Predictors of Opioid Prescribing for Non-Malignant Low Back Pain in an Italian Primary Care Setting.

This study explores which patient characteristics could affect the likelihood of starting low back pain (LBP) treatment with opioid analgesics vs. Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) in an Italian primary care setting. Through the computerized medical records of 65 General Practitioners, non-malignant LBP subjects who received the first pain intensity measurement and an NSAID or opioid prescription, during 2015-2016, were identified.

[Therapeutic management of low back pain in general practice.].

Introduction: Low back pain is one of the most frequent causes of consultation of the General Practitioner (GP). The purpose of the present study is to analyze the therapeutic management of low back pain, in relation to pain intensity, in the primary care setting and to assess its impact on the patient's quality of life.

Methods: From the computerized medical records of 65 GPs, all working in the Salerno province (South of Italy), data concerning non-cancer subjects affected by low back or sciatica pain, over 18 years, who consulted the GP in the period between February 1, 2015 and January 31, 2016, were extracted.