Postoperative respiratory depression in patients on sublingual buprenorphine: a retrospective cohort study for comparison between postoperative continuation and discontinuation of buprenorphine

BACKGROUND: We tested the hypothesis that patients who continued buprenorphine postoperatively experience postoperative respiratory depression less frequently than those who discontinued buprenorphine. METHODS: This is a retrospective cohort study of patients who were on buprenorphine preoperatively. The primary outcome was postoperative respiratory depression as defined by respiratory rate < 10/minute, oxygen saturation (SpO(2)) < 90%, or requirement of naloxone for 48 h postoperatively. The secondary outcome was the composite of postoperative respiratory complications. The associations between postoperative buprenorphine continuation and respiratory depression and respiratory complications were estimated using separate multivariable logistic regression models, including demographic, intraoperative characteristics, and preoperative buprenorphine dose as covariates. RESULTS: Postoperative buprenorphine continuation was not associated with postoperative respiratory depression (adjusted odds ratio (OR), 1.11, 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.61 to 1.99, P=0.72). In subanalysis stratified by the preoperative buprenorphine dose, buprenorphine continuation was not associated with postoperative respiratory depression either when preoperative buprenorphine dose was high (≥16 mg daily) or low (<16 mg daily). Postoperative buprenorphine continuation was associated with lower incidence of postoperative respiratory complications (adjusted OR, 0.43, 95% CI, 0.21 to 0.86, P=0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Continuing buprenorphine was not associated with respiratory depression, but it was associated with a lower incidence of respiratory complications. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40981-022-00535-2.