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The following is a summary of “Opioid prescriptions for US patients undergoing long-term dialysis or with kidney transplant from 2011 to 2020,” published in the September 2024 issue of Nephrology by Kimmel et al.

Pain management is crucial for patients with kidney failure, but opioid prescriptions are associated with morbidity and mortality. 

Researchers conducted a retrospective study analyzing whether nationwide opioid prescription rates in the U.S. have decreased for patients with kidney failure.

They reviewed the U.S. Renal Database System from 2011 to 2020 to track trends in opioid prescriptions among patients with ESKD, identify factors linked to long-term use, and assess how short-term or long-term opioid use related to overall death rates.

The results showed that between 2011 and 2022, opioid prescriptions for patients with kidney failure dropped from 60% to 42%, and long-term use fell from 23% to 13% (both P<0.001). Hydrocodone and oxycodone saw the most significant declines. Women, financially poor, rural residents, and White patients aged between 45 and 64 had higher prescription rates. Both short-term and long-term opioid use were linked to increased mortality in patients undergoing dialysis and transplants. 

Investigators concluded that opioid prescription rates for patients with ESKD dropped from 2011 to 2020. However, both short-term and long-term opioid use were linked to higher mortality, with increasing risk alongside higher morphine milligram equivalents in long-term users.

Source: journals.lww.com/jasn/abstract/9900/opioid_prescriptions_for_us_patients_undergoing.413.aspx