{Reference Type}: Journal Article
{Title}: Secular trends in gabapentinoid dispensing by compensated workers with low back pain: a retrospective cohort study.
{Author}: Mathieson S;Collie A;Maher CG;Abdel Shaheed C;Xia T;Gilbert S;Ferreira GE;Di Donato MF;
{Journal}: Occup Environ Med
{Volume}: 81
{Issue}: 5
{Year}: 2024 Jun 3
{Factor}: 4.948
{DOI}: 10.1136/oemed-2023-109369
{Abstract}: <B>OBJECTIVE: </B>The increase in gabapentinoid prescribing is paralleling the increase in serious harms. To describe the low back pain workers compensation population whose management included a gabapentinoid between 2010 and 2017, and determine secular trends in, and factors associated with gabapentinoid use.<BR><B>METHODS: </B>We analysed claim-level and service-level data from the Victorian workers' compensation programme between 1 January 2010 and 31 December 2017 for workers with an accepted claim for a low back pain injury and who had programme-funded gabapentinoid dispensing. Secular trends were calculated as a proportion of gabapentinoid dispensings per year. Poisson, negative binomial and Cox hazards models were used to examine changes over time in incidence and time to first dispensing.<BR><B>RESULTS: </B>Of the 17 689 low back pain claimants, one in seven (14.7%) were dispensed at least one gabapentinoid during the first 2 years (n=2608). The proportion of workers who were dispensed a gabapentinoid significantly increased over time (7.9% in 2010 to 18.7% in 2017), despite a reduction in the number of claimants dispensed pain-related medicines. Gabapentinoid dispensing was significantly associated with an opioid analgesic or anti-depressant dispensing claim, but not claimant-level characteristics. The time to first gabapentinoid dispensing significantly decreased over time from 311.9 days (SD 200.7) in 2010 to 148.2 days (SD 183.1) in 2017.<BR><B>CONCLUSIONS: </B>The proportion of claimants dispensed a gabapentinoid more than doubled in the period 2010-2017; and the time to first dispensing halved during this period.