Black RJ, et al. - From the Australian Rheumatology Association Database, researchers examined adult rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients (n=3225, 73% female, mean age 57 years, median follow-up 54 months) for the factors that are associated with opioid use in RA patients. Opioid use was prevalent in 33%. Prevalence of 9% was reported for high potency opioid use; 62% (95% 60, 64) of patients reported opioid ever-use after five years of follow-up. Findings thereby suggest that RA patients display a high prevalence of opioid use which is noted to be associated with pain, function and GC treatment. The need for opioids in some, but not all, patients could be reduced using NSAID, and DMARD treatments.