Opioid prescriptions are associated with hepatic encephalopathy in a national cohort of patients with compensated cirrhosis.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Opioids are often prescribed for pain in cirrhosis and may increase the risk of hepatic encephalopathy (HE).

Aim

To assess the association between opioids and HE in patients with well-compensated cirrhosis.

Methods

We used the IQVIA PharMetrics (Durham, NC) database to identify patients aged 18-64 years with cirrhosis. We excluded patients with any decompensation event from 1 year before cirrhosis diagnosis to 6 months after cirrhosis diagnosis. Over the 6 months after cirrhosis diagnosis, we determined the duration of continuous opioid use and classified use into short term (1-89 days) and chronic (90-180 days). We assessed whether patients developed HE over the subsequent year (ie 6-18 months after cirrhosis diagnosis). We used a landmark analysis and per

SUBMITTER: Moon AM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7047528 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature