Degirmenci, H Berk;
Peloquin, Christine E;
Westerland, Maggie;
Lodi, Sara;
Machado, Pedro M;
Jafarzadeh, S Reza;
Neogi, Tuhina;
... Liew, Jean W; + view all
(2025)
Trends in Opioid Prescriptions in Individuals with Axial Spondyloarthritis in the US and UK in the Last Two Decades: Analysis of Electronic Health Records and Insurance Claims Data.
Arthritis Care & Research
10.1002/acr.25655.
(In press).
![[thumbnail of Arthritis Care Research - 2025 - Degirmenci - Trends in Opioid Prescriptions in Individuals with Axial Spondyloarthritis.pdf]](https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/style/images/fileicons/text.png) |
Text
Arthritis Care Research - 2025 - Degirmenci - Trends in Opioid Prescriptions in Individuals with Axial Spondyloarthritis.pdf - Accepted Version Access restricted to UCL open access staff until 26 March 2026. Download (1MB) |
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Chronic opioid use occurs in 25% of individuals with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA). Whether introduction of tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi) influenced secular trends in opioid prescription in axSpA is unknown. We examined opioid prescription trends in axSpA, relative to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and TNFi, using two observational databases. METHODS: We used data from IQVIA Medical Research Database (IMRD), a UK electronic health records-based database from 2000-2020, and Merative™ MarketScan® (MarketScan), a US administrative claims-based database from 2006-2021. We included adults (18-89 years, IMRD; 18-65 years, MarketScan) with axSpA. We calculated annual prescription rates for opioids, NSAIDs and TNFi (only in MarketScan) and estimated percentage changes in annual prescription rates by medication class using joinpoint regression. RESULTS: We included 1,689 individuals from IMRD (mean age 47 years; 74% male) and 18,858 individuals from MarketScan (mean age 45 years; 51% male). In IMRD, annual opioid prescription rates decreased by 2.5% (95% CI -9.1,1.9) between 2001-2007, increased by 3.9% (95% CI -3.0, 14.2) between 2007-2016, and decreased by 0.4% (95% CI -11.2, 2.9) between 2016-2020. In MarketScan, annual opioid prescription rates decreased by 1.5% (95% CI -3.0, 2.0) in 2008-2016 and decreased by 8.6% (95% CI -15.2, -5.7) in 2016-2021. TNFi prescriptions increased by 1.8% (95% CI 1.1, 2.5) in 2008-2021. CONCLUSION: Opioid prescriptions rates remained stable over time in the UK, while they slightly decreased in the US as TNFi uptake increased. These trends may reflect a US nationwide change in guidance for opioid prescriptions issued in 2016.
Archive Staff Only
 |
View Item |
