Do Urine Drug Tests Reveal Substance Misuse Among Patients Prescribed Opioids for Chronic Pain?

ABSTRACT:

Background

Urine drug testing (UDT) is a recommended risk mitigation strategy for patients prescribed opioids for chronic pain, but evidence that UDT supports identification of substance misuse is limited.

Objective

Identify the prevalence of UDT results that may identify substance misuse, including diversion, among patients prescribed opioids for chronic pain.

Design

Retrospective cohort study.

Subjects

Patients (n=638) receiving opioids for chronic pain who had one or more UDTs, examining up to eight substances per sample, during a one 1-year period.

Main measures

Experts adjudicated the clinical concern that UDT results suggest substance misuse or diversion as not concerning, uncertain, or concerning.

Key results

Of 638 patients, 48% were femal

SUBMITTER: Larochelle MR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9360386 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature