Positive Toxicology Results Are Not Associated with Emergency Physicians’ Opioid Prescribing Behavior
Introduction: Given the general lack of literature on opioid and naloxone prescribing guidelines for patients with substance use disorder, we aimed to explore how a physician’s behavior and prescribing habits are altered by knowledge of the patient’s concomitant use of psychotropic compounds as evid...
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doaj-4ea51ede8ee44b7fa1997860202b807a2021-09-24T20:10:46ZengeScholarship Publishing, University of CaliforniaWestern Journal of Emergency Medicine1936-90182021-09-0122510.5811/westjem.2021.5.52378wjem-22-1067Positive Toxicology Results Are Not Associated with Emergency Physicians’ Opioid Prescribing BehaviorJonathan B. Lee0Ghadi Ghanem1Soheil Saadat2Justin Yanuck3Brent Yeung4Bharath Chakravarthy5Ariana Nelson6Shalini Shah7University of California, Irvine, Department of Emergency Medicine, Orange, CaliforniaUniversity of California, Irvine, Department of Emergency Medicine, Orange, CaliforniaUniversity of California, Irvine, Department of Emergency Medicine, Orange, CaliforniaUniversity of California, Irvine, Department of Emergency Medicine, Orange, CaliforniaUniversity of California, Irvine, Department of Anesthesiology & Perioperative Care, Orange, CaliforniaUniversity of California, Irvine, Department of Emergency Medicine, Orange, CaliforniaUniversity of California, Irvine, Department of Anesthesiology & Perioperative Care, Orange, CaliforniaUniversity of California, Irvine, Department of Anesthesiology & Perioperative Care, Orange, CaliforniaIntroduction: Given the general lack of literature on opioid and naloxone prescribing guidelines for patients with substance use disorder, we aimed to explore how a physician’s behavior and prescribing habits are altered by knowledge of the patient’s concomitant use of psychotropic compounds as evident on urine and serum toxicology screens. Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review study at a tertiary, academic, Level I trauma center between November 2017–October 2018 that included 358 patients who were discharged from the emergency department (ED) with a diagnosis of fracture, dislocation, or amputation and received an opioid prescription upon discharge. We extracted urine and serum toxicology results, number and amount of prescription opioids upon discharge, and the presence of a naloxone script. Results: The study population was divided into five subgroups that included the following: negative urine and serum toxicology screen; depressants; stimulants; mixed; and no toxicology screens. When comparing the 103 patients in which toxicology screens were obtained to the 255 patients without toxicology screens, we found no statistically significant differences in the total prescribed morphine milligram equivalent (75.0 and 75.0, respectively) or in the number of pills prescribed (15.0 and 13.5, respectively). Notably, none of the 103 patients who had toxicology screens were prescribed naloxone upon discharge. Conclusion: Our study found no association between positive urine toxicology results for psychotropically active substances and the rates of opioid prescribing within a single-center, academic ED. Notably, none of the 103 patients who had toxicology screens were prescribed naloxone upon discharge. More research on the associations between illicit drug use, opioids, and naloxone prescriptions is necessary to help establish guidelines for high-risk patients.https://escholarship.org/uc/item/5c24s4n0 |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Jonathan B. Lee Ghadi Ghanem Soheil Saadat Justin Yanuck Brent Yeung Bharath Chakravarthy Ariana Nelson Shalini Shah |
spellingShingle |
Jonathan B. Lee Ghadi Ghanem Soheil Saadat Justin Yanuck Brent Yeung Bharath Chakravarthy Ariana Nelson Shalini Shah Positive Toxicology Results Are Not Associated with Emergency Physicians’ Opioid Prescribing Behavior Western Journal of Emergency Medicine |
author_facet |
Jonathan B. Lee Ghadi Ghanem Soheil Saadat Justin Yanuck Brent Yeung Bharath Chakravarthy Ariana Nelson Shalini Shah |
author_sort |
Jonathan B. Lee |
title |
Positive Toxicology Results Are Not Associated with Emergency Physicians’ Opioid Prescribing Behavior |
title_short |
Positive Toxicology Results Are Not Associated with Emergency Physicians’ Opioid Prescribing Behavior |
title_full |
Positive Toxicology Results Are Not Associated with Emergency Physicians’ Opioid Prescribing Behavior |
title_fullStr |
Positive Toxicology Results Are Not Associated with Emergency Physicians’ Opioid Prescribing Behavior |
title_full_unstemmed |
Positive Toxicology Results Are Not Associated with Emergency Physicians’ Opioid Prescribing Behavior |
title_sort |
positive toxicology results are not associated with emergency physicians’ opioid prescribing behavior |
publisher |
eScholarship Publishing, University of California |
series |
Western Journal of Emergency Medicine |
issn |
1936-9018 |
publishDate |
2021-09-01 |
description |
Introduction: Given the general lack of literature on opioid and naloxone prescribing guidelines for patients with substance use disorder, we aimed to explore how a physician’s behavior and prescribing habits are altered by knowledge of the patient’s concomitant use of psychotropic compounds as evident on urine and serum toxicology screens. Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review study at a tertiary, academic, Level I trauma center between November 2017–October 2018 that included 358 patients who were discharged from the emergency department (ED) with a diagnosis of fracture, dislocation, or amputation and received an opioid prescription upon discharge. We extracted urine and serum toxicology results, number and amount of prescription opioids upon discharge, and the presence of a naloxone script. Results: The study population was divided into five subgroups that included the following: negative urine and serum toxicology screen; depressants; stimulants; mixed; and no toxicology screens. When comparing the 103 patients in which toxicology screens were obtained to the 255 patients without toxicology screens, we found no statistically significant differences in the total prescribed morphine milligram equivalent (75.0 and 75.0, respectively) or in the number of pills prescribed (15.0 and 13.5, respectively). Notably, none of the 103 patients who had toxicology screens were prescribed naloxone upon discharge. Conclusion: Our study found no association between positive urine toxicology results for psychotropically active substances and the rates of opioid prescribing within a single-center, academic ED. Notably, none of the 103 patients who had toxicology screens were prescribed naloxone upon discharge. More research on the associations between illicit drug use, opioids, and naloxone prescriptions is necessary to help establish guidelines for high-risk patients. |
url |
https://escholarship.org/uc/item/5c24s4n0 |
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