Treatment characteristics of chronic low back pain patients treated with buprenorphine buccal film or transdermal patch.

Retrospective insurance claims analysis exploring treatment characteristics in chronic low back pain patients prescribed buprenorphine buccal film (Belbuca) or transdermal patches. The first buprenorphine prescription (buccal film or transdermal patch) was an index event. Patients were observed over 6 month pre- and post-index periods. Propensity score matching minimized the selection bias. Buccal film patients had a higher buprenorphine daily dose (501.7 vs 270.9 µg; p < 0.001). The patch-to-film switching rate was higher than vice versa (11.5 vs 3.8%; p < 0.001). The buccal film showed a greater reduction in opioid prescriptions (-1.1 vs -0.7; p = 0.012), daily morphine milligram equivalents (-12.6 vs -7.3; p < 0.001) and opioid treatment duration (-13.4 vs -7.6 days; p = 0.022). Buccal film was associated with higher buprenorphine doses and a greater reduction of opioid burden.