Incident opioid use is associated with risk of respiratory harm in non-palliative COPD

[摘要] ExtractWe thank M.xc2xa0Ekstrxc3xb6m and co-workers for their interest in our manuscript [1] and for their contributions to the important topic of opioid drug use in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).xc2xa0M.xc2xa0Ekstrxc3xb6m and co-workers stress the efficacy of selective use of opioids for refractory breathlessness in COPD. We acknowledged in our manuscript [1] that several clinical studies demonstrate that opioids are efficacious in selected COPD patients for relieving refractory breathlessness. However; we have previously outlined reasons why such trials of drug efficacy have limited ability to comprehensively evaluate for possible drug harms [1xe2x80x933]. Furthermore; chronic musculoskeletal pain; and not respiratory symptoms; is likely the more common reason why individuals with COPD use opioid drugs [3; 4]. Indeed; M.xc2xa0Ekstrxc3xb6m and co-workers recently published data showing that 97% of opioid prescriptions among Swedes with advanced COPD were for pain [5]. Several Cochrane reviews have suggested there is insufficient evidence to support the use of opioids for chronic musculoskeletal pain [6xe2x80x938].

[学科分类] 呼吸医学