Abstract
Introduction: Opioid use in patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) has been a constantly highly controversial topic, with many studies reviewing its benefit and potential side effects.
Aims: To identify the characteristics of patients with COPD who were prescribed opioids and to study the possibility of opioid use as a predictor of worsening disease.
Methods: This was a single centre retrospective study for patients in Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore. A total of 2417 patients with COPD were identified from 1st January 2015 to 31st October 2018.Patients who were under 40 years old (n=12) and patients who were diagnosed with cancer in the last five years (n=329) were excluded.
Results: Patients who used opioids were found to have more frequent ED or outpatient attendances (p<0.001) and inpatient admissions (p<0.001). Figure 1 showed that in patients with COPD who has at least 3 admissions, opioid users had lower survival probability. Kaplan–Meier-estimated cumulative survival was significantly shorter in hospitalised COPD patients with opioid use (p<0.0001).The overall mortality rate is higher in the patients who used opioids as compared to those who did not (52.5 % vs 25.5%,p<0.001).
Conclusion: Patients who were prescribed opioids have more frequent admissions and higher mortality rates. These may indicate patients who received opioids are more advance in their illness. More studies are required to validate opioid as a predictive tool.
Footnotes
Cite this article as: European Respiratory Journal 2020; 56: Suppl. 64, 2675.
This abstract was presented at the 2020 ERS International Congress, in session “Respiratory viruses in the "pre COVID-19" era”.
This is an ERS International Congress abstract. No full-text version is available. Further material to accompany this abstract may be available at www.ers-education.org (ERS member access only).
- Copyright ©the authors 2020