The impact of opioid agonist treatment on hospitalisations for injecting-related diseases among an opioid dependent population: A retrospective data linkage study

Should I Stay or Should I Go? A Qualitative Exploration of Stigma and Other Factors Influencing Opioid Agonist Treatment Journeys

“…As a result of the associated reductions in injecting drug use, OAT is effective in lowering the transmission of bloodborne viruses, such as HIV and hepatitis C [ 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 ], and reducing the risk of overdose [ 10 ]. Retention in OAT is also associated with fewer hospital admissions for injecting-related infections [ 11 ]. However, these benefits may be undermined by poor treatment retention and relapse to illicit opioid use.…”

Brothers, Thomas; Lewer, Dan; Colledge-Frisby, Samantha; Jones, Nicola; Bonn, Matthew; Wheeler, Alice; Grebely, Jason; Farrell, Michael; Hayward, Andrew; Hickman, Matthew; Degenhardt, Louisa; (2022) Time periods of altered risk for severe injection drug use-associated skin and soft-tissue infections: protocol for a self-controlled case series in New South Wales, Australia, 2001-2018

“…Our primary outcome is hospital admission (unplanned, emergency) for skin and soft-tissue infection, defined using ICD-10 code groupings consistent with prior studies (See Table 1). 4,44 Prior research from our team has grouped together multiple types of injecting-related bacterial and fungal infections (including endocarditis, osteomyelitis, and septic arthritis) in addition to skin and soft-tissue infections, recognizing their shared pathophysiology. 4,44 These deeper infections are often caused by insufficiently treated skin and soft-tissue infections that progress and become more severe until they enter the bloodstream; so, there is likely a more a variable and longer duration between the timing of the initial infection and the timing of the hospitalization with deeper infections compared to skin and soft-tissue infections.…”

“…This will also us to further explore the recent findings of Colledge-Frisby and colleagues that infection risk may be increased immediately before OAT initiation. 4 Similarly, if risk of hospitalization for injecting-related infections appears elevated immediately following incarceration or initiation of OAT, this may reflect a process of recognizing and facilitating treatment of pre-existing infections in these settings.…”

“…Consistent with prior OATS Study analyses, a new OAT episode will be defined as one starting more than six days after the end of a previous treatment episode. 4,39,44,[54][55][56] The same definition will be used for defining the end of an OAT episode, interpreting the 6 days following the final day of the prescription exposed to OAT. This decision was originally based on consultation with clinicians and pharmacologists 56 and similar approaches (e.g., 3 to 6 days) have been used by other investigators outside the OATS Study.…”

“…are common health problems among people who inject drugs, associated with pain, disability, and death. The incidence of these infections is rising in the UK, 1,2 Australia, 3,4 , Canada, [5][6][7] and the USA. [8][9][10] Individual injecting practices (e.g.…”