The following is a summary of “Older Adult-Onset of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases Is Associated With Higher Utilization of Analgesics: A Nationwide Cohort Study,” published in the February 2024 issue of Gastroenterology by Dalal, et al.
For a study, researchers sought to investigate the utilization patterns of analgesic medications among patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) based on their age at the onset of IBD.
The nationwide cohort study encompassed adults diagnosed with IBD in Denmark from 1996 to 2021. Patients were categorized into three groups according to their age at the onset of IBD: 18–39 years (young adults), 40–59 years (adults), and over 60 years (older adults). Analgesic medication prescriptions, including strong opioids, tramadol, codeine, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and paracetamol, were examined within the first year post-IBD diagnosis. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was conducted to assess the association between age at IBD onset and prescriptions for strong opioids and the composite of strong opioid/tramadol/codeine.
Among the 54,216 adults diagnosed with IBD, 46.5% were classified as young adults, 29.7% as adults, and 23.8% as older adults at the onset of IBD. The study revealed that older adults were most frequently prescribed analgesic medications across all classes. While strong opioid, tramadol, and codeine prescriptions remained stable, there was an increase in paracetamol prescriptions and a decrease in nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug prescriptions between 1996 and 2021. Multivariable logistic regression analysis indicated that older adults had significantly higher adjusted odds of receiving prescriptions for strong opioids (adjusted odds ratio 1.95, 95% CI 1.77–2.15) and the composite of strong opioid/tramadol/codeine (adjusted odds ratio 1.93, 95% CI 1.81–2.06) within the first year post-IBD diagnosis compared to adults.
The findings of the nationwide cohort study highlighted that older adults with IBD are more frequently prescribed analgesic medications within the first year after diagnosis. Further investigation was warranted to understand the underlying reasons for increased analgesic prescribing in this demographic group and its potential implications.
Reference: journals.lww.com/ajg/abstract/2024/02000/older_adult_onset_of_inflammatory_bowel_diseases.22.aspx