Dose and Duration of Opioid Use in Propensity Score–Matched, Privately Insured Opioid Users With and Without Spinal Cord Injury

To (1) compare the opioid utilization patterns in opioid users with spinal cord injury (SCI) to a propensity score–matched general population of opioid users without SCI; and (2) identify characteristics of persons with SCI associated with long-term and/or high-dose use of opioids. Quasi-experimental analysis of archival data. Data used for the analysis were derived from Thompson Reuters MarketScan Commercial Claims and Encounters Databases for the years 2012 to 2013. Participants (N=2908; aged 18–64y) included opioid users with SCI (n=1454) and propensity score–matched opioid users without SCI (n=1454). The cohorts were matched using demographics including comorbidities, hospital admissions, age, sex, and geographic region. Not applicable. Medical and pharmacy claims from 2012 to 2013 MarketScan data were analyzed to characterize whether persons were short-term (