Mortality with concurrent treatment with gabapentin and opioids among people with spine diagnoses in the U.S. Medicare population: a propensity-matched cohort study.

When treating pain in older adults taking opioids, the addition of gabapentin did not increase mortality risk relative to addition of TCAs or duloxetine. However, providers should be cognizant of a small increased risk of major medical complications among opioid users initiating gabapentin compared to those initiating TCAs or duloxetine.