Long-term benzodiazepine usage and mortality in patients with chronic non-cancer musculoskeletal pain: A Nationwide cohort study.

OBJECTIVES

The impact of benzodiazepine use on mortality in patients with chronic non-cancer pain (CNCP) has not been identified. We aimed to examine the factors associated with benzodiazepine use among patients with CNCP and examine whether long-term benzodiazepine usage is associated with mortality in patients with CNCP.

METHODS

This study was conducted using data from the National Health Insurance Service database of South Korea. We selected 2.5% of all adult patients diagnosed with musculoskeletal diseases (MSD) in South Korea from 2010 to 2019 using a stratified random sampling technique and included them in the analysis as patients with CNCP. The risk of 10-year all-cause mortality in patients with CNCP was investigated using the 2010 cohort of patients with CNCP.

RESULTS

The proportion of the study population that used benzodiazepine during the 10-year study period was 2.1% (390,683/18,770,234). Multivariable logistic regression showed that old age; increased Charlson comorbidity index (CCI); opioid, gabapentin or pregabalin, paracetamol, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and Z-drugs usage; and underlying psychiatric comorbidities were associated with increased benzodiazepine use. In addition, benzodiazepine use was associated with increased 10-year all-cause mortality (adjusted hazard ratio: 1.03, 95% confidence interval: 1.01, 1.06; p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Benzodiazepine was prescribed to 2.1% of the patients with CNCP in South Korea from 2010 to 2019. Old age, increased CCI, underlying psychiatric comorbidities, and use of certain drugs are associated with increased use of benzodiazepines. In addition, benzodiazepine use is associated with 10-year all-cause mortality in patients with CNCP.