Impact of Treatment Duration on the Effectiveness of Opioid Analgesia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Listen to this summary
The authors aimed to investigate whether the effectiveness of opioid analgesia diminishes with prolonged treatment duration in patients with chronic low back pain or osteoarthritis. Their systematic review and meta-analysis of 27 randomized trials indicated that while opioids are likely effective for short-term pain relief (≤4 weeks), their benefits diminish significantly over intermediate (4-12 weeks) and long-term (≥12 weeks) periods, where they may even worsen pain control compared to placebo.
This is one of 33,000+ journals available on OSLR. Try it free for 14 days.
Free 14-day trial. 33,000+ journals. Cancel anytime.
More from The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners
View all →May 7, 2026 · The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners
Investigating the conditions in which women GPs thrive in General Practice: A realist review
May 7, 2026 · The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners
Multimorbidity and cardiovascular prevention in primary care: Cohort study in New Zealand
May 7, 2026 · The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners
Point-of-care biomarkers or laboratory-based tests to reduce antibiotic prescribing for COPD exacerbations in primary care: a literature review and meta-analysis
May 7, 2026 · The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners
Primary Care Practitioners' Experiences Managing Urinary Tract Infections: A Qualitative Evidence Synthesis
More in Family Medicine
View all →May 10, 2026 · Contraception
Women's Attitudes Toward Over-the-Counter Oral Contraceptive Pills: A Cross-Sectional Survey
May 10, 2026 · JAMA
Efficacy and Safety of Digitalis Glycosides in Heart Failure: A Meta-Analysis
May 10, 2026 · JAMA
Digoxin in Patients With Symptomatic Rheumatic Heart Disease: A Randomized Clinical Trial
May 8, 2026 · Family medicine
The Primary Care Exception During and After a Public Health Emergency
May 8, 2026 · Family medicine
Introduction to Qualitative Methods: A Practical Primer for Clinicians
May 8, 2026 · Family medicine
Making the Most of CERA Studies: How to Develop Excellent Survey Research in Academic Family Medicine
"Oslr has become part of my weekly routine on my day off. The clinical relevance of the summaries is outstanding — I'd rate it 9/10. Being able to consume research hands-free is a huge advantage for busy physicians."
Dr. Jennifer Thompson
Portland, OR
Stay current without falling behind
33,000+ journals. 3-minute audio summaries. Free for 14 days.
