Background Persons who inject drugs (PWID) are frequently admitted for serious injection related infections (SIRI). Outcomes and adherence to oral antibiotics for PWID with patient directed discharge (PDD) remain understudied. Methods We conducted a prospective multicenter bundled quality improvement project of PWID with SIRI at 3 hospitals in Missouri. All PWID with SIRI were offered multidisciplinary care while inpatient, including the option of addiction medicine consultation and medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD). All patients were offered oral antibiotics in the event of a PDD either at discharge, or immediately after discharge through an ID telemedicine clinic. Additional support services included health coaches, therapist, case manager, free clinic follow up, and medications in an outpatient bridge program. Patient demographics, comorbidities, 90-day readmissions, and substance use disorder clinic follow up were compared between PWID with PDD on oral antibiotics and those that completed IV antibiotics, using an as treated approach. Results Of 166 PWID with SIRI, 61 completed IV antibiotics inpatient (37%) while 105 had a PDD on oral antibiotics (63%). There was no significant difference in 90-day readmission rates between groups (p=0.819). For PWID with a PDD on oral antibiotics, 7.6% had documented non-adherence to antibiotics, 67% had documented adherence and 23% were lost to follow-up. Factors protective against readmission included antibiotic and MOUD adherence, engagement with support team, and clinic follow up. Conclusions PWID with SIRI who experience a PDD should be provided with oral antibiotics. Multidisciplinary outpatient support services are needed for PWID with PDD on oral antibiotics.

Background Staphylococcus aureus represents the leading cause of complicated bloodstream infections among persons who inject drugs (PWID). Standard of care (SOC) intravenous (IV) antibiotics result in high rates of treatment success, but are not feasible for some PWID. Transition to oral antibiotics may represent an alternative treatment option. Methods We evaluated all adult patients with a history of injection drug use hospitalized from 1/2016 through 12/2021 with complicated S. aureus bloodstream infections, including infective endocarditis, epidural abscess, vertebral osteomyelitis, and septic arthritis. Patients were compared by antibiotic treatment (SOC IV antibiotics, incomplete IV therapy, or transition from initial IV to partial oral) using the primary composite endpoint of death or readmission due to microbiologic failure within 90 days of discharge. Results Patients who received oral antibiotics after an incomplete IV antibiotic course were significantly less likely to experience microbiologic failure or death than patients discharged without oral antibiotics (p < 0.001). There was no significant difference in microbiologic failure rates when comparing patients who were discharged on partial oral antibiotics after receiving at least 10 days of IV antibiotics to SOC regimens (P > 0.9). Conclusion Discharge of PWID with partially treated complicated S. aureus bacteremias without oral antibiotics results in high rates of morbidity and should be avoided. For PWID hospitalized with complicated S. aureus bacteremias who have received at least 10 days of effective IV antibiotic therapy after clearance of bacteremia, transition to oral antibiotics with outpatient support represents a potential alternative if the patient does not desire SOC IV antibiotic therapy.

Background Persons who inject drugs (PWID) are at increased risk of invasive bacterial infections. Increasing data supports the efficacy of transition to oral antibiotic therapy to complete treatment of invasive bacterial infections including osteomyelitis and endocarditis. The aim of this study is to evaluate the impact of transition to oral antibiotics on a prospective observational cohort of PWID. Methods We prospectively analyzed PWID admitted 2/2020 - 2/2021 at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis with osteomyelitis, endocarditis, epidural abscesses or septic arthritis. All patients were offered multidisciplinary support during their inpatient hospitalization including addiction medicine consultation and medications for opioid use disorder, if appropriate. Health coaches and case managers met with patients during their hospitalization and followed patients for up to 90 days after discharge. Patients were offered the option of transition to oral antibiotics if they were not able to complete recommended IV antibiotics. Patients discharged on oral antibiotics were offered post-discharge infectious diseases follow-up. Antibiotic adherence was documented by health coaches through phone out-reach. We collected data on demographics, comorbidities, microbiologic data, antibiotic selection, mortality and readmission rates. We compared 90-day readmission rates between PWID who completed IV antibiotics inpatient and those who discharged early with oral antibiotics. Results Of 166 PWID, 61 completed IV antibiotics inpatient (37%) while 105 were discharged with oral antibiotics (63%). Causative pathogens were not significantly different between inpatient IV vs oral antibiotics; MSSA (34.4% vs 35.2%, p= 0.92), MRSA (34.4% vs. 28.6%, p=0.43), or streptococcal species (26.6% vs. 24.8%, p=0.85). Of patients discharged on oral antibiotics 7.6% had documented non-adherence to therapy, 23% had unknown adherence and 67% had documented adherence. There was no significant difference in all-cause 90-day readmission rates (p=0.819) (Figure 1). All-cause readmissions by antibiotic strategy Conclusion Oral antibiotic regimens provided similar efficacy to IV antibiotics in our prospective cohort analysis of PWID. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures