• Tone Blågestad, Inger H Nordhus, Janne Grønli, Lars B Engesæter, Sabine Ruths, Anette H Ranhoff, Bjørn Bjorvatn, and Ståle Pallesen.
• aDepartment of Clinical Psychology, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway bDepartment of Behavioural Sciences in Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway cDepartment of Biological and Medical Psychology, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway dSleep and Performance Research Center, College of Medical Sciences, Washington State University, Spokane, WA, USA eDepartment of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway fDepartment of Orthopaedics, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway gDepartment of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway hResearch Unit for General Practice, Uni Research Health, Bergen, Norway iKavli Research Center for Ageing and Dementia, Haraldsplass Hospital, Bergen, Norway jDepartment of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway kDiakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway lThe Norwegian Competence Center for Sleep Disorders, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway mDepartment of Psychosocial Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
• Pain. 2016 Mar 1; 157 (3): 643-51.

AbstractTotal hip arthroplasty (THA) has been shown to reduce pain and improve function. In addition, it is suggested that THA improves sleep and alleviates symptoms of anxiety and depression. Patients with chronic pain are frequent users of analgesic and psychotropic drugs and thereby risk adverse drug events. The impact of THA on such drug use has not been thoroughly investigated. Based on merged data from the Norwegian Prescription Database and the Norwegian Arthroplasty Register, this study sought to investigate redeemed medications in a complete population (N = 39,688) undergoing THA in 2005 to 2011. User rates and redeemed drug volume of analgesics (nonsteroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), opioids, and nonopioids) and psychotropics (hypnotics, anxiolytics, and antidepressants) were calculated for 4 quarters before and 4 quarters after surgery. We analysed preoperative prescription trends (Q1 vs Q4), postoperative prescription (Q4 vs Q5), and long-term effect of surgery (Q4 vs Q8). Before surgery, use of all drug groups increased from Q1 to Q4. Use of opioids, nonopioids, and hypnotics dramatically increased from Q4 to Q5. Long-term (Q4 vs Q8) surgery reduced prescriptions of analgesics, hypnotics, and anxiolytics, but not antidepressants. Overall, the present results extend the positive effects of THA to include reduced reliance on medication to alleviate symptoms.

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