Despite limited evidence that opioids reduce pain in people with rheumatic diseases, a study has found that nearly one in three adults with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) use prescription opioids for pain control, with two-thirds of them using these medications for longer than one year.
The study, “Prescription Opioid Use in Patients With and Without Systemic Lupus Erythematosus — Michigan Lupus Epidemiology and Surveillance Program, 2014–2015,” was published in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In general, opioids are not recommended for pain control in rheumatic diseases such as lupus. In addition to the risk of addiction and other serious health consequences, these medications are not considered effective at controlling pain in these conditions.
Despite this, opioids are sometimes prescribed for lupus-related pain. In the new study, researchers wanted to find out how frequently opioids are used by people with lupus.
“With the current opioid epidemic and evolving guidance related to opioid prescribing, we wanted to determine current levels of prescription opioid use in lupus,” Emily Somers, PhD, a professor at the University of Michigan and co-author of the study said.
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