Risk of fall or fracture with concomitant use of prescription opioids and other medications in osteoarthritis patients

Abstract Background Osteoarthritis (OA) patients taking prescription opioids for pain are at increased risk of fall or fracture, and the concomitant use of interacting drugs may further increase the risk of these events. Aims To identify prescription opioid‐related medication combinations associated with fall or fracture. Materials & Methods We conducted a case‐crossover‐based screening of two administrative claims databases spanning 2003 through 2021. OA patients were aged 40 years or older with at least 365 days of continuous enrollment and 90 days of continuous prescription opioid use before their first eligible fall or fracture event. The primary analysis quantified the odds ratio (OR) between fall and non‐opioid medications dispensed in the 90 days before the fall date after adjustment for prescription opioid dosage and confounding using a case‐time‐control design. A secondary analogous analysis evaluated medications associated with fracture. The false discovery rate (FDR) was used to account for multiple testing. Results We identified 41 693 OA patients who experienced a fall and 24 891 OA patients who experienced a fracture after at least 90 days of continuous opioid therapy. Top non‐opioid medications by ascending p‐value with OR > 1 for fall were meloxicam (OR 1.22, FDR = 0.08), metoprolol (OR 1.06, FDR >0.99), and celecoxib (OR 1.13, FDR > 0.99). Top non‐opioid medications for fracture were losartan (OR 1.20, FDR = 0.80), alprazolam (OR 1.14, FDR > 0.99), and duloxetine (OR 1.12, FDR = 0.97). Conclusion Clinicians may seek to monitor patients who are co‐prescribed drugs that act on the central nervous system, especially in individuals with OA.