Escalation of Opioid Withdrawal Frequency and Subsequent AMA Rates in Hospitalized Patients From 2017 to 2020.

Objective: To measure trends for the emergence of opioid withdrawal (OW) and leaving against medical advice (AMA) among hospitalized patients.

Method: Retrospective time-series of hospitalized patients with OW, defined by a Clinical Opioid Withdrawal score >8, using electronic health record data at a tertiary health system and of patients with a discharge status of AMA from January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2020.

Results: The average number of monthly hospitalizations with OW showed a year-to-year increment of 15% in 2018, 21% in 2019, and 34% from 2019 to 2020, whereas the total monthly hospitalizations remained stable.

Alcohol Withdrawal Rates in Hospitalized Patients During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

This cohort study examines whether alcohol withdrawal rates among hospitalized patients with alcohol use disorder increased during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.