Trends in XTAMPZA ER and other oxycodone misuse and abuse during COVID-19: A mosaic approach

Abstract

Despite efforts to reduce abuse, opioids remain a societal concern. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) brought new challenges, and research is needed to understand its impact on opioid abuse in the population. Three data sources were used to investigate trends in misuse and abuse of XTAMPZA® ER compared to extended-release (ER) and single-entity immediate-release (SE-IR) oxycodone from 2019Q3 through 2022. Changes in trends over 6-month intervals were investigated using linear spline models with a breakpoint at 2020Q3 to measure the impact of COVID-19. Poison center call rates for misuse or abuse of ER and SE-IR oxycodone showed significant changes during COVID-19 (both p < 0.001), reversing trends and significantly decreasing (–27.56 percent change and –12.91 percent change, respectively). In contrast, XTAMPZA ER trend rates showed no change during COVID-19, remaining fairly stable. The odds of abuse of ER oxycodone among those entering opioid use disorder treatment significantly changed during COVID-19 (p = 0.025), resulting in a stabilization of the trend. For SE-IR oxycodone, no change was observed in the decreasing trend (–12.88 percent change during COVID-19). XTAMPZA ER had no significant change during COVID-19 (p = 0.200) and appeared stable. Since 2021Q3, among the general adult population, the prevalence of past-year nonmedical use of XTAMPZA ER was rare (0.04 percent), as was the case for other oxycodone products (<1 percent). Overall, there is no evidence that oxycodone misuse and abuse worsened during COVID-19 in these populations, and XTAMPZA ER was consistently lower than other oxycodone products. Low rates and improving trends in oxycodone misuse and abuse may signify an ongoing reduction in prescription opioid contributions to the opioid crisis.