Study provides insights into conditioned open-label placebo for opioid reduction after spine surgery

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Created On: 25/03/2021

Study provides insights into conditioned open-label placebo for opioid reduction after spine surgery

A randomized controlled trial was carried to assess whether combining COLP in the immediate postoperative period could lower daily opioid usage and post-surgical pain in subjects recovering from spine surgery.

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Key take away

Conditioning with an open-label placebo (COLP) may serve as a promising adjuvant analgesic therapy to lower opioid intake in the early postoperative period, without elevating pain.

Background

Method

Participants were randomly assigned either to COLP cohort or treatment as usual (TAU) cohort. Both the cohorts were given unimpeded access to a typical opioid-based post surgery analgesic therapy. To determine the therapeutic impact of COLP on daily opioid intake and pain during the post surgery period from post-surgery day (POD) 1 to POD 17, the generalized estimating equations method was utilized.

Result

Participants in the COLP arm consumed about 30% less daily morphine mg equivalents in comparison with participants in the TAU arm during POD 1-17 (-14.5 daily morphine mg equivalents). Daily worst pain scores were also reduced in the COLP cohort (-1.0 point on the 10-point scale). However, a vital difference was not witnessed in the average daily pain between the arms (-0.8 point).

Conclusion

In individuals recovering from spine surgery, COLP may serve as a vital adjuvant analgesic therapy to minimize intake of opioids in the early post-surgery period, without increasing pain.