Table 1.
Demographics and Baseline Characteristics of Diagnosed Abusers and Matched Controlsa
| Variable | Overall (N = 154,738) | Abuser (n = 77,369) | Control (n = 77,369) | P Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age, years | 56.1 (14.49) | 56.1 (14.49) | 56.1 (14.49) | 1.000 |
| Range | 20-106 | 20-106 | 20-106 | NA |
| Gender | ||||
| Male | 72,830 (47.1) | 36,415 (47.1) | 36,415 (47.1) | 1.000 |
| Female | 81,908 (52.9) | 40,954 (52.9) | 40,954 (52.9) | |
| Region | ||||
| Northeast | 27,056 (17.5) | 13,528 (17.5) | 13,528 (17.5) | 1.000 |
| Midwest | 32,722 (21.1) | 16,361 (21.1) | 16,361 (21.1) | |
| South | 64,636 (41.8) | 32,318 (41.8) | 32,318 (41.8) | |
| West | 30,324 (19.6) | 15,162 (19.6) | 15,162 (19.6) | |
| CCI score | ||||
| 0b | 70,191 (45.4) | 32,010 (41.4) | 38,181 (49.3) | < 0.0001 |
| 1 | 26,920 (17.4) | 9,507 (12.3) | 17,413 (22.5) | |
| 2 | 19,116 (12.4) | 7,309 (9.4) | 11,807 (15.3) | |
| 3 | 12,652 (8.2) | 6,546 (8.5) | 6,106 (7.9) | |
| ≥ 4 | 25,859 (16.7) | 21,997 (28.4) | 3,862 (5.0) | |
| Disability | ||||
| Aged without ESRD | 43,576 (28.2) | 21,788 (28.2) | 21,788 (28.2) | 1.000 |
| Aged with ESRD | 794 (0.5) | 397 (0.5) | 397 (0.5) | 1.000 |
| Disabled without ESRD | 106,992 (69.1) | 53,496 (69.1) | 53,496 (69.1) | 1.000 |
| Disabled with ESRD | 3,196 (2.1) | 1,598 (2.1) | 1,598 (2.1) | 1.000 |
| ESRD only | 180 (0.1) | 90 (0.1) | 90 (0.1) | 1.000 |
| Comorbidities unrelated to pain | ||||
| Other substance abuse | 39,262 (25.4) | 33,270 (43.0) | 5,992 (7.7) | < 0.0001 |
| Nonopioid poisoning | 5,766 (3.7) | 5,168 (6.7) | 598 (0.8) | < 0.0001 |
| Psychiatric disorders | 51,626 (33.4) | 50,240 (64.9) | 1,386 (1.8) | < 0.0001 |
| HIV/AIDS | 3,390 (2.2) | 2,179 (2.8) | 1,211 (1.6) | < 0.0001 |
| Endocarditis | 808 (0.5) | 555 (0.7) | 253 (0.3) | < 0.0001 |
| Skin infections/abscesses | 18,258 (11.8) | 11,779 (15.2) | 6,479 (8.4) | < 0.0001 |
| Gastrointestinal bleed | 32,829 (21.2) | 22,168 (28.7) | 10,661 (13.8) | < 0.0001 |
| Cirrhosis/chronic or acute liver disease | 9,778 (6.3) | 7,304 (9.4) | 2,474 (3.2) | < 0.0001 |
| Hepatitis A, B, C | 5,792 (3.7) | 5,760 (7.4) | 32 (0.0) | < 0.0001 |
| Alcoholic hepatitis | 338 (0.2) | 338 (0.4) | 0 (0) | NA |
| Other hepatitis | 292 (0.2) | 283 (0.4) | 9 (0.0) | < 0.0001 |
| Pancreatitis | 3,204 (2.1) | 2,575 (3.3) | 629 (0.8) | < 0.0001 |
| Sexually transmitted disease | 5,881 (3.8) | 3,405 (4.4) | 2,476 (3.2) | < 0.0001 |
| Herpes simplex | 1,232 (0.8) | 833 (1.1) | 399 (0.5) | < 0.0001 |
| Burns | 980 (0.6) | 719 (0.9) | 261 (0.3) | < 0.0001 |
| Trauma | 45,194 (29.2) | 30,279 (39.1) | 14,915 (19.3) | < 0.0001 |
| Motor vehicle accidents | 1,399 (0.9) | 1,057 (1.4) | 342 (0.4) | < 0.0001 |
| Cormorbidities related to pain | ||||
| Cancer | 13,822 (8.9) | 7,283 (9.4) | 6,539 (8.5) | < 0.0001 |
| Low back pain | 64,687 (41.8) | 45,322 (58.6) | 19,365 (25.0) | < 0.0001 |
| Other back/neck disorders | 51,396 (33.2) | 36,045 (46.6) | 15,351 (19.8) | < 0.0001 |
| Arthritis | 90,118 (58.2) | 53,595 (69.3) | 36,523 (47.2) | < 0.0001 |
| Neuropathic pain | 28,331 (18.3) | 18,459 (23.9) | 9,872 (12.8) | < 0.0001 |
| Fibromyalgia | 16,166 (10.4) | 12,315 (15.9) | 3,851 (5.0) | < 0.0001 |
| Headache/migraine | 21,362 (13.8) | 15,793 (20.4) | 5,569 (7.2) | < 0.0001 |
aValues in this table are shown as mean (%).
bFor patients who did not have any encounters related to defined ICD-9-CM codes for CCI comorbidities during 6-month pre-index period and aged < 60 years,
CCI score is zero.
CCI = Charlson Comorbidity Index; ESRD = end-stage renal disease; HIV/AIDS = human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome;
ICD-9-CM = International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification; NA = not applicable.