Annals of internal medicine
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Review Meta Analysis
Systematic review: opioid treatment for chronic back pain: prevalence, efficacy, and association with addiction.
The prevalence, efficacy, and risk for addiction for persons receiving opioids for chronic back pain are unclear. ⋯ Opioids are commonly prescribed for chronic back pain and may be efficacious for short-term pain relief. Long-term efficacy (> or =16 weeks) is unclear. Substance use disorders are common in patients taking opioids for back pain, and aberrant medication-taking behaviors occur in up to 24% of cases.