Rhon et al identified risk factors associated with chronic opioid use following orthopedic surgery. These can help to identify a patient who should be targeted for interventions to manage pain and to reduce opioid use. The authors are from Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas.
Patient selection: adult undergoing arthroscopic hip surgery at a military hospital
Measures of chronic prescription opioid use after surgery:
(1) >= 3 unique opioid prescriptions within 2 years
(2) continued opioid use > 1 year after surgery
Preoperative risk factors:
(1) preoperative use of prescription opioids
(2) preoperative use of non-opioid prescription pain medication
(3) preoperative insomnia
(4) preoperative mental health disorder diagnosis
(5) preoperative substance abuse
(6) preoperative health-seeking behavior
Additional risk factor:
(1) female sex
Factors associated with reduced risk of using opioids at 1 year or beyond:
(1) officer
