Concerns have been raised regarding the misuse of opioids among patients with chronic pain. Although a number of factors may contribute to opioid misuse, research has yet to examine if the hedonic and calming effects that can potentially accompany the use of opioids contribute to opioid misuse. The first objective of this study was to examine the degree to which the hedonic and calming effects of opioids contribute to opioid misuse in patients with chronic pain. We also examined whether the hedonic and calming effects of opioids contribute to patients' daily levels of opioid craving, and whether these associations were moderated by patients' daily levels of pain intensity, catastrophizing, negative affect, or positive affect. In this longitudinal diary study, patients (n = 103) prescribed opioid therapy completed daily diaries for 14 consecutive days. Diaries assessed a host of pain, psychological, and opioid-related variables. The hedonic and calming effects of opioids were not significantly associated with any type of opioid misuse behavior. However, greater hedonic and calming effects were associated with heightened reports of opioid craving (both P's < 0.005). Analyses revealed that these associations were moderated by patients' daily levels of pain intensity, catastrophizing, and negative affect (all P's < 0.001). Results from this study provide valuable new insights into our understanding of factors that may contribute to opioid craving among patients with chronic pain who are prescribed long-term opioid therapy. The implications of our findings for the management of patients with chronic pain are discussed.

Supplemental Digital Content is Available in the Text.Fibromyalgia is associated with a dysregulated NK cell activation signature and their accumulation at peripheral nerves.

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The rise in the use of opioids has been accompanied by increases in prescription opioid misuse among patients with chronic pain. Opioid craving has emerged as a robust determinant of opioid misuse, but the factors that contribute to opioid craving have yet to be fully elucidated. Perceived injustice has been linked to numerous negative pain outcomes, but little is known about its association with opioid craving. Objectives: The first objective of this study was to examine the association between perceived injustice and opioid craving in patients with chronic pain who are prescribed opioids. We also examined whether pain intensity, negative affect, or catastrophizing mediated this association. Methods: In this longitudinal diary study, patients (n = 103) completed a questionnaire assessing perceived injustice and then completed daily measures of pain intensity, negative affect, catastrophizing, and opioid craving for 14 consecutive days. Results: A significant association was found between perceived injustice and opioid craving (P < 0.01), with higher levels of perceived injustice being associated with heightened levels of opioid craving. A 2-1-1 multilevel mediation analysis indicated that the association between perceived injustice and craving was significantly mediated by catastrophizing (P < 0.05). Conclusions:The present study provides new insights into the factors that might contribute to opioid craving in patients with chronic pain. Our findings suggest that perceived injustice might lead to increased catastrophizing and, in turn, heightened daily levels of opioid craving. These findings could have implications for chronic pain management clinicians who prescribe opioids.