Abstract
BACKGROUND: Data on opioid use in patients with inflammatory bowel disease and the relationship between disease, opioid use, and healthcare resource utilization are needed. METHODS: This analysis of real-world data from IBM Watson Health Commercial Claims and Encounters Database included patients with the first claim of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) between 2007 and 2014. RESULTS: Opioid use was higher in patients with IBD than in the matched non-IBD cohort. Adjusted for age, gender, and Charlson Comorbidity Index score, inpatient and emergency room visits risk was higher in opioid users than non-users in both IBD cohorts. CONCLUSIONS: Opioid use could be a potential surrogate for inadequate disease control manifested by increased inpatient and emergency room visit risks. These results suggest a need exists for better disease management and the development of an outcomes measurement tool for IBD pain.