{"title":"Association of Regular Opioid Use With Incident Dementia and Neuroimaging Markers of Brain Health in Chronic Pain Patients: Analysis of UK Biobank","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.jagp.2024.04.010","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objectives</h3><p>We aimed to investigate the association of regular opioid use, compared with non-opioid analgesics, with incident dementia and neuroimaging outcomes among chronic pain patients.</p></div><div><h3>Design</h3><p>The primary design is a prospective cohort study. To triangulate evidence, we also conducted a nested case-control study analyzing opioid prescriptions and a cross-sectional study analyzing neuroimaging outcomes.</p></div><div><h3>Setting and Participants</h3><p>Dementia-free UK Biobank participants with chronic pain and regular analgesic use.</p></div><div><h3>Measurements</h3><p>Chronic pain status and regular analgesic use were captured using self-reported questionnaires and verbal interviews. Opioid prescription data were obtained from primary care records. Dementia cases were ascertained using primary care, hospital, and death registry records. Propensity score-matched Cox proportional hazards analysis, conditional logistic regression, and linear regression were applied to the data in the prospective cohort, nested case-control, and cross-sectional studies, respectively.</p></div><div><h3>Results</h3><p>Prospective analyses revealed that regular opioid use, compared with non-opioid analgesics, was associated with an increased dementia risk over the 15-year follow-up (Hazard ratio [HR], 1.18 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.08–1.30]; Absolute rate difference [ARD], 0.44 [95% CI: 0.19–0.71] per 1000 person-years; Wald χ<sup>2</sup> = 3.65; df = 1; p <0.001). The nested case-control study suggested that a higher number of opioid prescriptions was associated with an increased risk of dementia (1 to 5 prescriptions: OR = 1.21, 95% CI: 1.07–1.37, Wald χ<sup>2</sup> = 3.02, df = 1, p = 0.003; 6 to 20: OR = 1.27, 95% CI: 1.08–1.50, Wald χ<sup>2</sup> = 2.93, df = 1, p = 0.003; more than 20: OR = 1.43, 95% CI: 1.23–1.67, Wald χ<sup>2</sup> = 4.57, df = 1, p < 0.001). Finally, neuroimaging analyses revealed that regular opioid use was associated with lower total grey matter and hippocampal volumes, and higher white matter hyperintensities volumes.</p></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><p>Regular opioid use in chronic pain patients was associated with an increased risk of dementia and poorer brain health when compared to non-opioid analgesic use. These findings imply a need for re-evaluation of opioid prescription practices for chronic pain patients and, if further evidence supports causality, provide insights into strategies to mitigate the burden of dementia.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":55534,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.4000,"publicationDate":"2024-04-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1064748124003208/pdfft?md5=ef4f6b08749aae77b7dc6d65267968ce&pid=1-s2.0-S1064748124003208-main.pdf","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1064748124003208","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"GERIATRICS & GERONTOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Objectives
We aimed to investigate the association of regular opioid use, compared with non-opioid analgesics, with incident dementia and neuroimaging outcomes among chronic pain patients.
Design
The primary design is a prospective cohort study. To triangulate evidence, we also conducted a nested case-control study analyzing opioid prescriptions and a cross-sectional study analyzing neuroimaging outcomes.
Setting and Participants
Dementia-free UK Biobank participants with chronic pain and regular analgesic use.
Measurements
Chronic pain status and regular analgesic use were captured using self-reported questionnaires and verbal interviews. Opioid prescription data were obtained from primary care records. Dementia cases were ascertained using primary care, hospital, and death registry records. Propensity score-matched Cox proportional hazards analysis, conditional logistic regression, and linear regression were applied to the data in the prospective cohort, nested case-control, and cross-sectional studies, respectively.
Results
Prospective analyses revealed that regular opioid use, compared with non-opioid analgesics, was associated with an increased dementia risk over the 15-year follow-up (Hazard ratio [HR], 1.18 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.08–1.30]; Absolute rate difference [ARD], 0.44 [95% CI: 0.19–0.71] per 1000 person-years; Wald χ2 = 3.65; df = 1; p <0.001). The nested case-control study suggested that a higher number of opioid prescriptions was associated with an increased risk of dementia (1 to 5 prescriptions: OR = 1.21, 95% CI: 1.07–1.37, Wald χ2 = 3.02, df = 1, p = 0.003; 6 to 20: OR = 1.27, 95% CI: 1.08–1.50, Wald χ2 = 2.93, df = 1, p = 0.003; more than 20: OR = 1.43, 95% CI: 1.23–1.67, Wald χ2 = 4.57, df = 1, p < 0.001). Finally, neuroimaging analyses revealed that regular opioid use was associated with lower total grey matter and hippocampal volumes, and higher white matter hyperintensities volumes.
Conclusion
Regular opioid use in chronic pain patients was associated with an increased risk of dementia and poorer brain health when compared to non-opioid analgesic use. These findings imply a need for re-evaluation of opioid prescription practices for chronic pain patients and, if further evidence supports causality, provide insights into strategies to mitigate the burden of dementia.
期刊介绍:
The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry is the leading source of information in the rapidly evolving field of geriatric psychiatry. This esteemed journal features peer-reviewed articles covering topics such as the diagnosis and classification of psychiatric disorders in older adults, epidemiological and biological correlates of mental health in the elderly, and psychopharmacology and other somatic treatments. Published twelve times a year, the journal serves as an authoritative resource for professionals in the field.