scholarly journals Associations Between Polysubstance Use Patterns and Receipt of Medications for Opioid Use Disorder Among Adults in Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder

2020 ◽  
Vol Publish Ahead of Print ◽  
Author(s):  
Becky R. Ford ◽  
Gavin Bart ◽  
Brian Grahan ◽  
Riley D. Shearer ◽  
Tyler N.A. Winkelman
Author(s):  
James J Kuhlman ◽  
Chad Harris ◽  
Trista Wright

Abstract Buprenorphine, a semisynthetic mixed agonist/antagonist opioid used primarily for the treatment of opioid use disorder, was reported in 194 driving under the influence of drugs (DUID) cases in Southwestern Virginia during the period from 2017 through 2019. Identifying and confirming buprenorphine in DUID cases is common in this region. Interpretation is complex due to the large range of concentrations of buprenorphine found in blood and frequent combinations with other therapeutic and abused drugs. Buprenorphine was identified by immunoassay and quantified by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. A sensitive method was necessary as one-third of concentrations of buprenorphine and/or norbuprenorphine were <1.0 µg/L. Concentrations of buprenorphine ranged from <0.5 to 11 µg/L (mean 2.5 µg/L, median 1.8 µg/L) and concentrations of norbuprenorphine ranged from <0.5 to >20 µg/L (mean 3.3 µg/L, median 2.2 µg/L). Buprenorphine polysubstance use was common. Only 10% of the cases examined did not contain other drugs confirmed in routine DUID screening tests. The most common drug groups confirmed were benzodiazepines, amphetamines and cannabinoids. The DUID case histories presented represent examples of buprenorphine abuse, buprenorphine with no other drug groups, buprenorphine combined with other drug groups, cases consistent with impairment and cases with minimal impairment. Central nervous system depressant and narcotic analgesic symptoms were commonly observed; however, some cases contained stimulant symptoms. Buprenorphine-to-norbuprenorphine (B/NB) ratios had a mean and median ratio of 1.1 and 0.8, respectively. B/NB ratios >3.0 were found in 4.7% of the cases. The finding of a higher B/NB ratio may indicate a more recent buprenorphine administration and a greater potential for impairment. No relationship between the concentration of buprenorphine and/or norbuprenorphine in blood and the performance on drug recognition expert evaluation or standardized field sobriety tests could be determined.


BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. e040349
Author(s):  
Nitika Sanger ◽  
Alessia D'Elia ◽  
Stephanie Sanger ◽  
Tea Rosic ◽  
M Constantine Samaan ◽  
...  

IntroductionVaping behaviour has increased in popularity and is particularly important to examine how it effects health outcomes in vulnerable populations, including those with opioid use disorder (OUD). With polysubstance use including cigarette and cannabis use being highly prevalent in the OUD population and cannabis/nicotine increasingly being consumed by vaping, vaping may have an important contribution to health outcomes in these individuals. The primary objective of this review is to systematically assess the literature related to patients with OUD and the effects vaping has shown on their physical and mental health.Method and analysisA systematic search of databases including MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, Web of Science, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Cochrane Library, Cochrane Clinical Trials Registry, the National Institutes for Health Clinical Trials Registry and the WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform from inception to 31 December 2020 will be conducted. Identified citations will be screened by two reviewers to determine eligibility at the title and abstract level, and then at the full text and data extraction phases. Any disagreements in inclusion will be resolved through unblinded discussion by these reviewers, with any remaining disagreements being resolved by a third reviewer. Data collection from eligible studies will be conducted according to the data extraction form tested prior to abstraction. Included studies will be examined for quality and bias and will be meta-analysed where applicable. This protocol is reported in keeping with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols guidelines.Ethics and disseminationThe results for this review will be disseminated through publications in peer-reviewed journals, posters and presentations at scientific conferences. Additionally, we are collaborating with the Canadian Addiction Treatment Centre clinics to help disseminate the findings for this review. As this is a systematic review, no ethics approval is needed.Review registration numberCRD42020178441.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew Edsall ◽  
Kim A. Hoffman ◽  
Dinh Thanh Thuy ◽  
Pham Phuong Mai ◽  
Nguyen Thu Hang ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Heroin use continues to drive HIV transmission in Vietnam, but methamphetamine and alcohol use are growing rapidly and, as in other countries, polysubstance use is widespread. The objective of this study was to understand the interplay between heroin, methamphetamine, and alcohol use among people with opioid use disorder (OUD) and HIV in Vietnam. Methods We conducted 44 in-depth, face-to-face qualitative interviews with people with OUD and HIV who participated in the BRAVO trial of buprenorphine versus methadone in five Vietnam HIV clinics. Interviews probed participants’ experiences of heroin, methamphetamine, and alcohol use and their interplay with HIV/OUD treatment. Interviews were professionally transcribed and analyzed using a thematic analysis approach. Results Of 44 participants interviewed 42 were male, on average 38.8 years of age, with 30 reporting a history of methamphetamine use and 33 reporting a history of alcohol use. Several themes emerged: 1) Methamphetamine and alcohol were perceived to have lower addiction potential than heroin 2) Social settings were key facilitators of alcohol and methamphetamine use 3) Some participants, but not all, used methamphetamine to help quit heroin 4) Consuming alcohol blunted the effects of heroin, while paradoxically serving as a catalyst for heroin use 5) Use of methamphetamine was perceived by many participants to be incompatible with treatment for HIV. Conclusions Participant experiences reflected a significant impact of polysubstance use on treatment of HIV and OUD. Patterns of polysubstance use are subject to common preconceptions of alcohol and methamphetamine as having a low addictive potential, and these substances are deeply enmeshed in the social life of many people with OUD in Vietnam. Interventions to address complex social norms and potential harms of polysubstance use are urgently needed as the population of people receiving medication for OUD (MOUD) increases in Vietnam and globally. Trial registration BRAVO - NCT01936857, September 2013.


Author(s):  
Tea Rosic ◽  
Nitika Sanger ◽  
Balpreet Panesar ◽  
Gary Foster ◽  
David C. Marsh ◽  
...  

Abstract Background As the legalization of recreational cannabis becomes more widespread, its impact on individuals with substance use disorders must be studied. Amidst an ongoing opioid crisis, Canada’s legalization of recreational cannabis in October 2018 provides an important setting for investigation. We examined changes to cannabis use patterns in patients receiving medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid use disorder (OUD) following legalization. Methods This study includes cross-sectional data from 602 participants recruited 6 months pre-legalization and 788 participants recruited 6 months post-legalization, providing information on cannabis use. Regression analysis was used to estimate the association between legalization and cannabis use patterns. We collected longitudinal urine drug screens (UDSs) detecting cannabis-metabolites for 199 participants recruited pre-legalization and followed prospectively post-legalization. Conditional logistic regression was used to assess the association between legalization and UDS results. Results Past-month cannabis use was self-reported by 54.8 and 52.3% of participants recruited pre- and post-legalization, respectively. Legalization was not associated with changes in any measured cannabis characteristics: cannabis use (OR 0.91, 95% CI 0.73–1.13), days of use/month (B -0.42, 95% CI - 2.05-1.21), money spent, or cannabis source. There was no association between legalization and prevalence of cannabis use on UDS (OR 1.67, 95% CI 0.93–2.99) or percentage of cannabis-positive UDSs (OR 1.00, 95% CI 0.99–1.01). Participants overwhelmingly reported that legalization would have no impact on their cannabis use (85.7%). Conclusions Amongst patients treated for OUD, no significant change in cannabis use was observed following legalization; however, high rates of cannabis use are noted.


2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Madeline C. Frost ◽  
Hannah Lampert ◽  
Judith I. Tsui ◽  
Matthew D. Iles-Shih ◽  
Emily C. Williams

Abstract Background Methamphetamine/amphetamine use has sharply increased among people with opioid use disorder (OUD). It is therefore important to understand whether and how use of these substances may impact receipt of, and outcomes associated with, medications for OUD (MOUD). This systematic review identified studies that examined associations between methamphetamine/amphetamine use or use disorder and 3 classes of outcomes: (1) receipt of MOUD, (2) retention in MOUD, and (3) opioid abstinence during MOUD. Methods We searched 3 databases (PubMed/MEDLINE, PsycINFO, CINAHL Complete) from 1/1/2000 to 7/28/2020 using key words and subject headings, and hand-searched reference lists of included articles. English-language studies of people with documented OUD/opioid use that reported a quantitative association between methamphetamine/amphetamine use or use disorder and an outcome of interest were included. Study data were extracted using a standardized template, and risk of bias was assessed for each study. Screening, inclusion, data extraction and bias assessment were conducted independently by 2 authors. Study characteristics and findings were summarized for each class of outcomes. Results Thirty-nine studies met inclusion criteria. Studies generally found that methamphetamine/amphetamine use or use disorder was negatively associated with receiving methadone and buprenorphine; 2 studies suggested positive associations with receiving naltrexone. Studies generally found negative associations with retention; most studies finding no association had small samples, and these studies tended to examine shorter retention timeframes and describe provision of adjunctive services to address substance use. Studies generally found negative associations with opioid abstinence during treatment among patients receiving methadone or sustained-release naltrexone implants, though observed associations may have been confounded by other polysubstance use. Most studies examining opioid abstinence during other types of MOUD treatment had small samples. Conclusions Overall, existing research suggests people who use methamphetamine/amphetamines may have lower receipt of MOUD, retention in MOUD, and opioid abstinence during MOUD. Future research should examine how specific policies and treatment models impact MOUD outcomes for these patients, and seek to understand the perspectives of MOUD providers and people who use both opioids and methamphetamine/amphetamines. Efforts to improve MOUD care and overdose prevention strategies are needed for this population.


2020 ◽  
Vol 110 (2) ◽  
pp. 244-250 ◽  
Author(s):  
Theodore J. Cicero ◽  
Matthew S. Ellis ◽  
Zachary A. Kasper

Objectives. To understand important changes in co-occurring opioid and nonopioid drug use (i.e., polysubstance use) within the opioid epidemic in the United States. Methods. We analyzed survey data on the past month co-use of prescription and illicit opioids and 12 nonopioid psychoactive drug classes from a national sample of 15 741 persons entering treatment of opioid use disorder. Results. Past-month illicit opioid use increased from 44.8% in 2011 to 70.1% in 2018, while the use of prescription opioids alone dropped from 55.2% to 29.9%, yet overall remained high (94.5% to 85.2%). Past-month use of at least 1 nonopioid drug occurred in nearly all participants (> 90%), with significant increases in methamphetamine (+85%) and decreases across nonopioid prescription drug classes (range: −40% to –68%). Conclusions. Viewing opioid trends in a “silo” ignores the fact not only that polysubstance use is ubiquitous among those with opioid use disorder but also that significant changes in polysubstance use should be monitored alongside opioid trends. Public Health Implications. Treatment, prevention, and policymaking must address not only the supply and demand of a singular drug class but also the global nature of substance use overall.


2021 ◽  
pp. 019394592110319
Author(s):  
Sophia Liu ◽  
Christian Nwabueze ◽  
Yue Pan ◽  
Suzy Mascaro Walter ◽  
Brenda Su ◽  
...  

This study examined the associations of polysubstance use, mood disorders, and chronic conditions with the history of anxiety disorder among patients with opioid use disorder (OUD). We performed a secondary analysis of the baseline data from a clinical trial including 1,645 individuals with OUD, of which 513 had anxiety disorder. Substance use disorders (SUDs) included alcohol, amphetamines, cannabis, cocaine, and sedative use disorders. Mood disorders included major depressive disorder (MDD) and bipolar disorder (BD). Chronic conditions were allergies, gastrointestinal problem(s), skin problem(s), and hypertension. Sedative use disorder, MDD, BD, skin problems, and hypertension were significantly associated with anxiety disorder ( p < 0.05). Additionally, more than two SUDs, two mood disorders, and more than two chronic conditions were significantly associated with anxiety disorder ( p < 0.05). These findings highlight the comorbid mental health and physical health problems in individuals with OUD, as well as the need for integrated multidisciplinary treatment plans.


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