Evaluation of a Quality Improvement Intervention That Eliminated Routine Use of Opioids After Cesarean Delivery

Enhanced Recovery After Surgery to Change Process Measures and Reduce Opioid Use After Cesarean Delivery: A Quality Improvement Initiative

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate implementation of an enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) program for patients undergoing elective cesarean delivery by comparing opioid exposure, multimodal analgesia use, and other process and outcome measures before and after implementation.

METHODS

An ERAS program was implemented among patients undergoing elective cesarean delivery in a large integrated health care delivery system. We conducted a pre-post study of ERAS implementation to compare changes in process and outcome measures during the 12 months before and 12 months after implementation.

RESULTS

The study included 4,689 patients who underwent an elective cesarean delivery in the 12 months before (pilot sites: March 1, 2015-February 29, 2016, all other sites: October 1, 2015-September 30, 2016), and 4,624 patients in the 12 months after (pilot sites: April 1, 2016-March 31, 2017, all other sites: November 1, 2016-October 31, 2017) ERAS program implementation. After ERAS implementation mean inpatient opioid exposure (average daily morphine equivalents) decreased from 10.7 equivalents (95% CI 10.2-11.3) to 5.4 equivalents (95% CI 4.8-5.9) controlling for age, race-ethnicity, prepregnancy body mass index, patient reported pain score, and medical center. The use of multimodal analgesia (ie, acetaminophen and neuraxial anesthesia) increased from 9.7% to 88.8%, the adjusted risk ratio (RR) for meeting multimodal analgesic goals was 9.13 (RR comparing post-ERAS with pre-ERAS; 95% CI 8.35-10.0) and the proportion of time patients reported acceptable pain scores increased from 82.1% to 86.4% (P<.001). Outpatient opioids dispensed at hospital discharge decreased from 85.9% to 82.2% post-ERAS (P<.001) and the average number of dispensed pills decreased from 38 to 26 (P<.001). The hours to first postsurgical ambulation decreased by 2.7 hours (95% CI -3.1 to -2.4) and the hours to first postsurgical solid intake decreased by 11.1 hours (95% CI -11.5 to -10.7). There were no significant changes in hospital length of stay, surgical site infections, hospital readmissions, or breastfeeding rates.

CONCLUSIONS

Implementation of an ERAS program in patients undergoing elective cesarean delivery was associated with a reduction in opioid inpatient and outpatient exposure and with changes in surgical process measures of care without worsened surgical outcomes.

Scheduled versus as-needed postpartum analgesia and oxycodone utilization

Background: An optimal approach for providing sufficient postpartum analgesia while minimizing the risk of opioid misuse or diversion has yet to be elucidated. Moreover, there is scant literature on the efficacy of around-the-clock (ATC) scheduled dosing of opioid analgesia compared to pro re nata (PRN; as-needed) dosing for postpartum pain management. Here we evaluate a quality improvement intervention that aimed to proactively provide pain relief with a multimodal analgesic regimen that includes oxycodone at scheduled time intervals. This new protocol stands in stark contrast to many contemporary postpartum pain management regimens in which oral opioid medications are reserved for treating breakthrough pain.Objective: Our aim was to determine how inpatient oxycodone use is affected by as-needed compared to ATC scheduled dosing of acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and low-dose oxycodone, with the option to decline any of these medications. We also sought to determine the effect of each modality on patient satisfaction with pain control.Methods: Retrospective cohort study of singleton deliveries at ≥37 weeks of gestation at a tertiary hospital from 2013 to 2016. In month 21 of the 48-month study period, a new institutional protocol for postpartum pain management was implemented which consisted of scheduled dosing of a multimodal analgesic regimen. Prior to this, patients received pain relief only as needed, by reporting elevated pain scores to nursing staff. Patients were excluded for the following: NSAID or opioid allergies, protocol deviations, transition month deliveries, history of drug abuse, positive urine toxicology, delivery with general anesthesia, prolonged hospitalization, postpartum hemorrhage, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, incomplete records. Outcomes evaluated were the percentage of patients receiving oxycodone and mean oxycodone use per inpatient day (milligrams). Segmented regression analysis of interrupted time series was performed to estimate linear time trends of oxycodone consumption pre- and post-protocol implementation. Results of the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) standardized survey were also compared before and after implementation.Results: A total of 19,192 deliveries were included. After adjusting for confounders, a significant downward trend in the percentage of patients receiving oxycodone was noted among both cesarean (0.004% decrease per month; p < .006) and vaginal deliveries (0.005% decrease per month; p < .0001) before implementation of the scheduled pain management protocol. Among cesarean deliveries, there was no shift at the time of implementation, and no change in the slope of the trend after implementation. Among vaginal deliveries, there was an upward shift at implementation (+7.4%, p < .0001) but no change in the slope of the trend after implementation. Regardless of mode of delivery, no trend in monthly mean oxycodone consumption per day existed before or after implementation of the new protocol, and there was no shift at the time of implementation. Scheduled multimodal analgesia was associated with an improvement in HCAHPS scores for patient reported pain control after cesarean section (63 versus 71% reporting "Always" well controlled; p < .001) but had no effect after vaginal delivery.Conclusion: After cesarean delivery, scheduled multimodal analgesia that includes ATC dosing of acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and low-dose oxycodone, with the option to decline any of these medications, does not increase the percentage of women who receive oxycodone or mean oxycodone consumption per inpatient day compared to as-needed analgesia. After vaginal delivery, scheduled multimodal analgesia is associated with an increase in the percentage of women who receive oxycodone but no change in mean oxycodone consumption per inpatient day.

Evaluation of opioid discontinuation after non-orthopaedic surgery among chronic opioid users: a population-based cohort study

BACKGROUND

Many patients use opioids chronically before surgery; it is unclear if surgery alters the likelihood of ongoing opioid consumption in these patients.

METHODS

We performed a population-based matched cohort study of adults in Ontario, Canada undergoing one of 16 non-orthopaedic surgical procedures and who were chronically using opioids, defined as (1) an opioid prescription that overlapped the index date and (2) either a total of 120 or more cumulative calendar days of filled opioid prescriptions, or 10 or more prescriptions filled in the prior year. Each surgical patient was matched based on age, sex, Charlson comorbidity index, and daily preoperative opioid dose to three non-surgical patients who were also chronic opioid users. The primary outcome was time to opioid discontinuation.

RESULTS

The cohort included 4755 surgical and 14 265 matched non-surgical patients. After adjustment for sociodemographic characteristics and comorbidities, surgery was associated with an increased likelihood of opioid discontinuation (adjusted hazard ratio: 1.34, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.27, 1.42). Among surgical patients, factors associated with a reduced odds of discontinuation included a mean preoperative opioid dose above 90 morphine milligram equivalents (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 0.39; 95% CI: 0.32, 0.49) or filling a prescription for oxycodone (aOR: 0.73; 95% CI: 0.56, 0.98). Receipt of an in-patient Acute Pain Service consultation (aOR: 1.34; 95% CI: 1.06, 1.69) or residing in the highest neighbourhood income quintile (aOR: 1.35; 95% CI: 1.04, 1.79) were associated with a greater odds of opioid discontinuation.

CONCLUSIONS

For chronic opioid users, surgery was associated with an increased likelihood of discontinuation of opioids in the following year compared with non-surgical chronic opioid users.

Effect of the Strengthening Opioid Misuse Prevention (STOP) Act on Opioid Prescription Practices After Ankle Fracture Fixation

Background:

In North Carolina, the Strengthen Opioid Misuse Prevention Act of 2017 (STOP Act) went into effect on January 1, 2018, intending to increase oversight over opioid prescriptions. This study compares postoperative narcotic prescription practices following operative fixation of ankle fractures before and after the STOP Act.

Methods:

This study was a retrospective review of patients 18 years and older who underwent operative fixation of ankle fractures between January 1 and June 30, 2017 (before STOP Act), and between January 1 and June 30, 2018 (after STOP Act). Variables of interest included demographics, amount of opioids prescribed postoperatively, number of prescription refills, and number of pain-related calls or visits to the emergency department (ED) or clinic after surgery. This study assessed 71 patients in the Pre group and 47 patients in the Post group.

Results:

There was a statistically significant decrease in the average number of postoperative narcotic pills prescribed after the STOP Act (52.7 vs 76.2, P < .001). There was also a statistically significant decrease in the average number of prescription refills (0.6 vs 1.0, P = .037). There were no significant changes in pain-related clinic calls (35.2% Pre vs 34.0% Post, P = .896), pain-related clinic visits ahead of schedule (4.2% Pre vs 6.4% Post, P = .681), or pain-related ED visits (2.8% Pre vs 10.6% Post, P = .113).

Conclusion:

In the postoperative period after operative fixation of ankle fractures, the volume of narcotic prescriptions decreased after the new legislation, without an associated strain on medical resources.

Level of Evidence:

Level III, therapeutic, comparative study.

Rates of New Persistent Opioid Use After Vaginal or Cesarean Birth Among US Women

IMPORTANCE

Research has shown an association between opioid prescribing after major or minor procedures and new persistent opioid use. However, the association of opioid prescribing with persistent use among women after vaginal delivery or cesarean delivery is less clear.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the association between opioid prescribing administered for vaginal or cesarean delivery and rates of new persistent opioid use among women.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

This retrospective cohort study used national insurance claims data for 988 036 women from a single private payer from January 1, 2008, to December 31, 2016. Participants included reproductive age, opioid-naive women with 1 year of continuous enrollment before and after delivery. For participants with multiple births, only the first birth was included.

EXPOSURES

Peripartum opioid prescription (1 week before delivery to 3 days after discharge) captured by pharmacy claims, including prescription timing and size in oral morphine equivalents. Multivariable adjusted odds ratios were estimated using regression models.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

Rates of new persistent opioid use, defined as pharmacy claims for 1 or more opioid prescription 4 to 90 days after discharge and 1 or more prescription 91 to 365 days after discharge among women who filled peripartum opioid prescriptions.

RESULTS

In total, 308 226 deliveries were included: 195 013 (63.3%) vaginal deliveries and 113 213 (36.7%) cesarean deliveries. Participant mean (SD) age was 31.3 (5.3) years, and 70 567 (51.0%) were white patients. Peripartum opioid prescriptions were filled by 27.0% of women with vaginal deliveries and 75.7% of women with cesarean deliveries. Among them, 1.7% of those with vaginal deliveries and 2.2% with cesarean deliveries had new persistent opioid use. By contrast, among women not receiving a peripartum opioid prescription, 0.5% with vaginal delivery and 1.0% with cesarean delivery had new persistent opioid use. From 2008 to 2016, opioid prescription fills decreased for vaginal deliveries from 26.9% to 23.8% (P < .001) and for cesarean deliveries from 75.5% to 72.6% (P < .001), and fewer women had new persistent use (vaginal delivery, from 2.2% to 1.1%; P < .001; cesarean delivery, from 2.5% to 1.3%; P < .001). The strongest modifiable factor associated with new persistent opioid use after delivery was filling an opioid prescription before delivery (adjusted odds ratio, 1.40; 95% CI, 1.05-1.87). For vaginal deliveries, receiving a prescription equal to or more than 225 oral morphine equivalents was associated with new persistent opioid use (adjusted odds ratio, 1.25; 95% CI, 1.06-1.48). Women who underwent cesarean delivery and had a hysterectomy were more likely to develop persistence (AOR, 2.75; 95% CI, 1.33-5.70), although women who underwent a nonelective (AOR, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.88-1.07) or repeat cesarean (AOR, 1.45; 95% CI, 0.93-2.28) were not more likely. For cesarean deliveries, risk factors were associated with patient attributes such as tobacco use (adjusted odds ratio, 1.82; 95% CI, 1.56-2.11), psychiatric diagnoses, history of substance use (adjusted odds ratio, 1.43; 95% CI, 1.10-1.86), and pain conditions.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

The results of the present study suggested that opioid prescribing and new persistent use after vaginal delivery or cesarean delivery have decreased since 2008. However, modifiable prescribing patterns were associated with persistent opioid use for patients who underwent vaginal delivery, and risk factors following cesarean delivery mirrored those of other surgical conditions. Judicious opioid prescribing and preoperative risk screening may be opportunities to decrease new persistent opioid use after childbirth.