Opioid Dependence After Lung Cancer Resection: Institutional Analysis of State Prescription Drug Database.

Background The national opioid epidemic is a public health crisis. Thoracic surgery has also been associated with high incidence of new persistent opioid use. Our purpose was to describe the incidence and predictors of opioid use after lung cancer resection. Methods Retrospective review of lung cancer resections from 2015 to 2018 was performed using the Ohio Automated Rx Reporting System. Opioid dosing was recorded as milligram morphine equivalents (MME). Patients were stratified by preoperative opioid use. Chronic preoperative opioid users (opioid dependent) filled > 120 days supply of opioid pain medication in the 12 months prior to surgery; intermittent opioid users filled Results 137 patients underwent resection. 16.1% (n = 22) were opioid dependent preoperatively, 29.2% (n = 40) were intermittent opioid users, and 54.7% (n = 75) were opioid naive. Opioid dependent patients had higher daily inpatient opioid use compared to intermittent users and opioid naive (43[30.0-118.1] MME vs 17.9[3.5-48.8] MME vs 8.8[2.1-25.0] MME, p 180 days were: chronic preoperative opioid use (OR 23.8, p Conclusions A quarter of patients are opioid dependent after lung cancer resection. This is due to both preexisting and new persistent opioid use. Improved strategies are needed to prevent chronic pain and opioid dependence after lung cancer resection.