Assessment of high-risk opioid use metrics among individuals with spinal cord injury: A brief report

This study looks at how often people with spinal cord injuries (SCI) in South Carolina are prescribed opioids in ways that could be risky, like long-term use or high doses. The researchers used data from a registry of people with SCI and a prescription drug monitoring program to track opioid prescriptions. The study found that a notable percentage of individuals with SCI are receiving potentially high-risk opioid prescriptions, highlighting the need for careful prescribing and monitoring.

• 1
  Over half (53%) of the individuals filled an opioid prescription in years 2–3 after injury.
• 2
  Of those with any opioid prescriptions, nearly half (47%) had a prescription filled for chronic opioids.
• 3
  In any given quarter, 39%–49% of those individuals prescribed chronic opioids had a daily MME ≥50 and approximately 25% (range 23%–31%) of the individuals had daily MME ≥90.