nuckols TK, Anderson L, Popescu I .
Opioid prescribing: a systematic review and critical appraisal of guidelines for chronic pain.
Ann Intern Med 2014 Jan 7;160(1):38-47. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-160-1-201401070-00732..
Keywords: Opioids, Pain, Guidelines, Medication, Evidence-Based Practice, Chronic Conditions