Patients dwelling with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) or ankylosing spondylitis (AS) who use opioids have a better charge of well being care utilization and better related prices, in accordance with analysis outcomes introduced at ACR Convergence 2022, which was held from November 10 to 14 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.¹

Opioid use in people with spondyloarthritis is frequent; stories point out a charge of opioid use between 20% and 30% in some affected person cohorts. However, knowledge on well being care utilization in these sufferers are missing. Therefore, investigators carried out a retrospective cohort examine of grownup sufferers with PsA or AS enrolled in FORWARD, the National Databank for Rheumatic Diseases. Patients who accomplished 1 or extra Health Assessment Questionnaire-Disability Index and/or Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index between 2010 and 2019 have been included within the examine.

The cohort included a complete of 828 sufferers with PsA and 334 sufferers with AS, of whom 21.3% (n = 177) and 27.4% (n = 91) used opioids. These sufferers had extra comorbidities, a better prevalence of smoking, and worse illness exercise, as measured by way of questionnaire. These sufferers additionally tended to have larger use of any antirheumatic drug class. Those who used opioids have been extra more likely to have larger charges of well being care utilization and better medical prices, inclusive of medical visits, diagnostic exams, direct medical prices, and pharmacy prices comparable to biologics or different medication.

After adjusting for age, intercourse, and hospitalizations, sufferers with PsA who used opioids had 33% extra medical visits on an annual foundation in contrast with these not utilizing opioids; outcomes have been related within the AS cohort, with a 32% improve in annual medical visits. The annual variety of diagnostic exams have been “similarly elevated” for many who used opioids (56% and 68% within the PsA and AS teams, respectively). Those who used opioids additionally spent extra on medical visits on an annual foundation ($3464.70 USD and $4576.20 USD). These sufferers additionally spent extra on drugs comparable to biologics, standard artificial disease-modifying antirheumatic medication, and different drug-related prices.

“New care pathways for these patients are needed to improve care and reduce costs,” the investigators concluded.

Reference

1. Ogdie A, Pedro S, Liew J, Michaud Okay. Opioid use and healthcare utilization in adults with PsA and AS. Presented at: American College of Rheumatology Convergence 2022; November 10-14, 2022; Philadelphia, PA. Abstract 0402.