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Persistent Opioid Use Among Pediatric Patients After Surgery

  • Rates of new persistent opioid use among pediatric patients are comparable to those for adults, with 4.8% of patients refilling opioid prescriptions between 3 and 6 months after surgery.
  • Risk factors for new persistent opioid use include type of surgical procedure and patient traits such as older age, female sex, previous substance use disorder, chronic pain, and preoperative opioid fill.
  • Understanding the risks contributing to new persistent opioid use among adolescents and young adults may help clinicians to minimize opioid exposure and reduce risk for later misuse.


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Harbaugh CM, Lee JS, Hu HM, et al. Persistent Opioid Use Among Pediatric Patients After Surgery. Pediatrics. 2018;141(1):e20172439. doi:10.1542/peds.2017-2439