Research on opioids, addiction, and treatment. Covers traditional care practices, opioid treatment in pregnancy, illicit fentanyl, and treatment disparities.
Researchers found a significant increase in opioid overdose deaths among younger Medicare patients with disabilities, from 57.4 per 100,000 in 2012 to 77.6 per 100,000 in 2016. Adults with psychiatric diseases, substance use disorder, and chronic pain had higher rates of opioid overdose death.
Researchers mapped opioid overdose death locations in Flint, Mich., finding three clusters with high concentrations in poorer neighborhoods. Only a small percentage of available treatment centers were located in these areas, highlighting the need for targeted resource allocation.
The Texas Advanced Computing Center will develop a meta-portal to provide access to analytics tools and data sets for researchers studying the biological characteristics underlying acute-to-chronic pain transition. Researchers aim to identify biomarkers that can predict chronic pain for medical and public health use.
A new study published in the American Journal of Public Health estimates that 171,900 Canadians injected drugs in 2016, with a 30-per-cent increase from 2011. The study also found wide variations in service coverage across provinces and territories.
Researchers found that infants born in states with punitive policies had higher rates of neonatal abstinence syndrome, highlighting the need for public health approaches to prevention and expanded treatment access. Policies requiring reporting of prenatal substance use were not associated with increased withdrawal risk.
A Dartmouth study analyzed prescription records of 2.5 million Medicare beneficiaries and found that taking any one fracture-associated drug doubles a person's risk, while taking three or more increases it four-fold. The most hazardous combinations included opioids with sedatives, diuretics, or PPIs.
Researchers identified several risk factors associated with postpartum opioid overdose, including history of overdose during pregnancy, OUD diagnosis, and certain medical conditions. The study suggests that improving screening and providing supportive care can help reduce the risk of postpartum overdose.
Researchers at Marshall University found that universal maternal toxicology screening, including gabapentin, led to increased identification of co-exposure and improved timely treatment for newborns experiencing withdrawal symptoms. This resulted in shorter hospital stays, averaging 48 days compared to 58 days before the screening began.
A randomized clinical trial in Australia tested whether a dose of naloxone administered through the nose was as effective as the same dose delivered by injection to reverse opioid overdose. The study found that nasal naloxone was just as effective as injectable naloxone in preventing the need for a rescue dose within 10 minutes.
A recent study found that opioid overdose victims who suffer cardiac arrest differ from other cardiac arrest patients, with unique characteristics that may require different treatment. Opioid-related cardiac arrest survivors are more likely to be admitted to a hospital due to improved survival rates in urban and rural areas.
Researchers found a significant increase in opioid-use disorder hospitalizations among patients with common rheumatic conditions like gout, osteoarthritis, and fibromyalgia. The study suggests that these patients are at risk of developing an opioid use disorder due to chronic musculoskeletal diseases.
Researchers found small, statistically significant benefits on pain and function with opioids, but no impact on quality of life or depression for patients with osteoarthritis. Strong opioids had consistently worse pain relief benefits and a greater risk of adverse events compared to weak opioids.
The Department of Veterans Affairs is investigating the impact of opioids and sedatives on veteran health, with a focus on reducing overdose and death rates. The study aims to identify effective treatment strategies for co-prescribing these medications, which have been linked to increased risks of respiratory depression and suicide.
Non-Hispanic black and Hispanic women reported higher pain scores compared to white women during the postpartum period. Despite this, they received fewer opioids and were less likely to receive prescriptions at discharge.
A new study found that mind-body therapies such as meditation/mindfulness, hypnosis, and cognitive-behavioral therapy can significantly reduce pain severity and opioid use among patients treated with prescription opioids. These findings have critical implications for medical professionals seeking effective treatments for pain management.
The RNI is conducting a clinical trial using deep brain stimulation to treat patients with treatment-resistant opioid use disorder. The trial aims to investigate the mechanism of addiction in the brain and potentially provide a new tool to help those severely impacted by opioid use disorder.
The PLOS Medicine special issue examines the challenges of substance use and misuse, including opioid epidemic in the US and differences in risks among refugees and non-refugee migrants. Research findings suggest that programmes focusing on prescription opioids may be missing a growing proportion of people at risk of harm from opioid m...
A comprehensive review of mind-body therapies found associations with lower opioid use and better pain outcomes. The study combined data from multiple studies, providing evidence for the effectiveness of these interventions in managing chronic pain among adults on opioids.
A recent study observed a significant reduction in opioid use and improvement in pain control among patients receiving fewer opioid tablets after corneal surgery. This decrease is attributed to the reduced prescription of opioids, highlighting the potential benefits of more conservative treatment approaches.
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing have discovered that GLP-1 receptor agonists can reduce oxycodone self-administration and relapse in rats. The study suggests a novel role for GLP-1 receptors in opioid-mediated behaviors, providing a potential new target for medications treating opioid use disorder.
A new study at Kellogg Eye Center finds that reducing opioid pills prescribed after cornea surgery doesn't compromise pain control, with most patients using only four pills. The policy change also leads to more responsible pill disposal practices.
A new study found that physicians who received gifts related to opioid medications were more likely to prescribe opioids the following year. The study also revealed significant variability in opioid prescribing across different medical specialties, with primary care physicians and psychiatrists being among those most likely to be in th...
A recent study by NYU College of Global Public Health found that construction workers are the most likely profession to misuse opioids and cocaine. The researchers analyzed data from over 293,000 participants and discovered a strong link between physical demands of construction work and substance use.
A study at the University of Vermont Medical Center found significant reductions in opioid prescribing and use after implementing state-mandated regulations, but no negative impact on pain management. The regulations included educating patients about non-opioid analgesia and safe disposal of unused opioids.
A new study from the University of Michigan and Dartmouth University found that US-born residents are significantly more likely to use prescription opioids than new immigrants. The study analyzed data from the national Medical Expenditure Panel Survey and found that US-born residents were more than five times as likely to use opioids a...
A study found that first-generation immigrants who spend more time in the US are more likely to use prescription opioids. The study revealed a significant increase in opioid use from new to long-standing immigrants, with nonimmigrants also showing a higher rate of opioid use.
A team of researchers at Medical University of South Carolina enhances an existing informatics tool to better identify Emergency Department cases of nonfatal opioid overdose. The enhanced tool uses natural language processing to analyze clinical notes and provide real-time information on opioid addiction, enabling more intelligent clin...
Researchers are examining prescription practices before and after the law took effect to understand how it has shaped healthcare providers' prescribing habits. The study will also investigate the impact on patients, including those with chronic pain, and potential unintended consequences of shorter opioid prescriptions.
A new study by Michigan Medicine found that involving patients in pain management decisions significantly decreased opioid prescriptions without compromising pain control. The majority of patients reported their pain control as adequate or good and said their pain level was better or much better than expected.
Studies show nearly 90% of women without opioid use in hospital post-cesarean delivery still receive a prescription for opioids upon discharge. Research highlights the need to reduce opioid use after cesarean delivery using alternative pain medications.
A study found that nearly one-third of children who had tonsillectomy did not need opioids for pain relief during and after surgery. Researchers used non-opioid pain medications instead, with similar postoperative care time in both groups.
A systematic review of seven published studies suggests that medical marijuana may be associated with benefits such as decreased opioid overdose rates and improved quality of life. However, the results need to be confirmed by more rigorous scientific research due to limitations in study design and potential side effects.
Patients in an enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) program used nearly half as many opioids and reported significantly less pain compared to those without ERAS. ERAS protocols focus on managing patient expectations and providing alternative pain medications, leading to decreased opioid consumption.
A two-year study found a rapid increase in naloxone distribution in Ontario pharmacies after kits became available for free. Over 68,000 people received naloxone kits during this period, with a significant increase in dispensing from 1.9 to 54.3 kits per 100,000 residents.
A survey study of nearly 1,000 patients found no significant change in patient satisfaction with surgeons when they prescribed fewer opioids. The results suggest that reducing opioid prescriptions may not have a direct impact on patient satisfaction with surgical care.
A new study published in Science Advances shows that MORE, a mind-body therapy, decreases brain's response to opioid-related cues while increasing its response to natural rewards. Participants reported enhanced joy, less pain, and improved psychological health after treatment.
The Temple research team will investigate the mechanism by which HIV infection leads to greater sensitivity to pain and reduced effectiveness of opioid therapeutics. The study aims to understand how chronic inflammation promotes cross-desensitization of opioid receptors, resulting in elevated pain sensitivity.
The University of Missouri has received a $1.2 million grant to provide clinical training to doctoral students in underserved Missouri communities affected by the opioid epidemic. The program aims to create a workforce that can address improved treatment access, overdose-reversing drugs and pain management strategies.
A new mobile app, SexEx Rural, is being developed to train public school personnel and county health department staff to recognize the physical, emotional, and interpersonal signs of child sex trafficking. The app includes interactive quizzes, real-world examples, and a searchable resource center for reporting and supporting victims.
A team of researchers from the University of Sydney has made a breakthrough in the search for an opioid alternative, discovering a fungus that produces tetrapeptides mimicking endomophins. The findings, published in PNAS, suggest a new drug could be developed with fewer side-effects and effective pain relief.
Researchers developed a bioelectronic implant that can sense dangerously low oxygen levels and administer naloxone to prevent opioid deaths. The device is small, wireless, and can be implanted just beneath the skin to bypass barriers in current overdose treatment.
In Penn Medicine's New Jersey practices, an electronic 'nudge' served as an effective tool to influence prescribing behavior and lower quantities of prescribed opioids. The study found no evidence that pain control worsened despite the decreased prescriptions.
A new study at Boston Medical Center aims to determine the effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) in treating chronic lower back pain. The 8-week group mindfulness program may improve patients' physical and psychological function, as well as their likelihood of reducing opioid prescriptions.
Researchers propose novel treatment strategies that can help prevent opioid abuse by identifying vulnerable individuals through advances in brain science. These findings have implications for addressing the opioid epidemic, particularly in understanding the neurological response to opioids.
A study found that prescription opioids are associated with a higher risk of death and hospitalization compared to other pain medications, especially at high doses. The risk is highest among individuals with lower kidney function, who may experience reduced clearance of the active compounds from their bodies.
The University of Illinois Chicago has received $2.8 million in NIH funding to investigate non-opioid pain management solutions for adults with kidney disease. The study aims to find effective treatments to alleviate chronic pain and improve quality of life for patients on maintenance dialysis.
A team of UC Davis researchers led by Vladimir Yarov-Yarovoy is developing a new class of peptides to treat chronic pain with minimal side effects. The goal is to identify the most effective peptide design that can selectively block pain-associated sodium channels without affecting other channels.
Patients who first see a chiropractor or physical therapist are less likely to be prescribed opioids, reducing the risk of short- and long-term use. The study found that state-level policy regulations impact opioid prescribing, with patients in states with limited access more likely to receive opioids.
The US National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded a grant to Sydney-based company Kinoxis Therapeutics to develop a potential treatment for opioid withdrawal. KNX100, a small molecule therapeutic drug candidate, is being developed to treat opioid-use disorder and other substance use disorders.
A new study published in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report found that nearly one-third of patients with lupus use prescription opioids to manage chronic pain. The research, led by Emily Somers, aims to determine current levels of opioid prescribing for lupus patients.
Researchers at Wayne State University and Henry Ford Health System aim to develop a new therapeutic approach to reduce opioid addiction relapse using dual orexin antagonism. The study will investigate the role of sleep disturbance in opioid use disorder and its potential link to treatment cessation.
A large-scale implementation of an enhanced recovery program (ERP) reduced rates of extended hospitalization for bariatric surgery patients by nearly half. The protocol, known as ENERGY, improved patient outcomes through measures such as minimizing fluid overload and implementing opioid-sparing pain management strategies.
Guidelines recommend universal screening for opioid use and offering opioid agonist therapy, counselling, and mental health supports. Ongoing support in the postpartum period is crucial for women with opioid use disorders at increased risk of fatal overdose.
The University of Kentucky received a grant to establish a Clinical Research Center to provide quality addiction treatment for opioid use disorder in criminal justice settings. The grant will enhance access to treatment for women transitioning from jail to the community, addressing unique vulnerabilities.
Rates of filled opioid prescriptions after eye surgery doubled from 1.2% in 2000-01 to 2.5% in 2014 across six ocular subspecialties, despite reduced invasiveness and recovery time for these procedures. The study's findings are concerning as they suggest that efforts to reduce opioid use have not had the desired impact.
Researchers have identified specific touchpoints where individuals with opioid use disorder encounter the healthcare system, criminal justice, or public health services, increasing their risk of overdose death. Targeted interventions and harm reduction services can reduce these deaths by up to 50%.
A study found that young adults in the US report high rates of non-medical prescription drug use, binge drinking, and illicit drug use. Researchers recommend a multilevel approach to address potential harms related to polysubstance use throughout the life course.
A three-year pilot study is evaluating a new opioid overdose prevention program, ROAR, specifically designed for incarcerated women. The program aims to reduce the risk of post-incarceration opioid overdose by providing treatment and recovery support prior to release.
Patients with hidradenitis suppurativa are at increased risk of developing new long-term opioid use. Researchers found that nearly 25% of patients developed opioids over two years, highlighting the need for alternative pain management strategies.
Researchers presented innovative studies on head and neck cancer, cochlear implants, and treatment options for conditions like laryngotracheal stenosis and obstructive sleep apnea. The selected studies highlighted outstanding scientific merit and innovation in the field of otolaryngology.