Adverse respiratory events during treatment with gabapentin and opioids among older adults with spine-related conditions: a propensity-matched cohort study in the US Medicare population
Authors: Gold Laura S. , Heagerty Patrick J. , Hansen Ryan N. , Friedly Janna L. , Deyo Richard A. , Curatolo Michele , Turner Judith A. , Rundell Sean D. , Jarvik Jeffrey G. , Suri Pradeep 
Published: October 2024

Background Context

Recent work indicates no increased mortality risk with concurrent gabapentin and opioid use when using an active comparator control design. However, concurrent gabapentin and opioid prescriptions have been associated with greater risk of respiratory depression in some studies.

Purpose

To compare the risk of respiratory events among Medicare enrollees with spine-related diagnoses treated with gabapentin + opioids vs those treated with tricyclic antidepressants (TCA) or duloxetine + opioids. We hypothesized that enrollees treated with gabapentin + opioids would have increased risk of adverse respiratory events compared to those treated with an active control + opioids.

Study Design/Setting

Propensity score-matched cohort study with an incident user, active comparator (TCA/duloxetine) control design. The primary analysis included those who concurrently (within 30 days) filled ≥1 incident gabapentin + ≥1 opioid or ≥1 incident TCA/duloxetine + ≥1 opioid prescription.

Patient Sample

U.S. Medicare beneficiaries with spine-related diagnoses 2017-2019. People treated with gabapentin + opioids (n=66,580) were matched on demographic and clinical factors to people treated with TCAs/duloxetine + opioids (n=66,580).

Outcome Measures

Time to a composite respiratory outcome consisting of mechanical ventilation, intubation, respiratory failure, pneumonia, or acute respiratory distress syndrome.

Methods

Cox proportional hazard regression was used to estimate adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs).

Results

Among 133,160 Medicare enrollees (median age 73.3 years; 66.7% female), 6089 (4.6%) experienced respiratory events before the end of follow-up. A total of 3297 (5.0%) of people who were treated with gabapentin + opioids (median initial dose/day of gabapentin was 338 mg) had respiratory events compared to 2792 (4.2%) of those treated with an active control + opioids. The increased risk in those treated with gabapentin + opioids was statistically significant after adjustment (HR 1.14; 95% CI 1.09, 1.20; p<0.0001). The most common respiratory events were pneumonia (3.5% of people in the gabapentin + opioids group versus 3.0% of people in the TCA/duloxetine + opioids group) and respiratory failure (2.2% in the gabapentin + opioids group versus 1.8% in the TCA/duloxetine + opioids group). Results were similar in analyses (a) restricted to ≤30-day follow-up and (b) that required ≥2 fills of each prescription.

Conclusions

While recent work has indicated no increased mortality risk with concurrent gabapentin and opioid use, the current findings suggest clinicians should exercise caution in prescribing gabapentin to people experiencing pain who are also being treated with opioids, due to the potentially increased risk of respiratory events.