Testosterone therapy reduced pain and decreased opioid use in participants in this study.
Over 18 months period, patients with Opioid Induced Hypogonadism (OIH) were identified in a tertiary referral pain center at the University of California San Diego (UCSD), Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) pain scores and daily morphine equivalent dose (MED) were the primary outcomes measured. Data were collected and comparative analysis performed between men undergoing testosterone supplemental therapy (TST) versus nontreatment group. Twenty-seven OIH patients (total testosterone <300 ng/dL) were identified during the study period. TST group consists of 11 patients, while non-TST group consists of 16 patients as control cohort. Median follow-up NRS was 0 and 2 in the TST and non-TST groups (p = .02). Mean MED (mg) decreased by 21 mg in TST group and increased by 2.5 mg in non-TST group (p <0.05). This is the first report of TST can reduce opioid requirements in men with chronic pain. It also confirms previous reports and that TST is effective in correcting opioid-induced endocrine abnormalities.
Full abstract is online.
Over 18 months period, patients with Opioid Induced Hypogonadism (OIH) were identified in a tertiary referral pain center at the University of California San Diego (UCSD), Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) pain scores and daily morphine equivalent dose (MED) were the primary outcomes measured. Data were collected and comparative analysis performed between men undergoing testosterone supplemental therapy (TST) versus nontreatment group. Twenty-seven OIH patients (total testosterone <300 ng/dL) were identified during the study period. TST group consists of 11 patients, while non-TST group consists of 16 patients as control cohort. Median follow-up NRS was 0 and 2 in the TST and non-TST groups (p = .02). Mean MED (mg) decreased by 21 mg in TST group and increased by 2.5 mg in non-TST group (p <0.05). This is the first report of TST can reduce opioid requirements in men with chronic pain. It also confirms previous reports and that TST is effective in correcting opioid-induced endocrine abnormalities.
Full abstract is online.
