Addiction Medicine Consultations Reduce Readmission Rates for Patients With Serious Infections From Opioid Use Disorder

Clin Infect Dis. 2019 May 17;68(11):1935-1937. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciy924.

Abstract

The opioid epidemic has increased hospital admissions for serious infections related to opioid abuse. Our findings demonstrate that addiction medicine consultation is associated with increased treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD), greater likelihood of completing antimicrobial therapy, and reduced readmission rates among patients with OUD and serious infections requiring hospitalization.

Keywords: addiction; bacterial infections; opioid use disorder; opioids; readmissions.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Addiction Medicine*
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use
  • Bacterial Infections / drug therapy
  • Bacterial Infections / etiology
  • Female
  • Hospitalization
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Opioid-Related Disorders / complications*
  • Opioid-Related Disorders / drug therapy
  • Opioid-Related Disorders / microbiology
  • Patient Readmission / statistics & numerical data*
  • Referral and Consultation / statistics & numerical data*
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Tertiary Care Centers
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents