Review of the Prevalence of Opioid Use Disorder Following Traumatic Brain Injury.

Background: Opioid use disorder is a worldwide economic and health concern. Opioid use seems to be increased in those who sustained traumatic brain injury (TBI). The aim of the current systematic review is to examine the prevalence of opioid use disorders among individuals with TBI.

Methods: A literature review was conducted using the following databases: Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, PubMed, Wiley, and MEDLINE. The pertinence of any study to the inclusion criteria was determined by assessing the title, key words, and abstracts. Data were extracted using multiple variables that were formulated with the study aim and then further analyzed.

Results: Twenty studies published between 2013 and 2022 met inclusion criteria. From a total of 20 included articles, 2 were reviews, 1 was a prospective cohort study, and the rest were retrospective studies. Most data were collected from electronic medical records, and 11 studies were conducted on military-affiliated samples. Prevalence varied differently among studies and different populations, where greater numbers were seen in patients who required greater care in intensive care units, for example.

Conclusions: Opioid use disorder is an imminent danger worldwide. Firm regulation for an opioid prescription for patients with TBI during hospitalization or in rehabilitation centers tackles co-existing behavioral problems, frequent follow-up, and the use of nonopioid medications as possible to control chronic pain in this vulnerable subgroup. Future prospective studies to measure the effect of different intervention methods to mitigate the increased risk of opioid use post-TBI are needed.