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Opioids are sometimes prescribed for chronic back pain that persists despite treatment. In a systematic literature review, researchers identified 38 studies that examined the prevalence of opioid prescribing for chronic back pain, the efficacy of opioids, and the prevalence of substance disorders in these patients.
In 11 studies, the prevalence of opioid prescribing for chronic back pain ranged from 3% to 66%. In four of the six studies that compared opioids to placebo or non-opioids, opioids had superior efficacy; none of these studies lasted more than 16 weeks. A meta-analysis of data from four studies found that opioid treatment was associated with decreased pain, but this decrease was not significant. The prevalence of a current substanc…