scholarly journals Evaluating Differences in Opioid and Stimulant Use-associated Infectious Disease Hospitalizations in Florida, 2016–2017

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
David P Serota ◽  
Tyler S Bartholomew ◽  
Hansel E Tookes
Keyword(s):  
Infectious Disease ◽  
Hospital Mortality ◽  
People Who Inject Drugs ◽  
Medical Advice ◽  
Acute Management ◽  
Opioid Epidemic ◽  
Opioid Use ◽  
Stimulant Use ◽  
Diagnostic Codes ◽  
Younger Age

Abstract Background The opioid epidemic has led to increases in injection drug use (IDU)-associated infectious diseases; however, little is known about how more recent increases in stimulant use have affected the incidence and outcomes of hospitalizations for infections among people who inject drugs (PWID). Methods All hospitalizations of PWID for IDU-associated infections in Florida were identified using administrative diagnostic codes and were grouped by substance used (opioids, stimulants, or both) and site of infection. We evaluated the association between substance used and the outcomes: patient-directed discharge (PDD, or “against medical advice”) and in-hospital mortality. Results There were 22 856 hospitalizations for infections among PWID. Opioid use was present in 73%, any stimulants in 43%, and stimulants-only in 27%. Skin and soft tissue infection was present in 50%, sepsis/bacteremia in 52%, osteomyelitis in 10%, and endocarditis in 10%. PWID using opioids/stimulants were youngest, most uninsured, and had the highest rates of endocarditis (16%) and hepatitis C (44%). Additionally, 25% of patients with opioid/stimulant use had PDD versus 12% for those using opioids-only. In adjusted models, opioid/stimulant use was associated with PDD compared to opioid-only use (aRR 1.28, 95% CI 1.17–1.40). Younger age and endocarditis were also associated with PDD. Compared to opioid-only use, stimulant-only use had higher risk of in-hospital mortality (aRR 1.26, 95% CI 1.03–1.46). Conclusions While opioid use contributed to most IDU-associated infections, many hospitalizations also involved stimulants. Increasing access to harm reduction interventions could help prevent these infections, while further research on the acute management of stimulant use disorder-associated infections is needed.

scholarly journals Community reentry challenges after release from prison among people who inject drugs in St. Petersburg, Russia

2015 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 183-192 ◽  
Author(s):  
Javier A. Cepeda ◽  
Marina V. Vetrova ◽  
Alexandra I. Lyubimova ◽  
Olga S. Levina ◽  
Robert Heimer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alcohol Use ◽  
People Who Inject Drugs ◽  
Treatment Center ◽  
Opioid Use ◽  
Risk Environment ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Formerly Incarcerated ◽  
Community Reentry ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Stimulant Use

Purpose – Little is known about the context of the post-release risk environment among formerly incarcerated people who inject drugs (PWID) in Russia. The purpose of this paper is to explore these challenges as they relate to reentry, relapse to injection opioid use, and overdose. Design/methodology/approach – The authors conducted 25 in-depth semi-structured interviews among PWID living in St Petersburg, Russia who had been incarcerated within the past two years. Participants were recruited from street outreach (n=20) and a drug treatment center (n=5). Findings – Emergent themes related to the post-release environment included financial instability, negative interactions with police, return to a drug using community, and reuniting with drug using peers. Many respondents relapsed to opioid use immediately after release. Those whose relapse occurred weeks or months after their release expressed more motivation to resist. Alcohol or stimulant use often preceded the opioid relapse episode. Among those who overdosed, alcohol use was often reported prior to overdosing on opioids. Practical implications – Future post-release interventions in Russia should effectively link PWID to social, medical, and harm reduction services. Particular attention should be focussed on helping former inmates find employment and overdose prevention training prior to leaving prison that should also cover the heightened risk of concomitant alcohol use. Originality/value – In addition to describing a syndemic involving the intersection of incarceration, injection drug use, poverty, and alcohol abuse, the findings can inform future interventions to address these interrelated public health challenges within the Russian setting.

scholarly journals Infectious Disease (ID) Learning Unit: What the ID Clinician Needs to Know About Buprenorphine Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder

2016 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda A. Westlake ◽  
Mark P. Eisenberg
Keyword(s):  
Infectious Disease ◽  
Drug Use ◽  
Maintenance Therapy ◽  
Injection Drug Use ◽  
Infectious Complications ◽  
Opioid Use Disorder ◽  
Clinical Use ◽  
Opioid Epidemic ◽  
Opioid Use ◽  
Buprenorphine Treatment

Abstract In the context of an escalating opioid epidemic, infectious disease clinicians increasingly treat the infectious complications of injection drug use. In this learning unit, we review the history, pharmacology, and clinical use of buprenorphine as maintenance therapy for opioid use disorder, and we describe the process by which clinicians can obtain a buprenorphine waiver.

scholarly journals Recent Increase in Methamphetamine Use in a Cohort of Rural People Who Use Drugs: Further Evidence for the Emergence of Twin Epidemics

2022 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer R. Havens ◽  
Hannah K. Knudsen ◽  
Justin C. Strickland ◽  
April M. Young ◽  
Shanna Babalonis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Treatment Options ◽  
Prescription Opioid ◽  
People Who Use Drugs ◽  
Opioid Epidemic ◽  
Opioid Use ◽  
Rural People ◽  
Heroin Use ◽  
Stimulant Use ◽  
Methamphetamine Use ◽  
Appalachian Kentucky

Appalachian Kentucky was at the epicenter of the prescription opioid epidemic in the early 2000's. As we enter the third decade of the epidemic, patterns have begun to emerge as people who use drugs (PWUD) transition from use of opioids to other drugs. The purpose of this analysis was to examine longitudinal changes in methamphetamine use in an ongoing cohort of rural people who use drugs (PWUD) in Appalachian Kentucky. All but five of the cohort participants (N = 503) reported nonmedical prescription opioid use (NMPOU) at baseline and those 498 are included in this longitudinal analysis encompassing eight waves of data (2008–2020). Past 6-month use of methamphetamine was the dependent variable. Given the correlated nature of the data, mixed effects logistic regression was utilized to examine changes in methamphetamine use over time. Significant increases in methamphetamine use were observed over the past decade in this cohort of PWUD, especially in recent years (2017–2020). Prevalence of recent use at baseline and each of the follow-up visits was as follows: 9.4, 5.6, 5.0, 5.4, 8.1, 6.8, 6.9, and 33.1%, respectively (p < 0.001). On the contrary, significant reductions in NMPO and heroin use were observed in the same time period. The odds of methamphetamine use at the most recent visit were 25.8 times greater than at baseline (95% CI: 14.9, 44.6) and 52.6% of those reporting methamphetamine use reported injecting the drug. These results provide further evidence of “twin epidemics” of methamphetamine use among NMPOU. While problematic on several fronts, of particular concern is the lack of effective treatment options for methamphetamine use disorder. As policies around the opioid epidemic continue to evolve, particular attention should be paid to the surge in stimulant use in opioid-endemic areas.

Identification of Distinct Etiologies across Prescription Misuse and Illicit Drug Use: Opioids and Stimulants Compared

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Genevieve Fullerton Dash ◽  
Nicholas G. Martin ◽  
Arpana Agrawal ◽  
Michael Lynskey ◽  
Wendy S. Slutske
Keyword(s):  
Illicit Drugs ◽  
Genetic Influence ◽  
Prescription Opioid ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Opioid Use ◽  
Stimulant Use ◽  
Drug Classes ◽  
Illicit Use ◽  
Prescription Opioid Misuse ◽  
Illicit Opioid Use

Background. Drug classes are grouped based on their chemical and pharmacological properties, but prescription and illicit drugs differ in other important ways. Opioid and stimulant classes contain prescription and illicit forms differentially associated with salient risk factors (common route of administration, legality), making them useful comparators for examining the potential differences in the etiological influences on (mis)use of prescription and illicit drugs. Methods. 2,410 individual Australian twins (Mage=31.77 [SD=2.48]; 67% women) were interviewed about prescription misuse and illicit use of opioids and stimulants. Univariate and bivariate biometric models partitioned variances and covariances into additive genetic, shared environmental, and unique environmental influences across drug types. Results. Variation in the propensity to misuse prescription opioids was primarily attributable to genes (37%) and unique environment (59%). Illicit opioid use was attributable to shared (71%) and unique (29%) environment. Prescription stimulant misuse was primarily attributable to genes (78%) and unique environment (21%). Illicit stimulant use was influenced by genes (48%), and shared (29%) and unique environment (23%). There was evidence for genetic influence common to both stimulant types, but limited evidence for genetic influence common to both opioid types. Conclusions. Prescription opioid misuse may share little genetic influence with illicit opioid use. Future research may consider avoiding unitary drug classifications, particularly when examining genetic influences.

scholarly journals 309. The Impact of Addiction Medicine Consultation on Discharges Against Medical Advice in Patients with Opioid Use Disorder and Staphylococcus Aureus Bacteremia

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S152-S152
Author(s):  
Stephanie Spivack ◽  
Daniel Mueller ◽  
Peter Axelrod ◽  
Joseph D’Orazio
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Patient Population ◽  
Medical Advice ◽  
Index Admission ◽  
Opioid Use ◽  
Urban Hospital ◽  
Addiction Medicine ◽  
Against Medical Advice ◽  
Number Of Patients ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background People who inject drugs (PWID) are at risk for infectious complications of their injection practices, including Staphylococcus aureus (SA) bacteremia. Prolonged hospitalization is sometimes required; however, rates of discharges against medical advice (AMA) are elevated in this patient population. Inadequate control of pain and opioid withdrawal are commonly cited. Our aim was to assess the effectiveness of addiction medicine consultation for preventing AMA discharges. Methods We performed a retrospective chart review of adult PWID admitted to an urban hospital with SA bacteremia between August 2016 and May 2018. Demographics, HIV and HCV status, and presence or absence of addiction medicine consultation were recorded. We assessed whether discharges were planned or AMA; the number of hospitalizations at 30 days, 90 days, and 1 year from index admission; and death within one year. EpiInfo6 was used for data analysis. Results A total of 360 patients with SA bacteremia were reviewed. Of these, 101 reported intravenous opioid use at admission. Average age was 37 years, and 64% were male. HIV and HCV were present in 13% and 82% of patients, respectively. Addiction medicine was consulted on 29 patients. Of these, 4/29 (13.8%) left AMA, compared to 27/72 (37.5%) of patients without an addiction consult (RR = 0.3678 [95% CI = 0.1412 - 0.9583], p = 0.02). Patients receiving addiction medicine consultation averaged 0.17 readmissions within 30 days of their index admission, compared to 0.39 readmissions in the group without addiction medicine consult (p = 0.27). Readmissions at 90 days and 1 year were also lower but not statistically significant. At 1 year, 6 deaths were observed; 2 who had addiction medicine consultation and 4 who did not. Conclusion Consultation with an addiction medicine specialist significantly reduced the number of patients discharged AMA in a high-risk cohort of PWID presenting with SA bacteremia. Numerically fewer readmissions occurred after consultation, though this difference was not statistically significant. Mortality in both groups was low. There were high rates of HIV and HCV in this patient population, suggesting a particularly vulnerable patient population, which warrants further study. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures

Healthcare seeking and hospital admissions by people who inject drugs in response to symptoms of injection site infections or injuries in three urban areas of England

2014 ◽  
Vol 143 (1) ◽  
pp. 120-131 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. D. HOPE ◽  
F. NCUBE ◽  
J. V. PARRY ◽  
M. HICKMAN
Keyword(s):  
Hospital Admission ◽  
Injection Site ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
People Who Inject Drugs ◽  
Hospital Admissions ◽  
Medical Advice ◽  
Respondent Driven Sampling ◽  
Open Wound ◽  
Factors Associated ◽  
Healthcare Burden

SUMMARYPeople who inject drugs (PWID) are vulnerable to infections and injuries at injection sites. The factors associated with reporting symptoms of these, seeking related advice, and hospital admission are examined. PWID were recruited in Birmingham, Bristol and Leeds using respondent-driven sampling (N = 855). During the preceding year, 48% reported having redness, swelling and tenderness (RST), 19% an abscess, and 10% an open wound at an injection site. Overall, 54% reported ⩾1 symptoms, with 45% of these seeking medical advice (main sources emergency departments and General Practitioners). Advice was often sought ⩾5 days after the symptom first appeared (44% of those seeking advice about an abscess, 45% about an open wound, and 35% for RST); the majority received antibiotics. Overall, 9·5% reported hospital admission during the preceding year. Ever being diagnosed with septicaemia and endocarditis were reported by 8·8% and 2·9%, respectively. Interventions are needed to reduce morbidity, healthcare burden and delays in accessing treatment.

Are prescription misuse and illicit drug use etiologically distinct? A genetically-informed analysis of opioids and stimulants

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Genevieve F. Dash ◽  
Nicholas G. Martin ◽  
Arpana Agrawal ◽  
Michael T. Lynskey ◽  
Wendy S. Slutske
Keyword(s):  
Illicit Drugs ◽  
Environmental Influences ◽  
Genetic Influence ◽  
Prescription Opioid ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Shared Environment ◽  
Opioid Use ◽  
Stimulant Use ◽  
Prescription Opioid Misuse ◽  
Illicit Opioid Use

Abstract Background Drug classes are grouped based on their chemical and pharmacological properties, but prescription and illicit drugs differ in other important ways. Potential differences in genetic and environmental influences on the (mis)use of prescription and illicit drugs that are subsumed under the same class should be examined. Opioid and stimulant classes contain prescription and illicit forms differentially associated with salient risk factors (common route of administration, legality), making them useful comparators for addressing this etiological issue. Methods A total of 2410 individual Australian twins [Mage = 31.77 (s.d. = 2.48); 67% women] were interviewed about prescription misuse and illicit use of opioids and stimulants. Univariate and bivariate biometric models partitioned variances and covariances into additive genetic, shared environmental, and unique environmental influences across drug types. Results Variation in the propensity to misuse prescription opioids was attributable to genes (41%) and unique environment (59%). Illicit opioid use was attributable to shared (71%) and unique (29%) environment. Prescription stimulant misuse was attributable to genes (79%) and unique environment (21%). Illicit stimulant use was attributable to genes (48%), shared environment (29%), and unique environment (23%). There was evidence for genetic influence common to both stimulant types, but limited evidence for genetic influence common to both opioid types. Bivariate correlations suggested that prescription opioid use may be more genetically similar to prescription stimulant use than to illicit opioid use. Conclusions Prescription opioid misuse may share little genetic influence with illicit opioid use. Future research may consider avoiding unitary drug classifications, particularly when examining genetic influences.

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