Discharge Pain Medications: Do They Affect 6-Month Patient-Reported Outcomes After Operative Treatment of CMC Arthritis?

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to analyze the relationship between discharge opioids after operative treatment of carpometacarpal (CMC) arthritis and patient-reported outcomes (PROs) over a 6-month episode of care. A total of 172 patients met inclusion criteria for this study. Patient-reported outcomes including patient-reported wrist/hand evaluation (PRWHE), single assessment numeric evaluation, and PRO measurement information system (PROMIS) global-10 questionnaires were collected prospectively and stored in an electronic data capture system until review for the purpose of this study. Morphine milligram equivalents (MMEs) were calculated using a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-published opioid conversion table. Of the 172 patients who met inclusion criteria for this study, 121 (70.4%) were female. The average patient age on the day of procedure was 63.6 ± 7.4 years. All patients received a prescription pain medication upon discharge with an average of 191.3 MMEs (range: 40.00-800.00 MMEs) prescribed per patient. Overall, there was no correlation between the amount of pain medication prescribed in MMEs and change in PROs between baseline, 6-weeks, 3-months, and 6-months (<i>r</i> < .14). Surgeons should feel confident limiting postoperative opioid prescription for patients after CMC arthroplasty without jeopardizing outcomes.