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Canna~Fangled Abstracts

Self-reported cannabis use is not associated with greater opioid use in elective hand surgery patients

By August 20, 2022No Comments

. 2022 Aug 20.

doi: 10.1007/s00590-022-03321-z.

Online ahead of print.
Nathan L Bowers 1, Kevin A Hao 2, Sunny Trivedi 2, Ellen Satteson 3, Joseph J King 1, Thomas W Wright 1, Robert C Matthias 4
Affiliations 

Abstract

Background: The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of preoperative marijuana use on postoperative opioid use during the first three postoperative days (POD 1-3) after surgery, and on expectations of pain control, resiliency, and quality-of-life scores.

Methods: All patients presenting to a single institution undergoing elective hand or upper extremity outpatient surgery were asked to complete pre- and postoperative questionnaires. Preoperative questionnaires collected information on demographics, marijuana use, tobacco use, procedure type, self-assessed health, pain control expectations, and EuroQol-5D (EQ-5D) scores. At the first postoperative visit, patients self-reported opioid consumption from POD 1-3. Multivariate linear regression analysis was used to determine which patient characteristics were predictive of greater postoperative opioid consumption during POD 1-3.

Results: Self-reported marijuana users were younger, less healthy, and more likely to use tobacco compared to non-users. Marijuana users and non-users were comparable in their use of pain medication (including non-opioids), rates of chronic pain diagnoses, and self-reported pain tolerance. EQ-5D scores were lower in marijuana users than non-users (0.64 vs. 0.72). Marijuana users and non-users were prescribed comparable quantities of opioids during the first 14 days after surgery (176 ± 148 vs 115 ± 87). Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that lower preoperative EQ-5D scores, rather than marijuana use, were associated with increased opioid consumption during POD 1-3.

Conclusions: Preoperative marijuana use was not independently associated with increased opioid use during POD 1-3 after elective hand and upper extremity surgery; instead, an association with lower preoperative EQ-5D scores was identified.

Level of evidence: II, prospective cohort study.

Keywords: Cannabinoid, EQ-5D, Marijuana, Narcotics, Pain management

References

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