Fibromyalgia Is Risk Factor for Opioid Use Disorder Exacerbations

WEDNESDAY, April 19, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- Fibromyalgia is a risk factor for pain-related exacerbation of opioid use disorder (OUD), according to a study published online March 14 in PAIN.

Orman Trent Hall, D.O., from the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus, and colleagues examined interactions between fibromyalgia and OUD using data from 125 individuals (31 percent with fibromyalgia) recruited from an academic substance use treatment facility. The 2011 American College of Rheumatology Fibromyalgia Survey, along with an original scale measuring pain-related OUD exacerbation (Pain-related OUD Exacerbation Scale [PrOUD ES]), was administered through an electronic survey. The authors also tested the efficacy of PrOUD ES.

The researchers found that patients with fibromyalgia demonstrated significantly greater odds of acknowledging pain-related OUD exacerbations. Furthermore, participants with fibromyalgia acknowledged putting off seeking help out of fear their pain would be unbearable if they stopped using opioids. Additionally, the PrOUD ES had a single-factor solution, strong internal consistency, and construct validity.

"The present work provides evidence of the factor structure, validity, and reliability of a new scale to measure pain-related OUD exacerbations: PrOUD ES," the authors write. "Given great scientific interest in the intersection of pain and OUD embodied by the National Institutes of Health Helping to End Addiction Long-term initiative, PrOUD ES warrants further study as a patient-reported outcome measure of potential importance."

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