Unequal access to opioid agonist treatment and sterile injecting equipment among hospitalized patients with injection drug use-associated infective endocarditis

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.