Characteristics of opioid users undergoing surgery for pelvic organ prolapse

Introduction and hypothesis Understanding demographic and opioid utilization patterns of preoperative opioid users compared with opioid-naïve patients undergoing surgical treatment for pelvic organ prolapse (POP) better informs opioid prescribing. Methods A cohort of preoperative opioid users undergoing surgery for POP from 1 January 2012 through 30 May 2017 was identified. Electronic medical records were utilized to obtain pain scores and prescription data. The cohort was organized by surgical approach, number of concomitant procedures, and patient age. These factors were then matched to pain scores, opioid quantity prescribed at discharge, and subsequent refills. Pain scores and opioid use were evaluated for correlation. Results were then compared with similar data previously published for opioid-naïve patients undergoing surgical treatment of POP. Results Preoperative opioid users were younger (55.5 [14.7] vs 59.5 [12.7]; p = 0.002), of higher body mass index (BMI; 29.2 [5.4] vs 28.6 [10.3]; p = 0.04), and less likely Caucasian (90.3% vs 95.9%; p = 0.002) than opioid-naïve patients. After matching for these differences, opioid users reported higher pain scores (3.5 [2.2] vs 2.6 [1.8]; p =