2020
All-cause mortality among males living with and without HIV initiating long-term opioid therapy, and its association with opioid dose, opioid interruption and other factors
Gordon K, Manhapra A, Crystal S, Dziura J, Edelman E, Skanderson M, Kerns R, Justice A, Tate J, Becker W. All-cause mortality among males living with and without HIV initiating long-term opioid therapy, and its association with opioid dose, opioid interruption and other factors. Drug And Alcohol Dependence 2020, 216: 108291. PMID: 33011662, PMCID: PMC7644145, DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2020.108291.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsMorphine equivalent daily doseCause mortalityLong-term opioid therapyTime-updated Cox regressionStrong dose-response relationshipUnnatural deathsEquivalent daily doseDose-response relationshipOpioid doseOpioid therapyUninfected patientsOpioid useDaily doseCox regressionMortality outcomesTherapy doseHigh doseMale veteransOverdose fatalitiesOverdose mortalityPLWHMortalityHIVPatientsDose
2019
High-dose prescribed opioids are associated with increased risk of heroin use among United States military veterans.
Banerjee G, Edelman EJ, Barry DT, Crystal S, Gordon KS, Gordon AJ, Gaither JR, Green TC, Kerns RD, Manhapra A, Moore BA, Fiellin DA, Marshall BDL. High-dose prescribed opioids are associated with increased risk of heroin use among United States military veterans. Pain 2019, 160: 2126-2135. PMID: 31145217, PMCID: PMC6699915, DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000001606.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsHigh-dose opioid prescriptionsOpioid prescriptionsHeroin useCohort studyPrior receiptHepatitis C virus (HCV) infection statusLong-term opioid prescriptionsPast-year heroin useVeterans Aging Cohort StudyHigh-dose opioidsOpioid-prescribing patternsProspective cohort studyAging Cohort StudyOpioid use disorderCurrent national guidelinesUnhealthy alcohol useUnited States veteransUnited States military veteransVirus infection statusPosttraumatic stress disorderOpioid receiptPrescribed opioidsPain interferenceCox regressionStates veterans
2018
Opioid Use Among Veterans of Recent Wars Receiving Veterans Affairs Chiropractic Care
Lisi AJ, Corcoran KL, DeRycke EC, Bastian LA, Becker WC, Edmond SN, Goertz CM, Goulet JL, Haskell SG, Higgins DM, Kawecki T, Kerns RD, Mattocks K, Ramsey C, Ruser CB, Brandt CA. Opioid Use Among Veterans of Recent Wars Receiving Veterans Affairs Chiropractic Care. Pain Medicine 2018, 19: s54-s60. PMID: 30203014, DOI: 10.1093/pm/pny114.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsOEF/OIF/OND veteransOpioid prescriptionsChiropractic visitsOpioid useChiropractic careOperations Enduring Freedom/Iraqi Freedom/New DawnMore opioid prescriptionsVA chiropractic servicesPercentage of veteransCross-sectional analysisOpioid receiptClinic visitsClinical characteristicsCurrent smokingSevere painChiropractic clinicChiropractic servicesVisitsHigher likelihoodVeteransPrescriptionCareFurther studiesAdministrative dataOne-third
2016
The Effect of Substance Use Disorders on the Association Between Guideline-concordant Long-term Opioid Therapy and All-cause Mortality
Gaither JR, Goulet JL, Becker WC, Crystal S, Edelman EJ, Gordon K, Kerns RD, Rimland D, Skanderson M, Justice AC, Fiellin DA. The Effect of Substance Use Disorders on the Association Between Guideline-concordant Long-term Opioid Therapy and All-cause Mortality. Journal Of Addiction Medicine 2016, 10: 418-428. PMID: 27610580, PMCID: PMC5083184, DOI: 10.1097/adm.0000000000000255.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSubstance use disordersLong-term opioid therapyCause mortalityOpioid therapySUD treatmentUse disordersLower mortalityTime-updated Cox regressionUntreated substance use disordersVeterans Aging Cohort StudyOpioid-prescribing guidelinesGuideline-concordant careSUD statusAging Cohort StudyClinical practice guidelinesSUD treatment servicesOverall sampleHIV patientsCohort studyCox regressionPractice guidelinesPatientsTreatment servicesHigh mortalityMortalityCigarette Smoking Status and Receipt of an Opioid Prescription Among Veterans of Recent Wars
Bastian LA, Driscoll MA, Heapy AA, Becker WC, Goulet JL, Kerns RD, DeRycke EC, Perez E, Lynch SM, Mattocks K, Kroll-Desrosiers AR, Brandt CA, Skanderson M, Bathulapalli H, Haskell SG. Cigarette Smoking Status and Receipt of an Opioid Prescription Among Veterans of Recent Wars. Pain Medicine 2016, 18: 1089-1097. PMID: 27659441, DOI: 10.1093/pm/pnw223.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsCurrent pain intensityOpioid prescriptionsPain intensitySmoking statusOEF/OIF/OND veteransCurrent smokersFormer smokersOpioid useVeterans Health Administration primary care clinicsOperations Enduring Freedom/Iraqi Freedom/New DawnMild pain intensityMore opioid prescriptionsSevere pain intensityNumeric rating scalePrimary care clinicsCigarette smoking statusCross-sectional analysisOpioid receiptFormer smokingCohort studyCurrent smokingCare clinicsChronic painCigarette smokersSmoking cessationPrevalence and correlates of coprescribing anxiolytic medications with extensive prescription opioid use in Veterans Health Administration patients with metastatic cancer.
Barry DT, Sofuoglu M, Kerns RD, Wiechers IR, Rosenheck RA. Prevalence and correlates of coprescribing anxiolytic medications with extensive prescription opioid use in Veterans Health Administration patients with metastatic cancer. Journal Of Opioid Management 2016, 12: 259-68. PMID: 27575827, DOI: 10.5055/jom.2016.0341.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPrescription opioid useVeterans Health Administration patientsOpioid useMetastatic cancerAnxiolytic medicationMedical indicationsMultivariate analysisMore emergency department visitsNational VHA dataEmergency department visitsPrescription of antidepressantsAnxiolytic prescriptionsOpioid prescriptionsDepartment visitsVHA patientsPsychotropic medicationsFiscal year 2012VHA dataDrug AdministrationMedicationsBipolar disorderCareful monitoringYounger ageAnxiolyticsCancer
2015
Receipt of Prescription Opioids in a National Sample of Pregnant Veterans Receiving Veterans Health Administration Care
Kroll-Desrosiers AR, Skanderson M, Bastian LA, Brandt CA, Haskell S, Kerns RD, Mattocks KM. Receipt of Prescription Opioids in a National Sample of Pregnant Veterans Receiving Veterans Health Administration Care. Women's Health Issues 2015, 26: 240-246. PMID: 26549242, DOI: 10.1016/j.whi.2015.09.010.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPrescription opioid usePregnancy windowsOpioid prescriptionsPsychiatric diagnosisWomen veteransPregnant veteransOpioid usePrescription opioidsVeterans Health Administration (VHA) careMultivariable logistic regression modelVeterans Health Administration (VHA) servicesNontraumatic joint disordersPain management strategiesHealth-related variablesLogistic regression modelsPhysical health variablesPotential undertreatmentVHA servicesJoint disordersVHA systemOperation Enduring FreedomBack problemsOpioidsHealth variablesNational databaseTrends in Any and High-Dose Opioid Analgesic Receipt Among Aging Patients With and Without HIV
Becker WC, Gordon K, Jennifer Edelman E, Kerns RD, Crystal S, Dziura JD, Fiellin LE, Gordon AJ, Goulet JL, Justice AC, Fiellin DA. Trends in Any and High-Dose Opioid Analgesic Receipt Among Aging Patients With and Without HIV. AIDS And Behavior 2015, 20: 679-686. PMID: 26384973, PMCID: PMC5006945, DOI: 10.1007/s10461-015-1197-5.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchPrevalence and correlates of co-prescribing psychotropic medications with long-term opioid use nationally in the Veterans Health Administration
Barry DT, Sofuoglu M, Kerns RD, Wiechers IR, Rosenheck RA. Prevalence and correlates of co-prescribing psychotropic medications with long-term opioid use nationally in the Veterans Health Administration. Psychiatry Research 2015, 227: 324-332. PMID: 25863822, DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2015.03.006.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAdultAnti-Anxiety AgentsAntidepressive AgentsDrug PrescriptionsFemaleHumansHypnotics and SedativesMaleMental DisordersOpioid-Related DisordersPrevalencePsychotropic DrugsSleep Initiation and Maintenance DisordersUnited StatesUnited States Department of Veterans AffairsVeteransVeterans HealthConceptsMental health clinicsPsychotropic medicationsOpioid prescriptionsHealth clinicsMedical indicationsAnxiolytics/sedatives/hypnoticsLong-term opioid useSpecialty mental health clinicsService use correlatesRelated adverse eventsSedative/hypnoticsVeterans Health AdministrationMental health treatmentAdverse eventsOpioid useHarmful side effectsFiscal year 2012More psychotropicsSide effectsPsychiatric diagnosisHealth treatmentMedicationsHealth AdministrationPsychotropicsAnxiety disorders
2013
Prescription Headache Medication in OEF/OIF Veterans: Results From the Women Veterans Cohort Study
Seng EK, Driscoll MA, Brandt CA, Bathulapalli H, Goulet J, Silliker N, Kerns RD, Haskell SG. Prescription Headache Medication in OEF/OIF Veterans: Results From the Women Veterans Cohort Study. Headache The Journal Of Head And Face Pain 2013, 53: 1312-1322. PMID: 23808756, DOI: 10.1111/head.12155.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsMental health statusOEF/OIF veteransHeadache medication useHeadache medicationsWomen Veterans Cohort StudyPsychiatric symptomsHealth statusPosttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptomsOIF veteransCohort studyMedication useWomen veteransPoor mental health statusTraumatic eventsHigh rateDisorder symptomsQuality of lifeCross-sectional surveyPrescription medicationsActive service membersMedicationsGender differencesFemale veteransHeadacheSymptomsA Research Agenda for Enhancing Appropriate Opioid Prescribing in Primary Care
Becker WC, Fraenkel L, Kerns RD, Fiellin DA. A Research Agenda for Enhancing Appropriate Opioid Prescribing in Primary Care. Journal Of General Internal Medicine 2013, 28: 1364-1367. PMID: 23568187, PMCID: PMC3785661, DOI: 10.1007/s11606-013-2422-4.Peer-Reviewed Educational MaterialsConceptsOpioid prescribingLong-term opioid therapyMulti-modal treatment planAppropriate opioid prescribingOpioid analgesic therapyPatient-reported safetyEvidence-based algorithmOpioid therapyOptimize therapyAnalgesic therapyChronic painPotent medicationsInadequate efficacyPrimary careQuality improvement workPatient sufferingMild toxicityTreatment planScant dataTherapyPrescribingEfficacyPatientsOutcomesToxicity
2012
Receipt of Opioid Analgesics by HIV-Infected and Uninfected Patients
Edelman EJ, Gordon K, Becker WC, Goulet JL, Skanderson M, Gaither JR, Brennan Braden J, Gordon AJ, Kerns RD, Justice AC, Fiellin DA. Receipt of Opioid Analgesics by HIV-Infected and Uninfected Patients. Journal Of General Internal Medicine 2012, 28: 82-90. PMID: 22895747, PMCID: PMC3539026, DOI: 10.1007/s11606-012-2189-z.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsLong-term opioidsHigh-dose opioidsUninfected patientsOpioid receiptHIV statusPain diagnosisHIV infectionVeterans Aging Cohort StudyVeterans Health Administration (VHA) careDaily morphine equivalent doseAcute pain diagnosisDays of opioidsMorphine equivalent doseAging Cohort StudyDesignCross-sectional analysisChronic pain diagnosesICD-9 codesVulnerable patient populationAverage daily doseMorphine equivalentsOpioid prescriptionsCohort studyDaily doseOpioid analgesicsPain management
2007
Systematic review: opioid treatment for chronic back pain: prevalence, efficacy, and association with addiction.
Martell BA, O'Connor PG, Kerns RD, Becker WC, Morales KH, Kosten TR, Fiellin DA. Systematic review: opioid treatment for chronic back pain: prevalence, efficacy, and association with addiction. Annals Of Internal Medicine 2007, 146: 116-27. PMID: 17227935, DOI: 10.7326/0003-4819-146-2-200701160-00006.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsChronic back painSubstance use disordersEfficacy of opioidsBack painMedication-taking behaviorUse disordersOpioid treatmentOpioid medicationsStudy qualityShort-term pain reliefCurrent substance use disorderCochrane Central RegisterLifetime substance use disorderControlled Clinical TrialsLong-term efficacyPoor study qualityEnglish-language studiesTransdermal opioidsOpioid prescribingPain reliefCentral RegisterDifferent opioidsReduced painClinical trialsNonsignificant reduction