• Susan E Creary, Deena J Chisolm, Sharon K Wrona, and Jennifer N Cooper.
• Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology/BMT, Center for Innovation in Pediatric Practice, Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA.
• Pain Med. 2020 Oct 1; 21 (10): 2583-2592.

ObjectiveTo assess the impact of Ohio's 2012, 2013, and 2016 opioid prescribing guidelines on opioid and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) prescription filling and health care utilization for pain among children with sickle cell disease (SCD).DesignQuasi-experimental retrospective cohort study.SettingOhio Medicaid claims data from August 2011 to August 2016.SubjectsMedicaid beneficiaries under age 19 years with SCD.MethodsInterrupted time series analyses comparing population-level rates of opioids and NSAID prescriptions filled, standardized amounts of opioids dispensed, and acute health care utilization for pain before and after release of each guideline.ResultsIn our cohort of 1,505 children with SCD, there was a temporary but significant decrease in the opioid filling rate (-2.96 prescriptions per 100 children, P = 0.01) and in the amount of opioids dispensed (-31.39 milligram morphine equivalents per filled prescription, P < 0.001) after the 2013 guideline but a temporary but significant increase in the opioid filling rate (7.44 prescriptions per 100 children, P < 0.001) and in the amount of opioids dispensed (72.73 mg morphine equivalents per filled prescription, P < 0.001) after the 2016 guideline. The NSAID filling rate did not significantly change after any of the guidelines. Acute health care utilization rates for pain after the 2016 guideline were similar to those before the 2013 guideline (rate ratio = 1.04, P = 0.63).ConclusionsOur results suggest that Ohio's 2013 and 2016 guidelines were associated with significant but nonsustained changes in opioid prescription filling among children with SCD. Additional studies are needed to confirm that opioid guidelines have a sustained impact on excessive opioid prescribing, filling, and misuse.© The Author(s) 2020. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Academy of Pain Medicine. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

20 keywords...

hide…