Association of perioperative gabapentinoids with persistent opioid requirements following below knee amputation - A nationwide claims-based retrospective cohort study
Authors' conclusion
Perioperative gabapentinoid appears to be associated with a higher odds of persistent opioid claims in opioid-naïve BKA patients.
Study context
- Population
- Opioid-naïve patients who had below knee amputation (BKA), January-2010 to April-2022matched cohort
- Participants
- 27,264 patients
- Exposure
- Newly prescribed perioperative gabapentinoid claims vs none
- Gabapentinoidsn = 3,338
- No gabapentinoidsn = 23,926reference
- Outcome
- Continued opioid claims at three and six months post-BKA
- Follow-up
- Three and six months
Methodological detailsnationwide claims database, matched cohort, multivariable regression
- Nationwide claims database
- Matched cohort
- Multivariable regression
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Continued opioid claims
Gabapentinoids vs No gabapentinoidsOdds ratio (95% CI)P value
Three months
3.07(2.76–3.42)
P < 0.0001Six months
2.44(2.17–2.75)
P < 0.0001Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
| Outcome | OR (95% CI) | P value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Continued opioid claims by gabapentinoid type (sensitivity analysis) · 3 monthsGabapentin vs No gabapentinoids · sensitivity analysis | 3.08 (2.45–3.87) | P < 0.0001 | |
| Continued opioid claims by gabapentinoid type (sensitivity analysis) · 3 monthsPregabalin vs No gabapentinoids · sensitivity analysis | 3.47 (3.07–3.94) | P < 0.0001 | |
| Continued opioid claims by claim timing (sensitivity analysis)Pre-BKA gabapentinoids vs No gabapentinoids · sensitivity analysis | 3.26 (2.92–3.63) | P < 0.0001 | |
| Continued opioid claims by claim timing (sensitivity analysis)Post-BKA gabapentinoids vs No gabapentinoids · sensitivity analysis | 5.32 (3.72–7.59) | P < 0.0001 | |
| 0.10.31310Odds ratio (log scale) |
Postoperative pain severity (estimated by analgesics claims) as explanation of the association
- Only marginally explained the association
- OR = 1.34[1.23, 1.47](p < 0.0001)
Original publication
Association of perioperative gabapentinoids with persistent opioid requirements following below knee amputation - A nationwide claims-based retrospective cohort study. J Clin Anesth. Published 20 May 2026. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →