Trends in Any and High-Dose Opioid Analgesic Receipt Among Aging Patients With and Without HIV

An update on drug-drug interactions in older adults living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)

INTRODUCTION

People with HIV are living longer due to advances in antiretroviral therapy. With improved life expectancy comes an increased lifetime risk of comorbid conditions - such as cardiovascular disease and cancer - and polypharmacy. Older adults, particularly those living with HIV, are more vulnerable to drug interactions and adverse effects, resulting in negative health outcomes.

AREA COVERED

Antiretrovirals are involved in many potential drug interactions with medications used to treat common comorbidities and geriatric conditions in an aging population of people with HIV. We review the mechanisms and management of significant drug-drug interactions involving antiretroviral medications and non-antiretroviral medications commonly used among older people living with HIV. The management of these interactions may require dose adjustments, medication switches to alternatives, enhanced monitoring, and considerations of patient- and disease-specific factors.

EXPERT OPINION

Clinicians managing comorbid conditions among older people with HIV must be particularly vigilant to side effect profiles, drug-drug interactions, pill burden, and cost when optimizing treatment. To support healthier aging among people living with HIV, there is a growing need for antiretroviral stewardship, multidisciplinary care models, and advances that promote insight into the correlations between an individual, their conditions, and their medications.

The single-cell opioid responses in the context of HIV (SCORCH) consortium

Substance use disorders (SUD) and drug addiction are major threats to public health, impacting not only the millions of individuals struggling with SUD, but also surrounding families and communities. One of the seminal challenges in treating and studying addiction in human populations is the high prevalence of co-morbid conditions, including an increased risk of contracting a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Of the ~15 million people who inject drugs globally, 17% are persons with HIV. Conversely, HIV is a risk factor for SUD because chronic pain syndromes, often encountered in persons with HIV, can lead to an increased use of opioid pain medications that in turn can increase the risk for opioid addiction. We hypothesize that SUD and HIV exert shared effects on brain cell types, including adaptations related to neuroplasticity, neurodegeneration, and neuroinflammation. Basic research is needed to refine our understanding of these affected cell types and adaptations. Studying the effects of SUD in the context of HIV at the single-cell level represents a compelling strategy to understand the reciprocal interactions among both conditions, made feasible by the availability of large, extensively-phenotyped human brain tissue collections that have been amassed by the Neuro-HIV research community. In addition, sophisticated animal models that have been developed for both conditions provide a means to precisely evaluate specific exposures and stages of disease. We propose that single-cell genomics is a uniquely powerful technology to characterize the effects of SUD and HIV in the brain, integrating data from human cohorts and animal models. We have formed the Single-Cell Opioid Responses in the Context of HIV (SCORCH) consortium to carry out this strategy.

Trajectories of Opioid Misuse and Opioid Use Disorder Among Adults With Chronic Pain and HIV: An Observational Study

OBJECTIVES

In a longitudinal cohort of patients with HIV and chronic pain, we sought to (1) identify trajectories of opioid misuse and opioid use disorder (OUD) symptoms, and to (2) determine whether prescription opioid dose was associated with symptom trajectories.

METHODS

We leveraged an existing 12-month longitudinal observational study, Project PIMENTO, of persons living with HIV and chronic pain who received care at a hospital system in the Bronx, New York. A quota sampling strategy was used to ensure variability of prescribed opioid use in the recruited sample. Research interviews occurred quarterly and assessed opioid behaviors and criteria for OUD. To describe symptom trajectories, we conducted 2 separate longitudinal latent class analyses to group participants into (1) opioid misuse and (2) OUD trajectories. Finally, we used multinomial logistic regression models to examine the relationship between baseline prescription opioid dose and symptom trajectories.

RESULTS

Of 148 total participants, at baseline 63 (42.6%) had an active opioid prescription, 69 (46.6%) met the criteria for current opioid misuse, and 44 (29.7%) met the criteria for current OUD. We found 3 opioid misuse and 3 OUD symptom trajectories, none of which showed worsened symptoms over time. In addition, we found that higher prescription opioid dose at baseline was associated with a greater OUD symptom trajectory.

CONCLUSIONS

Opioid misuse and OUD were common but stable or decreasing over time. Although these results are reassuring, our findings also support prior studies that high-dose opioid therapy is associated with greater OUD symptoms.

Strategies Used to Manage Chronic Pain in HIV-Disease: Comparing Persons Prescribed Opioids Versus Persons not Receiving Opioids

Chronic pain is common in people living with HIV (PLWH), causes substantial disability and is associated with limitations in daily activities. Opioids are commonly prescribed for pain treatment among PLWH, but evidence of sustained efficacy is mixed. There is little information available on how PLWH who have chronic pain use multimodal strategies in pain management. The current cross-sectional study examined background characteristics, self-reported pain, and the use of other pain treatments among 187 PLWH with chronic pain and depressive symptoms who were and were not prescribed opioids. Approximately 20.9% of participants reported using prescription opioids at the time of the study interview. These individuals were significantly more likely to report having engaged in physical therapy or stretching, strengthening or aerobic exercises in the previous 3 months, recent benzodiazepine use, and receiving disability payments. There were no significant differences in pain characteristics (pain-related interference, average pain severity, and worst pain severity) between the two groups. Those not prescribed opioids were more likely to report better concurrent physical functioning and general health, and fewer physical role limitations, but higher depression symptom severity. Our findings suggest that many PLWH with chronic pain and depressive symptoms express high levels of pain with deficits in physical function or quality of life despite their use of opioids. The high rate of co-use of opioids and benzodiazepines (30.8%) is a concern because it may increase risk of overdose. An integrated care approach that includes a variety of effective non-pharmacologic treatment strategies such as physical therapy may be beneficial in reducing the reliance on opioids for pain management.

Long-term opioid therapy trajectories and overdose in patients with and without cancer

Objective

Pain is experienced by most patients with cancer and opioids are a cornerstone of management. Our objectives were (1) to identify patterns or trajectories of long-term opioid therapy (LTOT) and their correlates among patients with and without cancer and (2) to assess the association between trajectories and risk for opioid overdose, considering the potential moderating role of cancer.

Methods and Analysis

We conducted a retrospective cohort study among individuals in the US Veterans Health Administration (VHA) database with incident LTOT with and without cancer (N=44,351; N=285,772, respectively) between 2010-2017. We investigated the relationship between LTOT trajectory and all International Classification of Diseases-9 and 10-defined accidental and intentional opioid-related overdoses.

Results

Trajectories of opioid receipt observed in patients without cancer and replicated in patients with cancer were: low-dose/stable trend, low-dose/de-escalating trend, moderate-dose/stable trend, moderate-dose/escalating with quadratic downturn trend, and high-dose/escalating with quadratic downturn trend. Time to first overdose was significantly predicted by higher-dose and escalating trajectories; the two low-dose trajectories conferred similar, lower risk. Conditional hazard ratios (99% CI) for the moderate-dose, moderate-dose/escalating with quadratic downturn and high-dose/escalating with quadratic downturn trends were 1·84 (1·18, 2·85), 2·56 (1·54, 4·25), and 2·41 (1·37, 4·26), respectively. Effects of trajectories on time to overdose did not differ by presence of cancer; inferences were replicated when restricting to patients with stage 3/4 cancer.

Conclusion

Patients with cancer face opioid overdose risks like patients without cancer. Future studies should seek to expand and address our knowledge about opioid risk in cancer patients.

Trial registration

None.

Past-year medical and non-medical opioid use by HIV status in a nationally representative US sample: Implications for HIV and substance use service integration

AIM

In the context of the continued overdose epidemic, recent population estimates of opioid use in highly affected groups, such as people at risk for or people living with HIV (PLWH), are essential for service planning and provision. Although nonmedical opioid use is associated with HIV transmission and with lowered adherence and care engagement, most studies rely on clinic-based samples and focus on medical use of opioids only. We examine associations between opioid-related outcomes by HIV status in a community-based nationally representative sample.

METHODS

The 2015-2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health included 213,203 individuals aged 18 and older. Respondents self-reported whether a health care professional ever told them they had HIV/AIDS (i.e., HIV-positive/PLWH, HIV-negative, HIV-unknown). Opioid-related outcomes included past-year medical opioid use and past-year nonmedical (i.e., prescription opioid and heroin) use. Multinomial logistic regression estimated adjusted relative risk ratios between past-year opioid-related outcomes and HIV status, controlling for age, gender, race/ethnicity, income, population density, and year.

RESULTS

In 2015-2019, 0.2 % of respondents were PLWH and 0.3 % self-reported an HIV-unknown status. Past-year medical opioid use was 37.3 % among PLWH, 30.4 % among HIV-negative and 21.9 % among HIV-unknown individuals. Past-year nonmedical use was 11.1 % among PLWH, 4.2 % among HIV-negative and 7.2 % among HIV-unknown individuals. Compared to HIV-negative individuals, PLWH had 3.21 times higher risk of past-year nonmedical use vs. no use (95 % CI:2.02-5.08) and 2.02 times higher risk of past-year nonmedical vs. medical opioid use only (95 % CI:1.24-2.65).

CONCLUSION

Nonmedical opioid use prevalence was almost three times higher among PLWH than HIV-negative individuals. Because opioid use and its related harms disproportionately burden PLWH, integrating HIV and substance use prevention and treatment services may improve both HIV-related and opioid-related outcomes, including overdose.

Persistent sensory changes and sex differences in transgenic mice conditionally expressing HIV-1 Tat regulatory protein

HIV-associated sensory neuropathies (HIV-SN) are prevalent in >50% of patients aged over 45 years many of which report moderate to severe chronic pain. Previous preclinical studies have investigated the mechanisms by which HIV-1 causes sensory neuropathies and pain-like behaviors. The aim of the present study is to delineate the role of chronic HIV-1 trans-activator of transcription protein (Tat) exposure in the development of neuropathy in mice. The temporal effects of conditional Tat expression on the development of hypersensitivity to mechanical (von Frey filaments) and thermal (heat or cold) stimuli were tested in male and female mice that transgenically expressed HIV-1 Tat in a doxycycline-inducible manner. Inducing Tat expression produced an allodynic response to mechanical or cold (but not heat) stimuli that respectively persisted for at least 23-weeks (mechanical hypersensitivity) or at least 8-weeks (cold hypersensitivity). Both allodynic states were greater in magnitude among females, compared to males, and mechanical increased hypersensitivity progressively in females over time. Acute morphine or gabapentin treatment partly attenuated allodynia in males, but not females. Irrespective of sex, Tat reduced intraepidermal nerve fiber density, the mean amplitude of sensory nerve action potentials (but not conductance), engagement in some pain-related ethological behaviors (cage-hanging and rearing), and down-regulated PPAR-α gene expression in lumbar spinal cord while upregulating TNF-α expression in dorsal root ganglion. Taken together, these data reveal fundamental sex differences in mechanical and cold hypersensitivity in response to Tat and demonstrate the intractable nature in female mice to current therapeutics. Understanding the role of Tat in these pathologies may aid the design of future therapies aimed at mitigating the peripheral sensory neuropathies that accompany neuroHIV.

Functional Impairment and Cognitive Symptoms Among People with HIV Infection on Chronic Opioid Therapy for Pain: The Impact of Gabapentin and Other Sedating Medications

Gabapentin is associated with dizziness, falls, and somnolence yet commonly prescribed to people with HIV (PWH) treated with chronic opioid therapy (COT). Physical function and cognition are understudied when prescribed together. Among PWH on COT, we evaluated whether co-prescribed gabapentin is associated with (a) functional impairment; (b) trouble thinking clearly; and (c) difficulty controlling drowsiness using logistic regression models adjusted for prescribed opioid dose, other (non-gabapentin) sedating medication, substance use disorder, and mental/physical health indicators in a cross-sectional study. Among 166 participants, 40% were prescribed gabapentin, 41% reported functional impairment, 41% trouble thinking clearly, and 38% difficulty controlling drowsiness. Gabapentin co-prescribed with COT was significantly associated with trouble thinking clearly but not with functional impairment or difficulty controlling drowsiness. Clinicians should be cognizant of potential problems with thinking clearly when co-prescribing gabapentin and opioid medication.

Cannabis use, pain interference, and prescription opioid receipt among persons with HIV: a target trial emulation study

Concomitant with expanded legalization, cannabis is increasingly used to treat chronic pain among persons with HIV (PWH), despite equivocal benefit in research limited by small sample sizes and short duration of follow-up. To address these limitations, among a sample of PWH with pain interference enrolled in the Veterans Aging Cohort Study, we performed a target trial emulation study to compare the impact of four cannabis use strategies on pain interference. Among those receiving long-term opioid therapy (LTOT), we also explored impact of these strategies on ≥ 25% LTOT dose reduction. Among the analytic sample (N = 1284), the majority were men with a mean age of 50. Approximately 31% used cannabis and 12% received LTOT at baseline. Adjusting for demographic and clinical factors, cannabis use in any of 4 longitudinal patterns was not associated with resolved pain interference over 12- to 24-month follow-up. Among 153 participants receiving LTOT at baseline, cannabis use at both baseline and follow-up was negatively associated with LTOT dose reduction compared to no use at both baseline and follow-up. These findings support other observational studies finding no association between cannabis use and improved chronic pain or LTOT reduction among PWH.

Longitudinal analysis of the prevalence and correlates of heavy episodic drinking and self-reported opioid use among a national cohort of patients with HIV

BACKGROUND

Heavy episodic drinking (HED) is a risk factor for opioid-related overdose and negatively impacts HIV disease progression. Among a national cohort of patients with HIV (PWH), we examined sociodemographic and clinical correlates of concomitant HED and self-reported opioid use.

METHODS

We used data collected from 2002 through 2018 from the Veterans Aging Cohort Study, a prospective cohort including PWH in care at eight US Veterans Health Administration sites. HED was defined as consuming six or more drinks at least once in the year prior to survey collection. We examined the relationship between HED and self-reported opioid use and created a 4-level composite variable of HED and opioid use. We used multinomial logistic regression to estimate odds of reporting concomitant HED and self-reported opioid use.

RESULTS

Among 3702 PWH, 1458 (39.4%) reported HED during the study period and 350 (9.5%) reported opioid use. In the multinomial model, compared to reporting neither HED nor opioid use, lifetime housing instability (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.54, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01 to 2.35), Veterans Aging Cohort Study Index 2.0 (a measure of disease severity; aOR 1.14, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.28), depressive symptoms (aOR 2.27, 95% CI 1.42 to 3.62), past-year cigarette smoking (aOR 3.06, 95% CI 1.53 to 6.14), cannabis use (aOR 1.69, 95% CI 1.09 to 2.62), and cocaine/stimulant use (aOR 11.54, 95% CI 7.40 to 17.99) were independently associated with greater odds of concomitant HED and self-reported opioid use. Compared to having attended no college, having some college or more (aOR 0.39, 95% CI 0.26 to 0.59) was associated with lower odds of concomitant HED and self-reported opioid use.

CONCLUSIONS

Among PWH, concomitant HED and self-reported opioid use are more common among individuals with depressive symptoms and substance use, structural vulnerabilities, and greater illness severity. Efforts to minimize opioid-related risk should address high-risk drinking as a modifiable risk factor for harm among these groups.

Escalated (Dependent) Oxycodone Self-Administration Is Associated with Cognitive Impairment and Transcriptional Evidence of Neurodegeneration in Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Transgenic Rats

Substance use disorder is associated with accelerated disease progression in people with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV; PWH). Problem opioid use, including high-dose opioid therapy, prescription drug misuse, and opioid abuse, is high and increasing in the PWH population. Oxycodone is a broadly prescribed opioid in both the general population and PWH. Here, we allowed HIV transgenic (Tg) rats and wildtype (WT) littermates to intravenously self-administer oxycodone under short-access (ShA) conditions, which led to moderate, stable, "recreational"-like levels of drug intake, or under long-access (LgA) conditions, which led to escalated (dependent) drug intake. HIV Tg rats with histories of oxycodone self-administration under LgA conditions exhibited significant impairment in memory performance in the novel object recognition (NOR) paradigm. RNA-sequencing expression profiling of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) in HIV Tg rats that self-administered oxycodone under ShA conditions exhibited greater transcriptional evidence of inflammation than WT rats that self-administered oxycodone under the same conditions. HIV Tg rats that self-administered oxycodone under LgA conditions exhibited transcriptional evidence of an increase in neuronal injury and neurodegeneration compared with WT rats under the same conditions. Gene expression analysis indicated that glucocorticoid-dependent adaptations contributed to the gene expression effects of oxycodone self-administration. Overall, the present results indicate that a history of opioid intake promotes neuroinflammation and glucocorticoid dysregulation, and excessive opioid intake is associated with neurotoxicity and cognitive impairment in HIV Tg rats.

Polypharmacy and frailty among persons with HIV

Polypharmacy is associated with frailty in the general population, but little is known about polypharmacy among persons living with HIV (PLWH) on antiretroviral (ARV) therapy. We determined the association between polypharmacy and an adapted frailty-related phenotype (aFRP) via a cross-sectional study in FY 2009 of 1762 PLWH on ARV with suppressed viral load and 2679 uninfected participants in the Veterans Aging Cohort Study. The primary predictor was number of chronic outpatient non-ARV medications using pharmacy fill/refill data. The outcome was self-report of four aFRP domains: shrinking, exhaustion, slowness, low physical activity. Frailty was defined as reporting 3-4 domains while pre-frailty was 1-2. Frailty was uncommon (2% PLWH, 3% uninfected); a larger proportion demonstrated any aFRP domain (31% PLWH, 41% uninfected). Among PLWH and uninfected, median chronic non-ARV medications was 6 and 16 respectively if having any aFRP domain, and 4 and 10 when without aFRP domains. In adjusted analyses, each additional chronic non-ARV medication conferred an 11% increased odds of having any aFRP domain in PLWH (OR [95% CI] = 1.11 [1.08, 1.14]), and a 4% increase in those uninfected (OR [95% CI] = 1.04 [1.03, 1.04]). The stronger association between polypharmacy and frailty in PLWH warrants further study and potential deprescribing of medications.

Predictors of chronic opioid therapy in Medicaid beneficiaries with HIV who initiated antiretroviral therapy

The factors associated with chronic opioid therapy (COT) in patients with HIV is understudied. Using Medicaid data (2002–2009), this retrospective cohort study examines COT in beneficiaries with HIV who initiated standard combination anti-retroviral therapy (cART). We used generalized estimating equations on logistic regression models with backward selection to identify significant predictors of COT initiation. COT was initiated among 1014 out of 9615 beneficiaries with HIV (male: 10.4%; female: 10.7%). Those with older age, any malignancy, Hepatitis C infection, back pain, arthritis, neuropathy pain, substance use disorder, polypharmacy, (use of) benzodiazepines, gabapentinoids, antidepressants, and prior opioid therapies were positively associated with COT. In sex-stratified analyses, multiple predictors were shared between male and female beneficiaries; however, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, liver disease, any malignancy, and antipsychotic therapy were unique to female beneficiaries. Comorbidities and polypharmacy were important predictors of COT in Medicaid beneficiaries with HIV who initiated cART.

Sociodemographic and clinical correlates of gabapentin receipt with and without opioids among a national cohort of patients with HIV

Gabapentin is commonly prescribed for chronic pain, including to patients with HIV (PWH). There is growing concern regarding gabapentin's potential for harm, particularly in combination with opioids. Among PWH, we examined factors associated with higher doses of gabapentin receipt and determined if receipt varied by opioid use. We examined data from the Veterans Aging Cohort Study, a national prospective cohort including PWH, from 2002 through 2017. Covariates included prescribed opioid dose, self-reported past year opioid use, and other sociodemographic and clinical variables. We used multinomial logistic regression to determine independent predictors of gabapentin receipt. Among 3,702 PWH, 902 (24%) received any gabapentin during the study period at a mean daily dose of 1,469 mg. In the multinomial model, high-dose gabapentin receipt was associated with high-dose benzodiazepine receipt (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 95% confidence interval [CI]= 1.53, [1.03-2.27]), pain interference (1.65 [1.39-1.95]), and hand or foot pain (1.81, [1.45-2.26]). High-dose gabapentin receipt was associated with prescribed high-dose opioids receipt (2.66 [1.95-3.62]) but not self-reported opioid use (1.03 [0.89-1.21]). PWH prescribed gabapentin at higher doses are more likely to receive high-dose opioids and high-dose benzodiazepines, raising safety concerns.

Predictors of pain-related functional impairment among people living with HIV on long-term opioid therapy

People living with HIV (PLWH) have high levels of functional impairment due to pain, also called pain interference. Long-term opioid therapy (LTOT) is commonly prescribed for chronic pain among PLWH. We sought to better understand the predictors of pain interference, measured with the Brief Pain Inventory Interference subscale (BPI-I), among PLWH with chronic pain on LTOT. Using a prospective cohort of PLWH on LTOT we developed a model to identify predictors of increased pain interference over 1 year of follow up. Participants (n = 166) were 34% female, 72% African American with a median age of 55 years, and 40% had severe pain interference (BPI-I ≥ 7). In multivariable models, substance use disorder, depressive symptoms, PTSD symptoms, financial instability, and higher opioid doses were associated with increased pain interference. Measures of behavioral health and socioeconomic status had the most consistent association with pain interference. In contrast, the biomedical aspects of chronic pain and LTOT - comorbidities, duration of pain - were not predictive of pain interference. PLWH with chronic pain on LTOT with lower socioeconomic status and behavioral health symptoms have higher risk of pain interference. Addressing the social determinants of health and providing access to behavioral health services could improve patients' pain-related functional status.

Heroin use is associated with liver fibrosis in the Miami Adult Studies on HIV (MASH) cohort

BACKGROUND

People who use opioids and people living with HIV (PLWH) are at increased risk for liver-related morbidity and mortality. Although animal models suggest that chronic opioid use may cause liver damage, research in humans is limited. We aimed to determine whether opioid use, particularly heroin, was associated with liver fibrosis.

METHODS

Cross-sectional analysis of 679 participants (295 HIV/HCV uninfected, 218 HIV mono-infected, 87 HCV mono-infected, 79 HIV/HCV coinfected) from the Miami Adult Studies on HIV (MASH) cohort. Liver fibrosis was assessed via magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) on a 3 T Siemens MAGNETOM Prisma scanner.

RESULTS

A total of 120 (17.7 %) participants used opioids. Liver fibrosis was present in 99 (14.6 %) participants and advanced liver fibrosis in 31 (4.6 %). Heroin use (N = 46, 6.8 %) was associated with HCV-seropositivity, smoking, misuse of prescription opioids, and polysubstance use. The use of heroin, but not misuse of prescription opioids, was significantly associated with liver fibrosis (OR = 2.77, 95 % CI: 1.18-6.50) compared to heroin non-users, after adjustment for confounders including excessive alcohol consumption, polysubstance use and HIV and HCV infections. Both HIV and HCV infections were associated with liver fibrosis, whether virally suppressed/undetectable or viremic.

CONCLUSIONS

Heroin use was independently associated with increased risk for liver fibrosis irrespective of the use of other substances and HIV or HCV infections. Both HIV and HCV were associated with higher risk for liver fibrosis, even among those with suppressed or undetectable viral loads. The exact mechanisms for opioid-induced liver fibrosis remain to be fully elucidated.

All-cause mortality among males living with and without HIV initiating long-term opioid therapy, and its association with opioid dose, opioid interruption and other factors

BACKGROUND

While the relationship between long-term opioid therapy (LTOT) dose and overdose is well-established, LTOT's association with all-cause mortality is less understood, especially among people living with HIV (PLWH). There is also limited information regarding the association of LTOT cessation or interruption with mortality.

METHODS

Among PLWH and matched uninfected male veterans in care, we identified those who initiated LTOT. Using time-updated cox regression, we examined the association between all-cause mortality, unnatural death, and overdose, and opioid use categorized as 1-20 (reference group), 21-50, 51-90, and ≥ 91 mg morphine equivalent daily dose (MEDD).

RESULTS

There were 22,996 patients on LTOT, 6,578 (29 %) PLWH and 16,418 (71 %) uninfected. Among 5,222 (23 %) deaths, 12 % were unnatural deaths and 6 % overdoses. MEDD was associated with risk of all 3 outcomes; compared to patients on 1-20 mg MEDD, adjusted risk for all-cause mortality monotonically increased (Hazard Ratios (HR) [95 % CI] for 21-50 mg MEDD = 1.36 [1.21, 1.52], 51-90 mg MEDD = 2.06 [1.82, 2.35], and ≥ 91 mg MEDD = 3.03 [2.71, 3.39]). Similar results were seen in models stratified by HIV. LTOT interruption was also associated with all-cause, unnatural, and overdose mortality (HR [95 % CI] 2.30 [2.09, 2.53], 1.47 [1.13, 1.91] and 1.52 [1.04, 2.23], respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Among PLWH and uninfected patients on LTOT we observed a strong dose-response relationship with all 3 mortality outcomes. Opioid risk mitigation approaches should be expanded to address the potential effects of higher dose on all-cause mortality in addition to unnatural and overdose fatalities.

Are we missing opioid-related deaths among people with HIV?

BACKGROUND

Ascertainment of unnatural and overdose death may be unreliable among individuals with life-limiting conditions such as HIV infection. We sought to determine whether the relationship between opioid use and unnatural death differs among decedents with HIV (DWH) and those without.

METHODS

Decedents in the Veterans Aging Cohort Study (VACS) from 2002 to 14 were linked to the National Death Index cause of death file. Deaths were classified as unnatural, overdose (a subset of unnatural), or other. We defined opioid use as self-reported illicit use or receipt of prescribed opioids. Treating unnatural and overdose deaths as outcomes, we calculated odds ratios for opioid exposure by HIV status, with and without adjustment for disease severity using VACS Index.

RESULTS

Among 561 decedents without HIV (DWOH) and 884 DWH, 11 % and 8 % respectively were classified as unnatural deaths and 4 % and 2 % were classified as overdose deaths. Among DWOH, opioid use was associated with 2-fold greater odds of unnatural (OR 2.3; 95 % CI 1.3-4.0) and 4-fold greater odds of overdose death (OR 4.5; 95 % CI 1.5-13.7); in adjusted analyses, opioid use was associated with unnatural death (OR 2.6; 95 % CI 1.3-4.9) and with overdose (OR 4.2; 95 % CI 1.4-12.7). Opioid use was not associated with unnatural or overdose death among DWH.

CONCLUSION

Opioid use was strongly associated with unnatural and overdose death among DWOH but not among DWH suggesting potential differential misclassification. Caution should be used in interpreting prevalence, incidence and risk factors for unnatural and overdose cause of death among patients with life-limiting conditions such as HIV.

Association Between Diagnoses of Chronic Noncancer Pain, Substance Use Disorder, and HIV-Related Outcomes in People Living With HIV

BACKGROUND

Chronic pain is common in people living with HIV (PLWH). Few studies have evaluated the association between the diagnoses of chronic pain, substance use disorder (SUD), and HIV-related outcomes in clinical settings over a 10-year period.

METHODS

Using electronic medical records, the study described psychiatric diagnoses, pain medication, and HIV-related variables in PLWH and examined the factors associated with pain diagnosis and HIV-related outcomes.

RESULTS

Among 3528 PLWH, more than one-third exhibited a chronic pain diagnosis and more than one-third a psychiatric disorder. Chronic pain diagnosis has been associated with SUD and mood and anxiety disorders and occurred before SUD or psychiatric disorders about half of the time. Opioids have been commonly prescribed for pain management, more often than nonopioid analgesic, without any change in prescription pattern over the 10-year period. A dual diagnosis of pain and SUD has been associated with more psychiatric disorders and had a negative impact on the pain management by requesting more health care utilization and higher frequency of both opioid and nonopioid medication prescriptions. Chronic pain and SUD had a negative impact on ART adherence. SUD but not chronic pain has been associated with an unsuppressed HIV viral load.

CONCLUSIONS

In the current intertwining opioid prescription and opioid epidemic, opioids are still commonly prescribed in PLWH in HIV care. A diagnosis of chronic pain and/or SUD worsened the HIV-related outcomes, emphasizing the potential risk of the HIV epidemic. These findings called for a better coordinated care program in HIV clinics.

Food insecurity and substance use in people with HIV infection and substance use disorder

BACKGROUND

Food insecurity and substance use are common among people living with HIV (PLWH). Substance use may help people cope with hunger and thus be associated with food insecurity, but the association is uncertain. This study assessed whether, in PLWH and substance dependence, if there was an association between food insecurity and substance use.

Methods: We studied adults with HIV and current substance dependence or ever injection drug use interviewed at 12 and 24 months after enrollment in a prospective cohort study. The presence of food insecurity (insufficient food quantity or quality, or anxiety about its availability) was assessed using the Household Food Insecurity Assessment Scale questionnaire (HFIAS). Unhealthy alcohol use was assessed with the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test - Consumption (AUDIT-C) and past 30-day other drug use with the Addiction Severity Index. Associations using repeat cross-sectional data from each of two time-points, 12 months apart, from the same participants were tested using generalized estimating equations logistic regressions.

Results: The 233 participants had a mean age of 50 years and 65% were male. At the first interview, 44% reported food insecurity, 40% unhealthy alcohol use, 25% past 30-day cocaine use, and 17% past 30-day illicit opioid use. In analyses adjusted for demographics, social factors, physical and mental health function, and substance use related variables, there was no significant association between food insecurity and unhealthy alcohol use (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.06 (95% CI: 0.59, 1.87)). Those with food insecurity had higher odds of illicit opioid use (aOR = 2.5 (95% CI: 1.12, 5.58)) and cocaine use (aOR = 1.95 (CI 95%: 1.00, 3.81)).

Conclusion: Food insecurity was not associated with unhealthy alcohol use but was associated with cocaine and illicit opioid use. Given the prevalence and impact substance use has on PLWH, food insecurity should be identified and addressed.

Trajectories of Self-Reported Opioid Use Among Patients With HIV Engaged in Care: Results From a National Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

No prior studies have characterized long-term patterns of opioid use regardless of source or reason for use among patients with HIV (PWH). We sought to identify trajectories of self-reported opioid use and their correlates among a national sample of PWH engaged in care.

SETTING

Veterans Aging Cohort Study, a prospective cohort including PWH receiving care at 8 US Veterans Health Administration (VA) sites.

METHODS

Between 2002 and 2018, we assessed past year opioid use frequency based on self-reported "prescription painkillers" and/or heroin use at baseline and follow-up. We used group-based trajectory models to identify opioid use trajectories and multinomial logistic regression to determine baseline factors independently associated with escalating opioid use compared to stable, infrequent use.

RESULTS

Among 3702 PWH, we identified 4 opioid use trajectories: (1) no lifetime use (25%); (2) stable, infrequent use (58%); (3) escalating use (7%); and (4) de-escalating use (11%). In bivariate analysis, anxiety; pain interference; prescribed opioids, benzodiazepines and gabapentinoids; and marijuana use were associated with escalating opioid group membership compared to stable, infrequent use. In multivariable analysis, illness severity, pain interference, receipt of prescribed benzodiazepine medications, and marijuana use were associated with escalating opioid group membership compared to stable, infrequent use.

CONCLUSION

Among PWH engaged in VA care, 1 in 15 reported escalating opioid use. Future research is needed to understand the impact of psychoactive medications and marijuana use on opioid use and whether enhanced uptake of evidence-based treatment of pain and psychiatric symptoms can prevent escalating use among PWH.

The impact of high-dose opioid prescription on mortality rates among people living with HIV: A retrospective cohort study

OBJECTIVES

High-dose opioid use is associated with increased morbidity, mortality, and healthcare utilization. People living with HIV (PLHIV) are frequently prescribed these medications to manage their pain. However, little is known about the relationship between being prescribed high doses of opioids (> 90 MME/d) and mortality risk among this population. The objective of this study was to examine the trends in mortality and the relationship between high-dose opioid analgesic prescribing and mortality among PLHIV.

METHODS

Utilizing the STOP HIV/AIDS cohort--a population-level linked database of treatment of PLHIV in British Columbia--we conducted bivariable and multivariable generalized estimating equation (GEE) models with a Poisson distribution to examine the relationship between high-dose opioid prescription and all-cause mortality rates in the study sample.

RESULTS

Between 1996 and 2015, 9272 PLHIV were included in the study. Age- and sex-adjusted mortality rate (using the 2011 Canadian population as the reference) was 30.99 per 1000 person-years (95% confidence interval [CI]: 28.11-33.88). In a multivariable GEE model with adjustment for various demographic and clinical confounders, there was a positive and independent association between being prescribed high-dose opioids and all-cause mortality rates (adjusted rate ratio [ARR] = 3.01; 95%CI: 2.47-3.66).

DISCUSSION

We found that mortality rates were significantly higher among PLHIV who were prescribed high-dose opioids compared to those who were prescribed lower doses. Our results highlight the risk associated with the prescribing of high-dose opioids to manage HIV-related pain and emphasize the need to explore non-opioid approaches to pain management.

Polypharmacy in HIV: recent insights and future directions

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Update findings regarding polypharmacy among people with HIV (PWH) and consider what research is most needed.

RECENT FINDINGS

Among PWH, polypharmacy is common, occurs in middle age, and is predominantly driven by nonantiretroviral (ARV) medications. Many studies have demonstrated strong associations between polypharmacy and receipt of potentially inappropriate medications (PIMS), but few have considered actual adverse events. Falls, delirium, pneumonia, hospitalization, and mortality are associated with polypharmacy among PWH and risks remain after adjustment for severity of illness.

SUMMARY

Polypharmacy is a growing problem and mechanisms of injury likely include potentially inappropriate medications, total drug burden, known pairwise drug interactions, higher level drug interactions, drug--gene interactions, and drug--substance use interactions (alcohol, extra-medical prescription medication, and drug use). Before we can effectively design interventions, we need to use observational data to gain a better understanding of the modifiable mechanisms of injury. As sicker individuals take more medications, analyses must account for severity of illness. As self-report of substance use may be inaccurate, direct biomarkers, such as phosphatidylethanol (PEth) for alcohol are needed. Large samples including electronic health records, genetics, accurate measures of substance use, and state of the art statistical and artificial intelligence techniques are needed to advance our understanding and inform clinical management of polypharmacy in PWH.

Prescription of High-Dose Opioids Among People Living with HIV in British Columbia, Canada

People living with HIV (PLHIV) often experience pain for which opioid medications may be prescribed. Thus, these individuals are particularly vulnerable to opioid-related harms, including overdose, misuse, and addiction, particularly when prescribed at high doses. We used a comprehensive linked population-level database of PLHIV in British Columbia (BC) to identify demographic and clinical characteristics associated with being prescribed any high-dose opioid analgesic, defined as > 90 daily morphine milligram equivalents (MME/day). Among PLHIV who were prescribed opioids between 1996 and 2015 (n = 10,780), 28.2% received prescriptions of > 90 MME/day at least once during the study period. Factors positively associated with being prescribed high-dose opioid analgesics included: co-prescription of benzodiazepines (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.14; 95% confidence interval 1.11-1.17); presence of an AIDS-defining illness (ADI; AOR = 1.78; 95% CI 1.57-2.02); seen by an HIV specialist (AOR = 1.24; 95% CI 1.20-1.29); substance use disorder (AOR = 1.46; 95% CI 1.25-1.71); and more recent calendar year (AOR = 1.05; 95% CI 1.04-1.06). Given the known risks associated with high-dose opioid prescribing, future research efforts should focus on the clinical indication and outcomes associated with these prescribing practices.

Patterns and Correlates of Prescription Opioid Receipt Among US Veterans: A National, 18-Year Observational Cohort Study

A better understanding of predisposition to transition to high-dose, long-term opioid therapy after initial opioid receipt could facilitate efforts to prevent opioid use disorder (OUD). We extracted data on 69,268 patients in the Veterans Aging Cohort Study who received any opioid prescription between 1998 and 2015. Using latent growth mixture modelling, we identified four distinguishable dose trajectories: low (53%), moderate (29%), escalating (13%), and rapidly escalating (5%). Compared to low dose trajectory, those in the rapidly escalating dose trajectory were proportionately more European-American (59% rapidly escalating vs. 38% low); had a higher prevalence of HIV (31% vs. 29%) and hepatitis C (18% vs. 12%); and during follow-up, had a higher incidence of OUD diagnoses (13% vs. 3%); were hospitalised more often [18.1/100 person-years (PYs) vs. 12.5/100 PY]; and had higher all-cause mortality (4.7/100 PY vs. 1.8/100 PY, all p < 0.0001). These measures can potentially be used in future prevention research, including genetic discovery.

Opioid Misuse Among HIV-Positive Adults in Medical Care: Results From the Medical Monitoring Project, 2009-2014

BACKGROUND

People living with HIV are prescribed opioids more often and at higher doses than people who do not have HIV, and disproportionately experience risk factors for substance use disorder, which suggests they could be at increased risk of the misuse of opioids. Researchers also suggest that opioid misuse negatively affects various HIV clinical outcomes, increasing the risk of transmission to partners with an HIV-negative status.

METHODS

We calculated weighted percentages and 95% confidence intervals to estimate substance use characteristics among a probability sample of 28,162 HIV-positive adults receiving medical care in the United States who misused opioids (n = 975). Then, we used Rao-Scott χ tests to assess bivariate associations between opioid misuse and selected characteristics.

RESULTS

In all, 3.3% misused opioids. Misuse was more common among young adults, males, and non-Hispanic whites. Persons who misused opioids were less likely to: have been prescribed antiretroviral therapy (ART) (88.7%), report being adherent to ART medications in the past 3 days (78.1%), and have durable viral suppression (54.3%) than persons who did not misuse opioids (92.5%, 87.7%, and 64.7%, respectively). Persons who misused opioids were more likely to report condomless sex with partners of negative or unknown HIV status while not durably virally suppressed (11.7% vs 3.4%) than persons who did not misuse opioids.

CONCLUSIONS

Opioid misuse among adults receiving HIV medical care is associated with inadequate ART adherence, insufficient durable viral suppression, and higher risk of HIV transmission to sexual partners.

Opioid-Related Diagnoses and Concurrent Claims for HIV, HBV, or HCV among Medicare Beneficiaries, United States, 2015

Unsterile opioid injection increases risk for infection transmission, including HIV, hepatitis B virus (HBV), or hepatitis C virus (HCV). We assess prevalence of and risk factors associated with opioid overdose and infections with HIV, HBV, or HCV among Medicare beneficiaries with opioid-related fee-for-service claims during 2015. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis to estimate claims for opioid use and overdose and HIV, HBV, or HCV infections, using data from US Medicare fee-for-service claims. Beneficiaries with opioid-related claims had increased odds for HIV (2.3; 95% confidence interval (CI), 2.3–2.4), acute HBV (6.7; 95% CI, 6.3–7.1), chronic HBV (5.0; 95% CI, 4.7–5.4), acute HCV (9.6; 95% CI, 9.2–10.0), and chronic HCV (8.9; 95% CI, 8.7–9.1). Beneficiaries with opioid-related claims and for HIV, HBV, or HCV infection, respectively, had a 1.1–1.9-fold odds for having a claim for opioid overdose. Independent risk factors for opioid overdose and each selected infection outcome included age, sex, race/ethnicity, region, and residence in a high-vulnerability county. Having opioid-related claims and selected demographic attributes were independent, significant risk factors for having HIV, HBV, or HCV claims among US Medicare beneficiaries. These results might help guide interventions intended to reduce incidences of HIV, HCV, and HBV infections among beneficiaries with opioid-related claims.

Study protocol for the targeting effective analgesia in clinics for HIV (TEACH) study - a cluster randomized controlled trial and parallel cohort to increase guideline concordant care for long-term opioid therapy among people living with HIV

Background: People living with HIV (PLWH) frequently experience chronic pain and receive long-term opioid therapy (LTOT). Adherence to opioid prescribing guidelines among their providers is suboptimal. Objective: This paper describes the protocol of a cluster randomized trial, targeting effective analgesia in clinics for HIV (TEACH), which tested a collaborative care intervention to increase guideline-concordant care for LTOT among PLWH. Methods: HIV physicians and advanced practice providers (n = 41) were recruited from September 2015 to December 2016 from two HIV clinics in Boston and Atlanta. Patients receiving LTOT from participating providers were enrolled through a waiver of informed consent (n = 187). After baseline assessment, providers were randomized to the control group or the year-long TEACH intervention involving: (1) a nurse care manager and electronic registry to assist with patient management; (2) opioid education and academic detailing; and (3) facilitated access to addiction specialists. Randomization was stratified by site and LTOT patient volume. Primary outcomes (≥2 urine drug tests, early refills, provider satisfaction) were collected at 12 months. In parallel, PLWH receiving LTOT (n = 170) were recruited into a longitudinal cohort at both clinics and underwent baseline and 12-month assessments. Secondary outcomes were obtained through patient self-report among participants enrolled in both the cohort and the RCT (n = 117). Conclusions: TEACH will report the effects of an intervention on opioid prescribing for chronic pain on both provider and patient-level outcomes. The results may inform delivery of care for PLWH on LTOT for chronic pain at a time when opioid practices are being questioned in the US.

The prevalence and patterns of substance use by birth cohort among HIV-positive adults in Florida

OBJECTIVES

Antiretroviral therapy is affording longer lifespans for people living with HIV (PLWH), yet factors such as substance use play an increasing role in morbidity and mortality in this population. Though previous studies have examined substance use differences between age cohorts of PLWH, no study has examined the influence of birth cohort on current substance use patterns. Thus, this study investigated the prevalence of past 12-month self-reported substance use between four birth cohorts, <1970 (M age = 54.1), 1970s (M age = 41.5), 1980s (M age = 31.3 years old), and 1990s (M age = 23.2 years old) of PLWH in Florida.

METHODS

PLWH (N = 934) recruited from community health clinics in Florida completed a questionnaire assessing sociodemographics, health status, and substance use. Multivariate logistic regressions utilizing the <1970 cohort as the referent group examined the relationship between birth cohort and substance use.

RESULTS

The 1980s cohort had significantly greater odds of marijuana use compared to the oldest cohort (<1970s), while the three younger cohorts (1970s, 1980s, and 1990s) evidenced a significantly greater odds of ecstasy use compared to the oldest group. Contrastingly, the three younger birth cohorts reported significantly less crack use than the oldest cohort, while the youngest group (1990s) also demonstrated an 80% reduction in injection drug use compared to the oldest group.

CONCLUSION

The older cohort evidenced significantly greater crack and injection drug use, while the younger cohorts evidenced greater marijuana and ecstasy use. Therefore, it is important to develop age-specific substance use interventions among PLWH.

Medicaid trends in prescription opioid and non-opioid use by HIV status

BACKGROUND

Pain is more common among people living with HIV (PLWH) than their counterparts; however, it is unclear whether analgesic use differs by HIV status.

METHODS

We analyzed Medicaid pharmacy claims from adults in 14 US states from 2001 to 2009 to identify opioid and non-opioid analgesic prescriptions and compared prescribing trends by HIV status. We accounted for clinical and demographic differences by using inverse probability weights and by restricting the sample to a subgroup with a common comorbidity, diabetes, chosen for its high prevalence and association with lifestyle and chronic pain. We estimated the incidence of chronic opioid therapy (COT) (≥90 consecutive days with an opioid prescription) among opioid-naïve individuals.

RESULTS

Rates of opioid and non-opioid use increased approximately two-fold from 2001 to 2009. PLWH received approximately twice as many prescriptions as those without HIV. In an unadjusted Cox regression, PLWH were three times more likely to receive COT compared to those without HIV (hazard ratio (HR) = 3.06, 95% CI 2.76-3.39). When restricting to patients with diabetes and adjusting for age, sex, state, comorbidity score, depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia, the HR decreased to 1.26 (95% CI 0.97-1.63).

CONCLUSIONS

Higher opioid use among PLWH was largely a function of patients' demographic characteristics and health status. The high incidence of COT among PLWH underscores the importance of practice guidelines that minimize adverse events associated with opioid use.

Association of Prescribed Opioids With Increased Risk of Community-Acquired Pneumonia Among Patients With and Without HIV

IMPORTANCE

Some opioids are known immunosuppressants; however, the association of prescribed opioids with clinically relevant immune-related outcomes is understudied, especially among people living with HIV.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the association of prescribed opioids with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) by opioid properties and HIV status.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

This nested case-control study used data from patients in the Veterans Aging Cohort Study (VACS) from January 1, 2000, through December 31, 2012. Participants in VACS included patients living with and without HIV who received care in Veterans Health Administration (VA) medical centers across the United States. Patients with CAP requiring hospitalization (n = 4246) were matched 1:5 with control individuals without CAP (n = 21 146) by age, sex, race/ethnicity, length of observation, and HIV status. Data were analyzed from March 15, 2017, through August 8, 2018.

EXPOSURES

Prescribed opioid exposure during the 12 months before the index date was characterized by a composite variable based on timing (none, past, or current); low (<20 mg), medium (20-50 mg), or high (>50 mg) median morphine equivalent daily dose; and opioid immunosuppressive properties (yes vs unknown or no).

MAIN OUTCOME AND MEASURE

CAP requiring hospitalization based on VA and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid data.

RESULTS

Among the 25 392 VACS participants (98.9% male; mean [SD] age, 55 [10] years), current medium doses of opioids with unknown or no immunosuppressive properties (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 1.35; 95% CI, 1.13-1.62) and immunosuppressive properties (AOR, 2.07; 95% CI, 1.50-2.86) and current high doses of opioids with unknown or no immunosuppressive properties (AOR, 2.07; 95% CI, 1.50-2.86) and immunosuppressive properties (AOR, 3.18; 95% CI, 2.44-4.14) were associated with the greatest CAP risk compared with no prescribed opioids or any past prescribed opioid with no immunosuppressive (AOR, 1.24; 95% CI, 1.09-1.40) and immunosuppressive properties (AOR, 1.42; 95% CI, 1.21-1.67), especially with current receipt of immunosuppressive opioids. In stratified analyses, CAP risk was consistently greater among people living with HIV with current prescribed opioids, especially when prescribed immunosuppressive opioids (eg, AORs for current immunosuppressive opioids with medium dose, 1.76 [95% CI, 1.20-2.57] vs 2.33 [95% CI, 1.60-3.40]).

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

Prescribed opioids, especially higher-dose and immunosuppressive opioids, are associated with increased CAP risk among persons with and without HIV.

Lessons learnt from establishing a high dose opioid review clinic for people living with HIV

People living with HIV represent a unique aging population, living with a chronic condition associated with significant pain. A number take high dose, long-term opioids to manage moderate to severe chronic pain, presenting specific risks. This article highlights the size and impact of this problem and outlines the service objectives and set up of a specialist clinic to manage people living with HIV on high dose opioids, alongside its successes and learning points.

Positive affect skills may improve pain management in people with HIV

Non-opioid pain management strategies are critically needed for people with HIV. We therefore conducted a secondary analysis of pain-related outcomes in a randomized controlled trial of a positive affect skills intervention for adults newly diagnosed with HIV (N = 159). Results suggest that, even if pain prevalence rises, positive affect skills may reduce pain interference and prevent increased use of opioid analgesics by people living with HIV. Future research should replicate and extend these findings by conducting trials that are specifically designed to target pain outcomes.

HIV and ageing: improving quantity and quality of life

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Evidence-based strategies are needed to address the growing complexity of care of those ageing with HIV so that as life expectancy is extended, quality of life is also enhanced.

RECENT FINDINGS

Modifiable contributing factors to the quantity and quality of life in adults ageing with HIV include: burden of harmful health behaviours, injury from HIV infection, HIV treatment toxicity and general burden of age-associated comorbidities. In turn, these factors contribute to geriatric syndromes including multimorbidity and polypharmacy, physiologic frailty, falls and fragility fractures and cognitive dysfunction, which further compromise the quality of life long before they lead to mortality.

SUMMARY

Viral suppression of HIV with combination antiviral therapy has led to increasing longevity but has not enabled a complete return to health among ageing HIV-infected individuals (HIV+). As adults age with HIV, the role of HIV itself and associated inflammation, effects of exposure to antiretroviral agents, the high prevalence of modifiable risk factors for age-associated conditions (e.g. smoking), and the effects of other viral coinfections are all influencing the health trajectory of persons ageing with HIV. We must move from the simplistic notion of HIV becoming a 'chronic controllable illness' to understanding the continually evolving 'treated' history of HIV infection with the burden of age-associated conditions and geriatric syndromes in the context of an altered and ageing immune system.

Polypharmacy and risk of non-fatal overdose for patients with HIV infection and substance dependence

INTRODUCTION

People living with HIV (PLWH) are at risk of both polypharmacy and unintentional overdose yet there are few data on whether polypharmacy increases risk of overdose. The study objective was to determine if the number and type of medication (e.g., sedating) were associated with non-fatal overdose (OD) among PLWH with past-year substance dependence or a lifetime history of injection drug use.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This was a longitudinal study of adults recruited from two urban, safety-net HIV clinics. Outcomes were i) lifetime and ii) past-year non-fatal OD assessed at baseline and a 12-month follow-up. We used logistic regression to examine the association between each outcome and the number of medications (identified from the electronic medical record) in the following categories: i) overall medications, ii) non-antiretroviral (non-ARV), iii) sedating, iv) non-sedating, as well as any vs no opioid medication and any vs no non-opioid sedating medication. Covariates included demographics, medical comorbidities, depressive and anxiety symptoms, and substance use.

RESULTS

Among 250 participants, 80% were prescribed a sedating medication, 50% were prescribed an opioid; 51% exceeded risky drinking limits. In the past month, 23% reported illicit opioid use and 9% illicit opioid sedative use; 37% reported lifetime non-fatal OD and 7% past-year non-fatal OD. The median number (interquartile range) of total medications was 10 (7, 14) and 2 (1, 3) sedating. The odds of lifetime non-fatal OD were significantly higher with each additional sedating medication (OR 1.26, 95% CI 1.08, 1.46) and any opioid medication (OR 2.31; 95% CI 1.37, 3.90), but not with each overall, non-ARV, or non-sedating medication. The odds of past year non-fatal OD were greater with each additional sedating medication (OR 1.18; 95% CI 1.00, 1.39, p=0.049), each additional non-ARV medication (OR 1.07; 95% CI 1.00, 1.15, p=0.048), and non-significantly for any opioid medication (OR 2.23; 95% CI 0.93, 5.35).

CONCLUSIONS

In this sample of PLWH with substance dependence and/or injection drug use, number of sedating medications and any opioid were associated with non-fatal overdose; sedating medications were prescribed to the majority of patients. Polypharmacy among PLWH and substance dependence warrants further research to determine whether reducing sedating medications, including opioids, lowers overdose risk.

Brief Report: Longitudinal Opioid Use Among HIV-Infected Patients, 2000 to 2014

Longitudinal opioid prescription use is unknown among HIV-infected patients. Group-based trajectory modeling followed by multinomial logistic regression was used to identify distinct trajectories and their association with baseline characteristics among 1239 HIV-infected UNC CFAR HIV Clinical Cohort participants, 2000-2014. Three trajectories were identified: (1) 72% never/sporadic opioid use (referent group), (2) 11% episodic use (associated with female sex, depression, drug-related diagnoses, antiretroviral therapy use, and undetectable HIV RNA), and (3) 16% chronic use (associated with older age, female sex, and mental health diagnoses). Overall, opioid prescription decreased substantially with longer time in HIV care among both episodic and chronic users.

Higher Prescription Opioid Dose is Associated With Worse Patient-Reported Pain Outcomes and More Health Care Utilization

Some previous research has examined pain-related variables on the basis of prescription opioid dose, but data from studies involving patient-reported outcomes have been limited. This study examined the relationships between prescription opioid dose and self-reported pain intensity, function, quality of life, and mental health. Participants were recruited from 2 large integrated health systems, Kaiser Permanente Northwest (n = 331) and VA Portland Health Care System (n = 186). To be included, participants had to have musculoskeletal pain diagnoses and be receiving stable doses of long-term opioid therapy. We divided participants into 3 groups on the basis of current prescription opioid dose in daily morphine equivalent dose (MED): low dose (5-20 mg MED), moderate dose (20.1-50 mg MED), and higher dose (50.1-120 mg MED) groups. A statistically significant trend emerged where higher prescription opioid dose was associated with moderately sized effects including greater pain intensity, more impairments in functioning and quality of life, poorer self-efficacy for managing pain, greater fear avoidance, and more health care utilization. Rates of potential alcohol and substance use disorders also differed among groups. Findings from this evaluation reveal significant differences in pain-related and substance-related factors on the basis of prescription opioid dose.

PERSPECTIVE

This study included 517 patients who were prescribed long-term opioid therapy and compared differences on pain- and mental health-related variables on the basis of prescription opioid dose. Findings reveal small- to medium-sized differences on pain-related variables, alcohol and substance use, and health care utilization on the basis of the dose of opioid prescribed.

Non-medical use of prescription opioids is associated with heroin initiation among US veterans: a prospective cohort study

AIMS

To estimate the influence of non-medical use of prescription opioids (NMUPO) on heroin initiation among US veterans receiving medical care.

DESIGN

Using a multivariable Cox regression model, we analyzed data from a prospective, multi-site, observational study of HIV-infected and an age/race/site-matched control group of HIV-uninfected veterans in care in the United States. Approximately annual behavioral assessments were conducted and contained self-reported measures of NMUPO and heroin use.

SETTING

Veterans Health Administration (VHA) infectious disease and primary care clinics in Atlanta, Baltimore, New York, Houston, Los Angeles, Pittsburgh and Washington, DC.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 3396 HIV-infected and uninfected patients enrolled into the Veterans Aging Cohort Study who reported no life-time NMUPO or heroin use, had no opioid use disorder diagnoses at baseline and who were followed between 2002 and 2012.

MEASUREMENTS

The primary outcome measure was self-reported incident heroin use and the primary exposure of interest was new-onset NMUPO. Our final model was adjusted for socio-demographics, pain interference, prior diagnoses of post-traumatic stress disorder and/or depression and self-reported other substance use.

FINDINGS

Using a multivariable Cox regression model, we found that non-medical use of prescription opioids NMUPO was associated positively and independently with heroin initiation [adjusted hazard ratio (AHR) = 5.43, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 4.01, 7.35].

CONCLUSIONS

New-onset non-medical use of prescription opioids (NMUPO) is a strong risk factor for heroin initiation among HIV-infected and uninfected veterans in the United States who reported no previous history of NMUPO or illicit opioid use.

The impact of prescribed opioids on CD4 cell count recovery among HIV-infected patients newly initiating antiretroviral therapy

OBJECTIVES

Certain prescribed opioids have immunosuppressive properties, yet their impact on clinically relevant outcomes, including antiretroviral therapy (ART) response among HIV-infected patients, remains understudied.

METHODS

Using the Veterans Aging Cohort Study data, we conducted a longitudinal analysis of 4358 HIV-infected patients initiating ART between 2002 and 2010 and then followed them for 24 months. The primary independent variable was prescribed opioid duration, categorized using pharmacy data as none prescribed, short-term (< 90 days) and long-term (≥ 90 days). Outcomes included CD4 cell count over time. Analyses adjusted for demographics, comorbid conditions, ART type and year of initiation, and overall disease severity [ascertained with the Veterans Aging Cohort Study (VACS) Index]. Sensitivity analyses examined whether effects varied according to baseline CD4 cell count, achievement of viral load suppression, and opioid properties (i.e. dose and known immunosuppressive properties).

RESULTS

Compared to those with none, patients with short-term opioids had a similar increase in CD4 cell count (mean rise per year: 74 vs. 68 cells/μL; P = 0.11), as did those with long-term prescribed opioids (mean rise per year: 74 vs. 75 cells/μL; P = 0.98). In sensitivity analysis, compared with no opioids, the effects of short-term prescribed opioids were statistically significant among those with a baseline CD4 cell count ≥ 500 cells/μL (mean rise per year: 52 cells/μL for no opioids vs. 20 cells/μL for short-term opioids; P = 0.04); findings were otherwise unchanged.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite immunosuppressive properties intrinsic to opioids, prescribed opioids appeared to have no effect on CD4 cell counts over 24 months among HIV-infected patients initiating ART.

Long-term Prescription of Opioids and/or Benzodiazepines and Mortality Among HIV-Infected and Uninfected Patients

BACKGROUND

Increased long-term prescription of opioids and/or benzodiazepines necessitates evaluating risks associated with their receipt. We sought to evaluate the association between long-term opioids and/or benzodiazepines and mortality in HIV-infected patients receiving antiretroviral therapy and uninfected patients.

METHODS

Prospective analysis of all-cause mortality using multivariable methods and propensity score matching among HIV-infected patients receiving antiretroviral therapy and uninfected patients.

RESULTS

Of 64,602 available patients (16,989 HIV-infected and 47,613 uninfected), 27,128 (exposed and unexposed to long-term opioids and/or benzodiazepines) were 1:1 matched by propensity score. The hazard ratio for death was 1.40 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.22 to 1.61] for long-term opioid receipt, 1.26 (95% CI: 1.08 to 1.48) for long-term benzodiazepine receipt, and 1.56 (95% CI: 1.26 to 1.92) for long-term opioid and benzodiazepine receipt. There was an interaction (P = 0.01) between long-term opioid receipt and HIV status with mortality. For long-term opioid receipt, the hazard ratio was 1.46 (95% CI: 1.15 to 1.87) among HIV-infected patients, and 1.25 (95% CI: 1.05 to 1.49) among uninfected patients. Mortality risk was increased for patients receiving both long-term opioids and benzodiazepines when opioid doses were ≥ 20 mg morphine-equivalent daily dose and for patients receiving long-term opioids alone when doses were ≥ 50 mg morphine-equivalent daily dose.

CONCLUSIONS

Long-term opioid receipt was associated with an increased risk of death; especially with long-term benzodiazepine receipt, higher opioid doses, and among HIV-infected patients. Long-term benzodiazepine receipt was associated with an increased risk of death regardless of opioid receipt. Strategies to mitigate risks associated with these medications, and caution when they are coprescribed, are needed particularly in HIV-infected populations.

Human immunodeficiency virus and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome: recent developments and their implications for pediatric surgeons

Advances in medical management have enhanced both the quality and the quantity of life currently enjoyed by HIV-infected infants and children. Advances in surgical treatment have complemented these advances and contributed to the improving prognosis of HIV disease in the pediatric population. The resultant "aging" of the pediatric HIV population means that pediatric surgeons can expect to encounter HIV-infected patients on an ever-increasing basis. This article reviews the new advances in diagnosis and treatment of pediatric HIV disease most relevant to pediatric surgical practice.