title: Chronic Pain and Risk Factors for Opioid Misuse in a Palliative Care Clinic.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the prevalence of chronic pain and the risk of opioid misuse in a palliative care clinic.
  
  
  METHODS
  We reviewed patient records for 6 months for source of pain, treatment status, opioid misuse risk (Cut down, Annoyed, Guilty, and Eye-opener [CAGE] and Screener and Opioid Assessment for Patients with Pain version 1.0-Short Form [SOAPP-SF] scores), and urine drug screens.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 323 patients, 91% had cancer, 56% undergoing cancer treatment, while 28% had no evidence of disease. Eighty-six (27%) patients had noncancer pain. In all, 46% of new patients had positive scores on the SOAPP-SF and 15% had a positive CAGE. Of the less than 5% of visits that included a urine drug screen, 56% had aberrant results.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Chronic pain and indicators of opioid misuse risk were prevalent. Outpatient palliative care practices should develop policies to address these issues.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine, Section of Palliative Care and Medical Ethics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA childersjw2@upmc.edu.
authors.forename: Julie W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Childers
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine, Section of Palliative Care and Medical Ethics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Linda A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: King
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine, Section of Palliative Care and Medical Ethics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Robert M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Arnold
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D059350:Chronic Pain / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid
keywords: addiction; cancer pain; chronic pain; opioid misuse; outpatient; pain; palliative