The frequency and clinical associations of opioid use in systemic sclerosis

Objective: To define the frequency and associations of opioid use in SSc.

Methods: Australian Scleroderma Cohort Study participants meeting ACR/EULAR criteria for SSc were included. Current or previous opioid use was recorded at each visit, with long-term use defined as use on two or more consecutive visits. Groups were compared using two-sample t-test, Wilcoxon rank sum test or chi-squared test. Generalised estimating equations were used to model longitudinal data.

Results: Of 1951 participants with a mean age of 46.7 years (s.d. 14.4), 88% were female and 12% had ever received any opioids since SSc onset. Of these, 46% recorded opioid use across multiple consecutive study visits. Digital ulcers (63% vs 52%), synovitis (57% vs 38%), interstitial lung disease (37% vs 27%), gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms (upper 97% vs 88%, lower 90% vs 80%) and immunosuppression (59% vs 46%) were all more frequent in opioid-exposed groups (P < 0.05). In multivariable modelling, current opioid use at each study visit was associated with digital ulcers [odds ratio (OR) 1.5 (95% CI 1.1, 2.0), P = 0.01], synovitis [OR 1.5 (95% CI 1.1, 2.1), P = 0.02], lower GI symptoms [OR 1.8 (95% CI 1.3, 2.6), P < 0.01] and poorer physical [OR 1.8 (95% CI 1.3, 2.4), P < 0.01] and mental [OR 1.8 (95% CI 1.1, 3.0), P = 0.02] quality of life (QoL). Current opioid use was associated with worse fatigue [regression coefficient (RC) 3.0 units (95% CI 1.2, 4.8), P < 0.01], functional disability [RC 0.2 (95% CI 0.2, 0.3), P < 0.01], dyspnoea [RC 2.0 (95% CI 0.8, 3.1), P < 0.01], depression [RC 2.5 (95% CI 0.9, 4.0), P < 0.01] and anxiety [RC 2.5 (95% CI 0.9, 4.0), P < 0.01].

Conclusions: Opioid use in SSc was associated with musculoskeletal, GI and lung involvement. Opioid prescription was associated with poorer QoL and physical function.