JAMA
Published December 18, 2018 11:00 ET (News releases from JAMA and McMaster University)
This study combined the results of 96 randomized clinical trials with about 26,000 participants to compare opioids with placebo and non-opioid alternative pain medications for the treatment of chronic non-cancer pain. Opioids were associated with small improvements in pain and physical functioning but increased risk of vomiting compared with the placebo. The comparisons of opioids with non-opioid pain medication alternatives suggests the benefit for pain and functioning may be similar; however, the quality of evidence from the studies wasn’t high. None of the reported studies documented rates of addiction.
Summary video
Lead author: Jason Busse, McMaster University – bussejw@mcmaster.ca