Importance: The increased use of gabapentinoids has been most pronounced in older people who are also susceptible to hip fractures.
Objective: To investigate the overall association between gabapentinoids and the risk of hip fractures and the stratified association across age groups, frailty status, and history of chronic kidney disease.
Design, setting, and participants: This was a case-case-time-control study in patients hospitalized for hip fracture in Victoria, Australia, between March 1, 2013, and June 30, 2018, with at least 1 prescription for a gabapentinoid before fracture. Conditional logistic regression was used to estimate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% CI for gabapentinoid dispensing in the index (1-60 days prefracture) compared with the reference (121-180 days prefracture) period. To adjust for the underlying time trend in gabapentinoid use, each index case was matched with up to 5 controls, selected from future cases of the same age and sex. Subgroup analyses were conducted in subgroups with or without chronic kidney disease (CKD), frailty scores less than 5, and frailty scores 5 and above. Frailty was computed using the Hospital Frailty Risk Score (HFRS). Data were analyzed from November 2023 to April 2024.
Exposure: Gabapentinoids (pregabalin or gabapentin).
Main outcome and measure: Hip fracture.
Results: Of 28 293 patients hospitalized for hip fractures, 2946 (1752 [59.5%] aged ≥80 years; 2099 [71.2%] female) were dispensed a gabapentinoid before hip fracture. Gabapentinoid dispensing was associated with increased odds of hip fractures (OR, 1.96; 95% CI, 1.66-2.32). After adjusting for the exposure-time trend and concomitant use of other central nervous system medications, the odds of hip fractures remained elevated (OR, 1.30; 95% CI, 1.07-1.57). The association between gabapentinoid dispensing and hip fracture was higher in patients with HFRS 5 and above (OR, 1.75; 95% CI, 1.31-2.33) and CKD (OR, 2.41; 95% CI, 1.65-3.52).
Conclusions and relevance: In this case-case-time-control study of Australian residents hospitalized for hip fracture, gabapentinoid use was associated with an increased risk of hip fractures, especially in patients who were frail or had chronic kidney disease. In addition to the known risk associated with kidney impairment, frailty status may be an important risk factor when considering use of gabapentinoids.
Importance: Ultrasonography-guided nerve blocks (UGNBs) have become a core component of multimodal analgesia for acute pain management in the emergency department (ED). Despite their growing use, national adoption of UGNBs has been slow due to a lack of procedural safety in the ED.
Objective: To assess the complication rates and patient pain scores of UGNBs performed in the ED.
Design, setting, and participants: This cohort study included data from the National Ultrasound-Guided Nerve Block Registry, a retrospective multicenter observational registry encompassing procedures performed in 11 EDs in the US from January 1, 2022, to December 31, 2023, of adult patients who underwent a UGNB.
Exposure: UGNB encounters.
Main outcomes and measures: The primary outcome of this study was complication rates associated with ED-performed UGNBs recorded in the National Ultrasound-Guided Nerve Block Registry from January 1, 2022, to December 31, 2023. The secondary outcome was patient pain scores of ED-based UGNBs. Data for all adult patients who underwent an ED-based UGNB at each site were recorded. The volume of UGNB at each site, as well as procedural outcomes (including complications), were recorded. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics of all variables.
Results: In total, 2735 UGNB encounters among adult patients (median age, 62 years [IQR, 41-77 years]; 51.6% male) across 11 EDs nationwide were analyzed. Fascia iliaca blocks were the most commonly performed UGNBs (975 of 2742 blocks [35.6%]). Complications occurred at a rate of 0.4% (10 of 2735 blocks). One episode of local anesthetic systemic toxicity requiring an intralipid was reported. Overall, 1320 of 1864 patients (70.8%) experienced 51% to 100% pain relief following UGNBs. Operator training level varied, although 1953 of 2733 procedures (71.5%) were performed by resident physicians.
Conclusions and relevance: The findings of this cohort study of 2735 UGNB encounters support the safety of UGNBs in ED settings and suggest an association with improvement in patient pain scores. Broader implementation of UGNBs in ED settings may have important implications as key elements of multimodal analgesia strategies to reduce opioid use and improve patient care.