Outpatient Opioid Prescriptions for Children and Opioid-Related Adverse Events

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Little is known about opioid prescribing for children without severe conditions. We studied the prevalence of and indications for outpatient opioid prescriptions and the incidence of opioid-related adverse events in this population. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study between 1999 and 2014 included Tennessee Medicaid children and adolescents aged 2 to 17 without major chronic diseases, prolonged hospitalization, institutional residence, or evidence of a substance use disorder. We estimated the annual prevalence of outpatient opioid prescriptions and incidence of opioid-related adverse events, defined as an emergency department visit, hospitalization, or death related to an opioid adverse effect. RESULTS: There were 1 362 503 outpatient opioid prescriptions; the annual mean prevalence of opioid prescriptions was 15.0%. The most common opioid indications were dental procedures (31.1% prescriptions), outpatient procedure and/or surgery (25.1%), trauma (18.1%), and infections (16.5%). There were 437 cases of opioid-related adverse events confirmed by medical record review; 88.6% were related to the child’s prescription and 71.2% had no recorded evidence of deviation from the prescribed regimen. The cumulative incidence of opioid-related adverse events was 38.3 of 100 000 prescriptions. Adverse events increased with age (incidence rate ratio = 2.22; 95% confidence interval, 1.67–2.96; 12–17 vs 2–5 years of age) and higher opioid doses (incidence rate ratio = 1.86 [1.45–2.39]; upper versus lower dose tertiles). CONCLUSIONS: Children without severe conditions enrolled in Tennessee Medicaid frequently filled outpatient opioid prescriptions for acute, self-limited conditions. One of every 2611 study opioid prescriptions was followed by an opioid-related adverse event (71.2% of which were related to therapeutic use of the prescribed opioid).