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Ganesh SS, Joyner KB, Samra S, Bluthenthal RN, Schneberk TW. " Even Though the System Had Failed Him His Entire Life, We Were Failing Him Yet Again": How Clinical, Welfare, and Penal Medicine Interact to Drive Health Inequities and Medical Moral Injury. Healthcare (Basel) 2024; 12:1354. [PMID: 38998888 PMCID: PMC11241473 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare12131354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2024] [Revised: 07/03/2024] [Accepted: 07/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Adam, a justice-involved young man, was brought into the emergency department at the county hospital in cardiogenic shock due to a recurring episode of injection-drug-use-related infective endocarditis (IDU-IE). Adam had initiated injection opioid use in prison. He was surgically treated for the previous episodes of IDU-IE but was unable to fully recover due to limitations in care within penal medicine. This case report explores the prison as a determinant of health, interactions between clinical, welfare, and penal medicine, to produce and maintain health inequities, and structural drivers of physician moral injury through an interview with Adam and reflexive writings from emergency medicine physicians. This case demonstrates the need for three types of structural health interventions: (1) restorative justice, community-based reentry programs, and housing as welfare medicine, (2) increased harm reduction services across healthcare, especially penal medicine, and (3) equitable institutional protocols (contrary to ambiguous guidelines) to treat clinical conditions like IDU-IE that disproportionately impact structurally vulnerable patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siddhi S Ganesh
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90032, USA
| | - Kyle B Joyner
- Los Angeles General Medical Center, Department of Emergency Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, 1200 N State St, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Shamsher Samra
- Department of Emergency Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Ricky N Bluthenthal
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90032, USA
| | - Todd W Schneberk
- Los Angeles General Medical Center, Department of Emergency Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, 1200 N State St, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
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Butler NR, Courtney PA, Swegle J. Endocarditis. Prim Care 2024; 51:155-169. [PMID: 38278569 DOI: 10.1016/j.pop.2023.07.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2024]
Abstract
Infectious endocarditis (IE) is a universally fatal condition if left unmanaged, requiring urgent evaluation and treatment. Fever, new heart murmur, vegetations found by echocardiogram, and bacteremia are the most common symptoms and findings. Blood cultures and echocardiography are obligatory diagnostic modalities and should be used with the modified Duke criteria, the accepted diagnostic aid, when establishing a diagnosis of IE. When IE is suspected, consultations with cardiology, infectious disease, and cardiothoracic surgery teams should be made early. Staphylococci, Streptococci, and Enterococci are common pathogens, necessitating bactericidal antimicrobial therapy. Importantly, up to 50% of patients with IE will require cardiothoracic surgical intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas R Butler
- Department of Family Medicine, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, 200 Hawkins Drive, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA.
| | - Patrick A Courtney
- Department of Family Medicine, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Mercy One North Iowa Family Medicine Residency, 1010 4th Street Southwest, Mason City, IA 50401, USA
| | - John Swegle
- University of Iowa College of Pharmacy, Mercy One Family Medicine Residency, 1010 4th Street Southwest, Mason City, IA 50401, USA
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Grayken lessons: the role of an interdisciplinary endocarditis working group in evaluating and optimizing care for a woman with opioid use disorder requiring a second tricuspid valve replacement. Addict Sci Clin Pract 2023; 18:9. [PMID: 36750906 PMCID: PMC9904874 DOI: 10.1186/s13722-023-00360-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Injection drug use-related endocarditis is increasingly common among hospitalized patients in the United States, and associated morbidity and mortality are rising. CASE PRESENTATION Here we present the case of a 34-year-old woman with severe opioid use disorder and multiple episodes of infective endocarditis requiring prosthetic tricuspid valve replacement, who developed worsening dyspnea on exertion. Her echocardiogram demonstrated severe tricuspid regurgitation with a flail prosthetic valve leaflet, without concurrent endocarditis, necessitating a repeat valve replacement. Her care was overseen by our institution's Endocarditis Working Group, a multidisciplinary team that includes providers from addiction medicine, cardiology, infectious disease, cardiothoracic surgery, and neurocritical care. The team worked together to evaluate her, develop a treatment plan for her substance use disorder in tandem with her other medical conditions, and advocate for her candidacy for valve replacement. CONCLUSIONS Multidisciplinary endocarditis teams such as these are important emerging innovations, which have demonstrated improvements in outcomes for patients with infective endocarditis and substance use disorders, and have the potential to reduce bias by promoting standard-of-care treatment.
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Five-Year Cardiovascular Outcomes after Infective Endocarditis in Patients with versus without Drug Use History. J Pers Med 2022; 12:jpm12101562. [PMID: 36294701 PMCID: PMC9605539 DOI: 10.3390/jpm12101562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Revised: 09/08/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Disparities in treatment and outcomes of infective endocarditis (IE) between people who use drugs (PWUD) and non-PWUD have been reported, but long-term data on cardiovascular and cerebrovascular outcomes are limited. We aim to compare 5-year rates of mortality, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events after IE between PWUD and non-PWUD. Methods: Using data from the TriNetX Research Network, we examined 5-year cumulative incidence of mortality, myocardial infarction, heart failure, atrial fibrillation/flutter, ventricular tachyarrhythmias, ischemic stroke, and intracranial hemorrhage in 7132 PWUD and 7132 propensity score-matched non-PWUD patients after a first episode of IE. We used the Kaplan−Meier estimate for incidence and Cox proportional hazards models to estimate relative risk. Results: Matched PWUD were 41 ± 12 years old; 52.2% men; 70.4% White, 19.8% Black, and 8.0% Hispanic. PWUD had higher mortality vs. non-PWUD after 1 year (1−3 year: 9.2% vs. 7.5%, p = 0.032; and 3−5-year: 7.3% vs. 5.1%, p = 0.020), which was largely driven by higher mortality among female patients. PWUD also had higher rates of myocardial infarction (10.0% vs. 7.0%, p < 0.001), heart failure (19.3% vs. 15.2%, p = 0.002), ischemic stroke (8.3% vs. 6.3%, p = 0.001), and intracranial hemorrhage (4.1% vs. 2.8%, p = 0.009) compared to non-PWUD. Among surgically treated PWUD, interventions on the tricuspid valve were more common; however, rates of all outcomes were comparable to non-PWUD. Conclusions: PWUD had higher 5-year incidence of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events after IE compared to non-PWUD patients. Prospective investigation into the causes of these disparities and potential harm reduction efforts are needed.
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Brothers TD, Lewer D, Jones N, Colledge-Frisby S, Farrell M, Hickman M, Webster D, Hayward A, Degenhardt L. Opioid agonist treatment and risk of death or rehospitalization following injection drug use-associated bacterial and fungal infections: A cohort study in New South Wales, Australia. PLoS Med 2022; 19:e1004049. [PMID: 35853024 PMCID: PMC9295981 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1004049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2022] [Accepted: 06/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Injecting-related bacterial and fungal infections are associated with significant morbidity and mortality among people who inject drugs (PWID), and they are increasing in incidence. Following hospitalization with an injecting-related infection, use of opioid agonist treatment (OAT; methadone or buprenorphine) may be associated with reduced risk of death or rehospitalization with an injecting-related infection. METHODS AND FINDINGS Data came from the Opioid Agonist Treatment Safety (OATS) study, an administrative linkage cohort including all people in New South Wales, Australia, who accessed OAT between July 1, 2001 and June 28, 2018. Included participants survived a hospitalization with injecting-related infections (i.e., skin and soft-tissue infection, sepsis/bacteremia, endocarditis, osteomyelitis, septic arthritis, or epidural/brain abscess). Outcomes were all-cause death and rehospitalization for injecting-related infections. OAT exposure was classified as time varying by days on or off treatment, following hospital discharge. We used separate Cox proportional hazards models to assess associations between each outcome and OAT exposure. The study included 8,943 participants (mean age 39 years, standard deviation [SD] 11 years; 34% women). The most common infections during participants' index hospitalizations were skin and soft tissue (7,021; 79%), sepsis/bacteremia (1,207; 14%), and endocarditis (431; 5%). During median 6.56 years follow-up, 1,481 (17%) participants died; use of OAT was associated with lower hazard of death (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 0.63, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.57 to 0.70). During median 3.41 years follow-up, 3,653 (41%) were rehospitalized for injecting-related infections; use of OAT was associated with lower hazard of these rehospitalizations (aHR 0.89, 95% CI 0.84 to 0.96). Study limitations include the use of routinely collected administrative data, which lacks information on other risk factors for injecting-related infections including injecting practices, injection stimulant use, housing status, and access to harm reduction services (e.g., needle exchange and supervised injecting sites); we also lacked information on OAT medication dosages. CONCLUSIONS Following hospitalizations with injection drug use-associated bacterial and fungal infections, use of OAT is associated with lower risks of death and recurrent injecting-related infections among people with opioid use disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas D. Brothers
- National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC), UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- UCL Collaborative Centre for Inclusion Health, Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada
| | - Dan Lewer
- National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC), UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- UCL Collaborative Centre for Inclusion Health, Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Nicola Jones
- National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC), UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | | | - Michael Farrell
- National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC), UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Matthew Hickman
- Population Health Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Duncan Webster
- Department of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Saint John Regional Hospital, Saint John, Canada
| | - Andrew Hayward
- UCL Collaborative Centre for Inclusion Health, Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Louisa Degenhardt
- National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC), UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia
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Vyas DA, Marinacci L, Bearnot B, Wakeman SE, Sundt TM, Jassar AS, Triant VA, Nelson SB, Dudzinski DM, Paras ML. Creation of a Multidisciplinary Drug Use Endocarditis Treatment (DUET) Team: Initial Patient Characteristics, Outcomes, and Future Directions. Open Forum Infect Dis 2022; 9:ofac047. [PMID: 35252467 PMCID: PMC8890495 DOI: 10.1093/ofid/ofac047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Accepted: 01/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Consensus guidelines recommend multidisciplinary models to manage infective endocarditis, yet often do not address the unique challenges of treating people with drug use–associated infective endocarditis (DUA-IE). Our center is among the first to convene a Drug Use Endocarditis Treatment (DUET) team composed of specialists from Infectious Disease, Cardiothoracic Surgery, Cardiology, and Addiction Medicine. Methods The objective of this study was to describe the demographics, infectious characteristics, and clinical outcomes of the first cohort of patients cared for by the DUET team. This was a retrospective chart review of patients referred to the DUET team between August 2018 and May 2020 with DUA-IE. Results Fifty-seven patients were presented to the DUET team between August 2018 and May 2020. The cohort was young, with a median age of 35, and injected primarily opioids (82.5% heroin/fentanyl), cocaine (52.6%), and methamphetamine (15.8%). Overall, 14 individuals (24.6%) received cardiac surgery, and the remainder (75.4%) were managed with antimicrobial therapy alone. Nearly 65% of individuals were discharged on medication for opioid use disorder, though less than half (36.8%) were discharged with naloxone and only 1 patient was initiated on HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis. Overall, the cohort had a high rate of readmission (42.1%) within 90 days of discharge. Conclusions Multidisciplinary care models such as the DUET team can help integrate nuanced decision-making from numerous subspecialties. They can also increase the uptake of addiction medicine and harm reduction tools, but further efforts are needed to integrate harm reduction strategies and improve follow-up in future iterations of the DUET team model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darshali A Vyas
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Lucas Marinacci
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Benjamin Bearnot
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Sarah E Wakeman
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Thoralf M Sundt
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Division of Cardiac Surgery, Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Corrigan Minehan Heart Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Arminder S Jassar
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Division of Cardiac Surgery, Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Corrigan Minehan Heart Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Virginia A Triant
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Sandra B Nelson
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - David M Dudzinski
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Corrigan Minehan Heart Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Molly L Paras
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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Brothers TD, Mosseler K, Kirkland S, Melanson P, Barrett L, Webster D. Unequal access to opioid agonist treatment and sterile injecting equipment among hospitalized patients with injection drug use-associated infective endocarditis. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0263156. [PMID: 35081174 PMCID: PMC8791472 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0263156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Addiction treatment and harm reduction services reduce risks of death and re-infection among patients with injection drug use-associated infective endocarditis (IDU-IE), but these are not offered at many hospitals. Among hospitalized patients with IDU-IE at the two tertiary-care hospitals in the Canadian Maritimes, we aimed to identify (1) the availability of opioid agonist treatment (OAT) and sterile drug injecting equipment, and (2) indicators of potential unmet addiction care needs. METHODS Retrospective review of IDU-IE hospitalizations at Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre (Halifax, Nova Scotia) and the Saint John Regional Hospital (Saint John, New Brunswick), October 2015 -March 2017. In Halifax, there are no addiction medicine providers on staff; in Saint John, infectious diseases physicians also practice addiction medicine. Inclusion criteria were: (1) probable or definite IE as defined by the modified Duke criteria; and (2) injection drug use within the prior 3 months. RESULTS We identified 38 hospitalizations (21 in Halifax and 17 in Saint John), for 30 unique patients. Among patients with IDU-IE and untreated opioid use disorder, OAT was offered to 36% (5/14) of patients in Halifax and 100% (6/6) of patients in Saint John. Once it was offered, most patients at both sites initiated OAT and planned to continue it after discharge. In Halifax, no patients were offered sterile injecting equipment, and during five hospitalizations staff confiscated patients' own equipment. In Saint John, four patients were offered (and one was provided) injecting equipment in hospital, and during two hospitalizations staff confiscated patients' own equipment. Concerns regarding undertreated pain or opioid withdrawal were documented during 66% (25/38) of hospitalizations, and in-hospital illicit or non-medical drug use during 32% (12/38). Two patients at each site (11%; 4/38) had self-directed discharges against medical advice. CONCLUSIONS Patients with IDU-IE in the Canadian Maritimes have unequal access to evidence-based addiction care depending on where they are hospitalized, which differs from the community-based standard of care. Indicators of potential unmet addiction care needs in hospital were common.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas D. Brothers
- Department of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
- UCL Collaborative Centre for Inclusion Heath, Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Kimiko Mosseler
- Dalhousie Medicine New Brunswick, Dalhousie University, Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada
| | - Susan Kirkland
- Department of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
- Department of Community Health & Epidemiology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Patti Melanson
- Mobile Outreach Street Health (MOSH), Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Lisa Barrett
- Department of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Nova Scotia Health, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Duncan Webster
- Department of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Saint John Regional Hospital and Dalhousie University, Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada
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Muncan B, Kim EK, Amabile A, Weimer MB, Nguemeni Tiako MJ, Vallabhajosyula P, Kalogeropoulos AP, Geirsson A. Cardiac surgeons' perspectives and practices regarding people who use drugs: A scoping review. J Card Surg 2022; 37:630-639. [PMID: 34989450 DOI: 10.1111/jocs.16201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIM OF STUDY The rising rates of drug use and associated cardiovascular complications, particularly infective endocarditis, have led to poorer health outcomes for people who use drugs (PWUD). The objectives of this scoping review were to identify (1) attitudes of cardiac surgeons toward PWUD and (2) challenges faced in the surgical treatment of drug use-related disease. METHODS A comprehensive literature search of three databases was performed with this assistance of a medical librarian. Articles were screened and analyzed for common themes by two independent authors. After literature review, a scoping review was conducted according to preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses and Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines, summarizing existing evidence. RESULTS Analysis of 35 qualified articles revealed eight themes regarding the perspectives and practices of cardiac surgeons toward PWUD: (1) need for multidisciplinary care teams (45.7%); (2) insufficient resources for treatment of underlying substanceuse disorders (40.0%); (3) stigma toward PWUD (37.1%); (4) willingness of surgeons to operate (31.4%); (5) incomplete guidelines for surgical management of drug-use related infective endocarditis (17.1%); (6) recognizing the importance of psychosocial factors (14.3%); (7) use of drug abstinence contracts (14.3%); and (8) use of stigmatizing language to describe PWUD and/or sterile injection (40.0%). CONCLUSIONS Provision of equitable care for PWUD requires effort from multiple disciplines including cardiothoracic surgeons, infectious disease specialists, addiction medicine specialists, and social workers. Additionally, further research is needed to gather sufficient data for evidence-based guidelines in the treatment of cardiac complications in PWUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandon Muncan
- Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, New York, USA
| | - Esther K Kim
- Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, New York, USA
| | - Andrea Amabile
- Division of Cardiac Surgery, Department of Surgery, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Melissa B Weimer
- Program in Addiction Medicine, Department of Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.,Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | | | - Prashanth Vallabhajosyula
- Division of Cardiac Surgery, Department of Surgery, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Andreas P Kalogeropoulos
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, New York, USA
| | - Arnar Geirsson
- Division of Cardiac Surgery, Department of Surgery, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
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Multidisciplinary team approach to confront the challenge of drug use-associated infective endocarditis. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2021:S0022-5223(21)01524-5. [PMID: 34872761 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtcvs.2021.10.048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2021] [Revised: 10/01/2021] [Accepted: 10/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Drug use-associated infective endocarditis is a rapidly growing clinical problem. Although operative outcomes are generally satisfactory, reinfection secondary to recurrent substance use is distressingly common, negatively affects long-term survival, generates practical and ethical challenges, and creates potential conflict among care team members. We established a Drug Use Endocarditis Treatment team including surgeons, infectious disease, and addiction medicine experts specifically focused on the unique complexities of drug use-associated infective endocarditis. METHODS We reviewed the impact of Drug Use Endocarditis Treatment team involvement on quantitative measures of quality of care, including length of stay, time to addiction medicine consultation, time to surgery, and discharge on appropriate medications for opioid use disorder, as well as operative mortality. Standard statistical tests were used, including the Fisher exact test, t test, and Wilcoxon rank-sum test. Qualitative assessment was made of the impact on clinicians, including communication and mutual understanding. RESULTS Comparing the pre-Drug Use Endocarditis Treatment cohort with the post-Drug Use Endocarditis Treatment cohort, patients in the post-Drug Use Endocarditis Treatment cohort who underwent surgery had a significantly lower time from admission to addiction medicine consultation (3.8 vs 1.0 days P < .001) and clinically relevant increase in discharge on medications for opioid use disorder (48% vs 67% P = .35). Additionally, involved members of the team thought communication was improved. CONCLUSIONS The Drug Use Endocarditis Treatment team improved engagement with addiction medicine consultation and appropriate discharge care. Given the impact of relapse of injection drug use on long-term outcomes, interventions such as this offer potentially powerful tools for the treatment of this complex patient population.
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Nguemeni Tiako MJ, Mszar R, Brooks C, Bin Mahmood SU, Mori M, Vallabhajosyula P, Geirsson A, Weimer MB. Cardiac surgeons' practices and attitudes toward addiction care for patients with substance use disorders. Subst Abus 2021; 43:206-211. [PMID: 34038333 DOI: 10.1080/08897077.2021.1917475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Rates of injection-drug use associated infective endocarditis (IDU-IE) are rising, and most patients with IDU-IE do not receive addiction care during hospitalization. We sought to characterize cardiac surgeons' practices and attitudes toward patients with IDU-IE due to their integral role treating them. METHODS This is a survey of 201 cardiac surgeons in the U.S who were asked about the addiction care they engage for patients with IDU-IE along with questions pertaining to stigma against people who use drugs (PWUD). Descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression were used to identify patterns in surgeons' practices and determine associations between attitudes toward substance use disorder (SUD) and beliefs about medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD). RESULTS A minority of surgeons have access to specialty addiction services (35%) in their hospital, but when available 93% consult them for patients with IDU-IE. A quarter of surgeons reported thinking that SUD is a choice and do not believe MOUD have a role in reducing IDU-IE recurrence. Conversely, 69% of surgeons agreed with the disease model of addiction and were four times more likely to believe that MOUD has a role in reducing IDU-IE recurrence (aOR 4.09, 95% CI 1.8-9.27, p = 0.001). CONCLUSION Access to addiction specialists is limited in most hospital settings, but when available, most surgeons report consulting them and supporting MOUD. However, a significant proportion of surgeons hold non-evidence-based attitudes toward SUD and PWUD. This suggests that lack of education and stigma may affect the care of patients with IDU-IE, highlighting the need for education about, and destigmatization of addiction within health systems.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Reed Mszar
- School of Public Health, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Cornell Brooks
- Section of Cardiac Surgery, Department of Surgery, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Syed Usman Bin Mahmood
- Section of Cardiac Surgery, Department of Surgery, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Makoto Mori
- Section of Cardiac Surgery, Department of Surgery, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Prashanth Vallabhajosyula
- Section of Cardiac Surgery, Department of Surgery, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Arnar Geirsson
- Section of Cardiac Surgery, Department of Surgery, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Melissa B Weimer
- Section of General Internal Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
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12
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Clarelin A, Rasmussen M, Olaison L, Ragnarsson S. Comparing right- and left sided injection-drug related infective endocarditis. Sci Rep 2021; 11:1177. [PMID: 33441950 PMCID: PMC7806962 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-80869-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2020] [Accepted: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The aim of the study was to compare background characteristics, microbiology and outcome of patients with right-sided and left-sided intravenous drug use (IDU) associated infective endocarditis (IE). A nationwide retrospective study using the Swedish Registry on Infective Endocarditis between 2008 and 2019 was conducted. A total of 586 people with IDU-IE were identified and divided into left-sided (n = 204) and right-sided (n = 382) IE. Descriptive statistics, Cox-regression and Kaplan–Meier survival estimates were used. The mean age of patients in the left-sided group was 46 years compared to 35 years in the right-sided group, p < 0.001. Left-sided IE had a higher proportion of females. Staphylococcus aureus was the causative pathogen in 48% of cases in the left-sided group compared to 88% in the right-sided group. Unadjusted and adjusted long-term survival was better in right-sided IE compared to left-sided IE. Independent predictors of long-term mortality were increasing age, end-stage renal disease, nosocomial infection, brain emboli and left-sided IE. Left-sided IE was common in people with IDU but the proportion of females with left-sided IE was low. S. aureus was twice as common in right-sided IE compared to left-sided IE, and the long-term prognosis of right sided IDU-associated IE was better compared to left-sided IE despite the fact that few were operated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allan Clarelin
- Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department for Clinical Sciences Lund, Skane University Hospital and Lund University, Getingevagen 4, 22185, Lund, Sweden
| | - Magnus Rasmussen
- Division of Infection Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Medical Faculty, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Lars Olaison
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Sigurdur Ragnarsson
- Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department for Clinical Sciences Lund, Skane University Hospital and Lund University, Getingevagen 4, 22185, Lund, Sweden.
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