An Integrated Hospital Protocol for Persons With Injection-Related Infections May Increase Medications for Opioid Use Disorder Use but Challenges Remain.

Background: Hospital-based strategies that link persons with infectious complications of opioid use disorder (OUD) to medications for OUD (MOUD) are of great interest. The objective of this study is to determine whether a hospital-based protocol would increase the use of MOUD and to identify barriers to MOUD during admission and at the time of discharge.

Methods: This study included participants with a documented or suspected history of injection drug usage receiving care for an infection at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital from 2015 to 2018.

In-Hospital Illicit Drug Use and Patient-Directed Discharge: Barriers to Care for Patients With Injection-Related Infections.

Background: Hospitalized persons who inject drugs are at a greater risk of adverse hospital outcomes including discharge against medical advice, inpatient illicit drug use, overdose, and death. However, there are limited data on the frequency and outcomes of these events in the United States.

Methods: This retrospective analysis included patients with injection-related infections receiving a protocol for injection drug use (IDU) at University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital from 2016 to 2017.

Opioid Detoxification in Pregnancy: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Perinatal Outcomes.

Objective: We sought to compare the efficacy and safety of detoxification from opioids compared with opioid replacement therapy (ORT) during pregnancy.

Study Design: We searched PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and ClinicalTrials.gov from inception to June 2017 for English-language randomized-controlled trials or cohort studies that compared detoxification with ORT.

A 9-Point Risk Assessment for Patients Who Inject Drugs and Require Intravenous Antibiotics: Focusing Inpatient Resources on Patients at Greatest Risk of Ongoing Drug Use.

A 9-point risk assessment identified persons with a history of injection drug use who were safe for discharge. "Low-risk" patients were discharged with outpatient antibiotics; others continued inpatient treatment. Use of the assessment reduced the mean length of stay by 20 days and total direct cost by 33%, creating capacity for an additional 333 patients.