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Shifting interpretations in evidence and guidance in pain and opioids research: A bibliometric analysis of a highly cited case series from 1986.
Abstract
RATIONALE, AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: Portenoy and Foley's 1986 landmark case series 'Chronic use of opioid analgesics in non-malignant pain: report of 38 cases' has been reproached for opening the floodgates of opioid prescribing for chronic non-cancer pain and the attendant harms. This influential article has been cited over 500 times in the scientific literature over the last four decades. This study seeks to understand the impact of Portenoy and Foley's article on subsequent discussions and research about opioids.