Background. Sleep problems are common among chronic pain patients who take opioids. There are documented effects of opioids on sleep architecture; however, the long-term effects of opioids on sleep remain unknown. This study examined whether opioid-naïve participants have better sleep quality than current and previous chronic users of opioids. We also explored whether sleep differed between methadone and buprenorphine users, and whether amount of time since abstaining from opioids was associated with sleep quality. Method. Participants were 120 people with chronic pain (84.2% Caucasian, M_age = 42.0 years, SD = 11.44). They were in one of four groups of 30 participants each: (1) current users of methadone for opioid use disorder (OUD); (2) current users of buprenorphine for OUD; (3) a history of medication-assisted therapy for OUD but currently opioid-abstinent for at least 6 months; (4) those who have less than one month of cumulative lifetime opioids (opioid-naïve group). Only participants in group 1 and group 2 were taking opioids during the time of the study. Participants completed the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and the SF-36. Results. A MANCOVA revealed that all three groups with current or previous opioid use (i.e., groups 1–3) differed significantly from the opioid-naïve group (group 4) on sleep quality, sleep duration, sleep disturbances, and daytime dysfunction after controlling for sleep medications (all p < .05). For group 1 (methadone users), 2 (buprenorphine users), and 3 (prolonged abstinence), there were no statistically significant differences between each group. There was also a significant relationship between opioid-abstinent weeks and sleep disturbances in the opioid-abstinent group (r = − 0.604, p < .001). Discussion. The results of this study suggest that opioids interfere with sleep quality, even after months of abstention. Further research into the long-term effects of opioids is warranted and may contribute further to the importance of addressing sleep problems in this population.

背景。睡眠问题在服用阿片类药物的慢性疼痛患者中很常见。有文献记录阿片类药物对睡眠结构的影响；然而，阿片类药物对睡眠的长期影响仍然未知。这项研究检查了阿片类药物未使用过的参与者的睡眠质量是否比目前和以前长期使用阿片类药物的人更好。我们还探讨了美沙酮和丁丙诺啡使用者之间的睡眠是否不同，以及戒除阿片类药物后的时间是否与睡眠质量相关。方法。参与者是 120 名患有慢性疼痛的人（84.2% 白种人，M_年龄） = 42.0 岁，标准差 = 11.44）。他们是四组中的一组，每组有 30 名参与者：（1）目前使用美沙酮治疗阿片类药物使用障碍（OUD）的用户；(2) 丁丙诺啡用于 OUD 的当前用户；(3) 有 OUD 药物辅助治疗史，但目前已戒断阿片类药物至少 6 个月；(4) 终生使用阿片类药物少于 1 个月的人（阿片类药物未使用组）。在研究期间，只有第 1 组和第 2 组的参与者服用阿片类药物。参与者完成了匹兹堡睡眠质量指数和 SF-36。结果。MANCOVA 显示，目前或以前使用阿片类药物的所有三组（即第 1-3 组）在控制睡眠后的睡眠质量、睡眠持续时间、睡眠障碍和日间功能障碍方面与未使用阿片类药物组（第 4 组）有显着差异药物（所有p  < .05）。对于第 1 组（美沙酮使用者）、第 2 组（丁丙诺啡使用者）和第 3 组（长期禁欲），每组之间没有统计学上的显着差异。在阿片类药物戒断组中，阿片类药物戒断周数与睡眠障碍之间也存在显着关系（r  = - 0.604，p  < .001）。讨论。这项研究的结果表明，阿片类药物会干扰睡眠质量，即使是在数月的禁欲之后。有必要进一步研究阿片类药物的长期影响，并可能进一步提高解决这一人群睡眠问题的重要性。