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Peer-reviewedCC BYPain reports

Long-term analgesic use after neuroma and upper limb nerve injury: patterns in Sweden

  • Emma Dahlin1,2
  • Raquel Perez1,3
  • Malin Zimmerman1,2
  • Juan Merlo3,4
  • Erika Nyman5,6
  • Lars B Dahlin1,2,5,7
7 affiliations
  1. 1Department of Translational Medicine-Hand Surgery, Lund University, Skåne University Hospital, Malmö, Sweden.
  2. 2Department of Orthopedics, Helsingborg Hospital, Helsingborg, Sweden.
  3. 3Unit for Social Epidemiology, Department of Clinical Sciences (Malmö), Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden.
  4. 4Center for Primary Health Research, Region Skåne, Malmö, Sweden.
  5. 5Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.
  6. 6Department of Orthopedic and Hand Surgery, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden.
  7. 7Department of Hand Surgery, Skåne University Hospital, Malmö, Sweden.
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Abstract

Objectives

To examine demographic and socioeconomic differences in diagnosis and treatment of neuroma and nerve injury, assess risk of long-term use of centrally acting analgesics (CA-analgesics) compared with the general population, and describe how long-term use is distributed among individuals by demographic, socioeconomic, and treatment characteristics.Methods

In linked Swedish national registers (5,625,751 individuals, 25-80 years, residing 2010), incident cases of nonsurgically or surgically treated neuromas (n = 608' n = 189, respectively) or nerve injuries (n = 3,719, n = 2,122, respectively) were identified (no clinical data available) 2011 to 2014 and long-term CA-analgesic use was defined (prescription coverage ≥60% of days during 1 year; 60-day washout period after surgery). Multinomial and binary logistic regression models were used to estimate relative risks, adjusted for sex, age, income level, country of birth, and cohabiting. Absolute risks and absolute risk differences were calculated.Results

Neuroma or nerve injury cases were identified with variation in diagnosis and treatment by demographic and socioeconomic factors; women more likely to undergo neuroma surgery; men and younger individuals predominated among nerve injuries. All diagnostic treatment groups had markedly increased risks of long-term CA-analgesic use compared with the general population (adjusted relative risk range 3.5-6.0). Absolute risks among individuals exceeded 10% in socioeconomically disadvantaged subgroups (approximately 0.5% in the general population). Differences in long-term CA-analgesic use between nonsurgically and surgically treated individuals were modest.Conclusions

Neuroma and nerve injuries are associated with a substantial risk of long-term CA-analgesic use. Socioeconomic disadvantage strongly influences risk, whereas surgical treatment does not consistently reduce long-term medication use.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{dahlin2026longterm,
  title = {{Long-term analgesic use after neuroma and upper limb nerve injury: patterns in Sweden}},
  author = {Emma Dahlin and Raquel Perez and Malin Zimmerman and Juan Merlo and Erika Nyman and Lars B Dahlin},
  journal = {Pain reports},
  year = {2026},
  month = oct,
  doi = {10.1097/pr9.0000000000001511},
  url = {https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13719113},
  note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Long-term analgesic use after neuroma and upper limb nerve injury: patterns in Sweden
AU  - Emma Dahlin
AU  - Raquel Perez
AU  - Malin Zimmerman
AU  - Juan Merlo
AU  - Erika Nyman
AU  - Lars B Dahlin
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/28
JO  - Pain reports
DO  - 10.1097/pr9.0000000000001511
UR  - https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13719113
AB  - Objectives  To examine demographic and socioeconomic differences in diagnosis and treatment of neuroma and nerve injury, assess risk of long-term use of centrally acting analgesics (CA-analgesics) compared with the general population, and describe how long-term use is distributed among individuals by demographic, socioeconomic, and treatment characteristics.Methods  In linked Swedish national registers (5,625,751 individuals, 25-80 years, residing 2010), incident cases of nonsurgically or surgically treated neuromas (n = 608' n = 189, respectively) or nerve injuries (n = 3,719, n = 2,122, respectively) were identified (no clinical data available) 2011 to 2014 and long-term CA-analgesic use was defined (prescription coverage ≥60% of days during 1 year; 60-day washout period after surgery). Multinomial and binary logistic regression models were used to estimate relative risks, adjusted for sex, age, income level, country of birth, and cohabiting. Absolute risks and absolute risk differences were calculated.Results  Neuroma or nerve injury cases were identified with variation in diagnosis and treatment by demographic and socioeconomic factors; women more likely to undergo neuroma surgery; men and younger individuals predominated among nerve injuries. All diagnostic treatment groups had markedly increased risks of long-term CA-analgesic use compared with the general population (adjusted relative risk range 3.5-6.0). Absolute risks among individuals exceeded 10% in socioeconomically disadvantaged subgroups (approximately 0.5% in the general population). Differences in long-term CA-analgesic use between nonsurgically and surgically treated individuals were modest.Conclusions  Neuroma and nerve injuries are associated with a substantial risk of long-term CA-analgesic use. Socioeconomic disadvantage strongly influences risk, whereas surgical treatment does not consistently reduce long-term medication use.
SN  - 2471-2531
ER  -