TY - JOUR
T1 - Analgesic Use in Older Adults with Back Pain
T2 - The BACE Study
AU - Enthoven, Wendy T. M.
AU - Scheele, Jantine
AU - Bierma-Zeinstra, Sita M. A.
AU - Bueving, Herman J.
AU - Bohnen, Arthur M.
AU - Peul, Wilco C.
AU - van Tulder, Maurits W.
AU - Berger, Marjolein Y.
AU - Koes, Bart W.
AU - Luijsterburg, Pim A. J.
N1 - Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
PY - 2014/10
Y1 - 2014/10
N2 - BACKGROUND: Older patients with back pain are more likely to visit their general practitioner (GP) and are more likely to be prescribed analgesics.OBJECTIVE: To assess analgesic use in older adults with back pain in general practice.METHODS: The BACE study in the Netherlands is a prospective cohort study. Patients (aged >55 years) with back complaints were recruited when consulting their GP or shortly thereafter. Measurements took place at baseline and at 3- and 6-month follow-up. For medication use, patients were asked if they had used any medication for their back pain in the previous 3 months and, if so, to specify the medication name, dosage used, frequency of usage, and whether the medication was prescribed or purchased over the counter.RESULTS: Of the 1,402 patients who were approached to enter the study, 675 were included. Of these patients, 484 (72%) reported medication use at baseline. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) (57%) were more often used than paracetamol (49%). Paracetamol was mostly obtained over the counter (69%), and NSAIDs were mostly obtained by prescription (85%). At baseline, patients with severe pain (numerical rating scale score ≥7) used more paracetamol, opioids, and muscle relaxants. Patients with chronic pain (back pain >3 months) used more paracetamol, while patients with a shorter duration of pain used more NSAIDs. During follow-up there was an overall decline in medication use; however, at 3- and 6-month follow-up, 36% and 30% of the patients, respectively, still used analgesics.CONCLUSIONS: In these older adults consulting their GP with back pain, 72% used analgesics at baseline. Despite a decrease in medication use during follow-up, at 3 and 6 months a considerable proportion still used analgesics.
AB - BACKGROUND: Older patients with back pain are more likely to visit their general practitioner (GP) and are more likely to be prescribed analgesics.OBJECTIVE: To assess analgesic use in older adults with back pain in general practice.METHODS: The BACE study in the Netherlands is a prospective cohort study. Patients (aged >55 years) with back complaints were recruited when consulting their GP or shortly thereafter. Measurements took place at baseline and at 3- and 6-month follow-up. For medication use, patients were asked if they had used any medication for their back pain in the previous 3 months and, if so, to specify the medication name, dosage used, frequency of usage, and whether the medication was prescribed or purchased over the counter.RESULTS: Of the 1,402 patients who were approached to enter the study, 675 were included. Of these patients, 484 (72%) reported medication use at baseline. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) (57%) were more often used than paracetamol (49%). Paracetamol was mostly obtained over the counter (69%), and NSAIDs were mostly obtained by prescription (85%). At baseline, patients with severe pain (numerical rating scale score ≥7) used more paracetamol, opioids, and muscle relaxants. Patients with chronic pain (back pain >3 months) used more paracetamol, while patients with a shorter duration of pain used more NSAIDs. During follow-up there was an overall decline in medication use; however, at 3- and 6-month follow-up, 36% and 30% of the patients, respectively, still used analgesics.CONCLUSIONS: In these older adults consulting their GP with back pain, 72% used analgesics at baseline. Despite a decrease in medication use during follow-up, at 3 and 6 months a considerable proportion still used analgesics.
U2 - 10.1111/pme.12515
DO - 10.1111/pme.12515
M3 - Article
C2 - 25087701
SN - 1526-2375
VL - 15
SP - 1704
EP - 1714
JO - Pain medicine
JF - Pain medicine
IS - 10
ER -