Health Outcomes From Opioid Therapy for Chronic Pain

Completed · Not applicable

Conditions studied: Chronic Pain, Behavior, Addictive

In brief

Although the use of opioid medications has gained increasing acceptance as a treatment option for chronic pain, there is little empirical research concerning long-term outcomes with this patient population. Several important questions concerning the use of opioids have yet to be examined in controlled studies. These include: determination of the most effective dosing regime, specification of the risk factors for medication abuse, and identification of patients most likely to achieve long-term benefits. Despite the lack of empirical data, the clinical literature to date yields two general approaches to the use of opioid treatment with chronic, nonmalignant pain. The first approach dictates that due to risk of addiction, tolerance, and insensitivity to large doses, opioid medications should be carefully controlled, with minimal and stable dosing as the eventual goal of treatment. The second approach, fostered by the beneficial use of opioids in the treatment of cancer pain, maintains that risk of addiction and abuse has been exaggerated. Proponents of this approach suggest that under-medication is a significant cause of treatment failure and non-compliance in chronic pain patients, and that prescription guidelines should emphasize patients� reports of adequate relief, regardless of dosage.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT00495404

Run by

US Department of Veterans Affairs

People needed

135

Starts

2001-08-01

Expected to finish

2005-03-01

Last updated by the study team

2015-04-07

Who can join

Age: 18 and older, up to 65. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Veteran within Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System; Presence of chronic non-malignant pain for at least 6 months

You may not qualify if…

• Anticipated surgery within 6 months; Current testing for pain etiology; Serious health conditions (pulmonary disease, congestive heart failure); Active or recent (past 2 years) substance abuse problems; Psychiatric hospitalization within past 2 years

Where it is running

• VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, West Los Angeles, CA — West Los Angeles, California, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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