Colleen LaBelle

Collaborative care of opioid-addicted patients in primary care using buprenorphine: five-year experience.

BACKGROUND Opioid addiction is a chronic disease treatable in primary care settings with buprenorphine hydrochloride, but this treatment remains underused. We describe a collaborative care model for managing opioid addiction with buprenorphine hydrochloride-naloxone hydrochloride dihydrate sublingual tablets. METHODS Ours is a cohort study of patients treated for opioid addiction using collaborative care between nurse care managers and generalist physicians in an urban academic primary care practice during a 5-year period. We examine patient characteristics, 12-month treatment success (ie, retention or taper after 6 months), and predictors of successful outcomes. RESULTS From September 1, 2003, through September 30, 2008, 408 patients with opioid addiction were treated with buprenorphine. Twenty-six patients were excluded from analysis because they left treatment owing to preexisting legal or medical conditions or a need to transfer to another buprenorphine program. At 1 year, 196 of 382 patients (51.3%) underwent successful treatment. Of patients remaining in treatment at 12 months, 154 of 169 (91.1%) were no longer using illicit opioids or cocaine based on urine drug test results. On admission, patients who were older, were employed, and used illicit buprenorphine had significantly higher odds of treatment success; those of African American or Hispanic/Latino race had significantly lower odds of treatment success. These outcomes were achieved with a model that facilitated physician involvement. CONCLUSION Collaborative care with nurse care managers in an urban primary care practice is an alternative and successful treatment method for most patients with opioid addiction that makes effective use of time for physicians who prescribe buprenorphine.

The Case for Chronic Disease Management for Addiction

Chronic disease (care) management (CDM) is a patient-centered model of care that involves longitudinal care delivery; integrated, and coordinated primary medical and specialty care; patient and clinician education; explicit evidence-based care plans; and expert care availability. The model, incorporating mental health and specialty addiction care, holds promise for improving care for patients with substance dependence who often receive no care or fragmented ineffective care. We describe a CDM model for substance dependence and discuss a conceptual framework, the extensive current evidence for component elements, and a promising strategy to reorganize primary and specialty health care to facilitate access for people with substance dependence. The CDM model goes beyond integrated case management by a professional, colocation of services, and integrated medical and addiction care—elements that individually can improve outcomes. Supporting evidence is presented that: 1) substance dependence is a chronic disease requiring longitudinal care, although most patients with addictions receive no treatment (eg, detoxification only) or short-term interventions, and 2) for other chronic diseases requiring longitudinal care (eg, diabetes, congestive heart failure), CDM has been proven effective.

Acute Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection in Patients Presenting to an Urban Urgent Care Center

Acute infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is often accompanied by a flu-like illness, and early identification and treatment may help control the infection and prevent transmission. We enrolled patients who presented to an urban urgent care center with any symptoms of a viral illness and any recent potential risk for HIV infection, and we tested them for acute HIV infection using enzyme-linked immunosorbent and RNA assays. Of 499 patients enrolled over a 1-year period, acute HIV infection was diagnosed in 5 (1.0%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.1%-1.9%), and chronic HIV infection was diagnosed in 6 (1.2%; 95% CI, 0.2%-2.2%). There were no false-positive results of the RNA assay. No signs or symptoms reliably distinguished patients with acute HIV infection from those who were HIV uninfected. Given the importance of this diagnosis, testing for acute HIV infection using RNA and antibody assays should be offered to all patients in similar settings with viral symptoms and any risk factors for HIV infection.

Recurrence of post‐traumatic stress disorder symptoms after initiation of antiretrovirals including efavirenz: a report of two cases

Some antiretrovirals has been reported to cause a wide range of psychiatric symptoms. However, reappearance of post‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms has not been described in relation to these medications.

Long-term retention in Office Based Opioid Treatment with buprenorphine

BACKGROUND Guidelines recommend long-term treatment for opioid use disorder with buprenorphine; however, little is known about patients in long-term treatment. The aim of this study is to examine the prevalence and patient characteristics of long-term treatment retention (≥1year) in an Office Based Opioid Treatment (OBOT) program with buprenorphine. METHODS This is a retrospective cohort study of adults on buprenorphine from January 2002 to February 2014 in a large urban safety-net primary care OBOT program. The primary outcome was retention in OBOT for at least one continuous year. Potential predictors included age, race, psychiatric diagnoses, hepatitis C, employment, prior buprenorphine, ever heroin use, current cocaine, benzodiazepine and alcohol use on enrollment. Factors associated with ≥1year OBOT retention were identified using generalized estimating equation logistic regression models. Patients who re-enrolled in the program contributed repeated observations. RESULTS There were 1605 OBOT treatment periods among 1237 patients in this study. Almost half, 45% (717/1605), of all treatment periods were ≥1year and a majority, 53.7% (664/1237), of patients had at least one ≥1year period. In adjusted analyses, female gender (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR] 1.55, 95% CI [1.20, 2.00]) psychiatric diagnosis (AOR 1.75 [1.35, 2.27]) and age (AOR 1.19 per 10year increase [1.05, 1.34]) were associated with greater odds of ≥1year retention. Unemployment (AOR 0.72 [0.56, 0.92]), Hepatitis C (AOR 0.59 [0.45, 0.76]), black race/ethnicity (AOR 0.53 [0.36, 0.78]) and Hispanic race/ethnicity (AOR 0.66 [0.48, 0.92]) were associated with lower odds of ≥1year retention. CONCLUSIONS Over half of patients who presented to Office Based Opioid Treatment with buprenorphine were ultimately successfully retained for ≥1year. However, significant disparities in one-year treatment retention were observed, including poorer retention for patients who were younger, black, Hispanic, unemployed, or with hepatitis C.

Very early disengagement and subsequent re-engagement in primary care Office Based Opioid Treatment (OBOT) with buprenorphine

INTRODUCTION Patients with opioid use disorder often require multiple treatment attempts before achieving stable recovery. Rates of disengagement from buprenorphine are highest in the first month of treatment and termination of buprenorphine therapy results in return to use rates as high as 90%. To better characterize these at-risk patients, this study aims to describe: 1) the frequency and characteristics of patients with very early disengagement (≤1month) from Office Based Opioid Treatment (OBOT) with buprenorphine and 2) the frequency and characteristics of patients who re-engage in care at this same OBOT clinic within 2years, among the subset of very early disengagers. METHODS This is a retrospective cohort study of adult patients enrolled in a large urban OBOT program. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize the sample and the proportion of patients with very early (≤1month) disengagement and their re-engagement. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to identify patient characteristics associated with the outcomes of very early disengagement and re-engagement. Potential predictors included: sex, age, race/ethnicity, education, employment, opioid use history, prior substance use treatments, urine drug testing, and psychiatric diagnoses. RESULTS Overall, very early disengagement was unusual, with only 8.4% (104/1234) of patients disengaging within the first month. Among the subset of very early disengagers with 2years of follow-up, the proportion who re-engaged with this OBOT program in the subsequent 2years was 11.9% (10/84). Urine drug test positive for opiates within the first month (AOR: 2.01, 95% CI: 1.02-3.93) was associated with increased odds of very early disengagement. Transferring from another buprenorphine prescriber (AOR: 0.09, 95% CI: 0.01-0.70) was associated with decreased odds of very early disengagement. No characteristics were significantly associated with re-engagement. CONCLUSIONS Early disengagement is uncommon; however, continued opioid use appeared to be associated with higher odds of treatment disengagement and these patients may warrant additional support. Re-engagement was uncommon, suggesting the need for a more formal explicit system to encourage and facilitate re-engagement among patients who disengage.

Opioid and cocaine use among primary care patients on buprenorphine—Self-report and urine drug tests

BACKGROUND Urine drug tests (UDTs) are recommended to monitor patients treated for opioid use disorder in primary care. The aims are to (1) estimate the frequency of self-report and UDT results of opioid and cocaine use and (2) evaluate the association between treatment time with non-disclosure of opioid or cocaine use and having a positive UDT. METHODS We conducted a retrospective review of patients enrolled in a primary care-based buprenorphine program between January 2011-April 2013. We describe three clinical visits types: no disclosure of opioid/cocaine use and positive UDT; disclosure of opioid or cocaine use and a negative or positive UDT; and no disclosure of opioid or cocaine use and a negative UDT. We fit generalized estimating equations logistic regression models to evaluate whether treatment time is associated with non-disclosure of opioids or cocaine use and a positive UDT. RESULTS Among all UDT results (n = 1755) from 130 patients, 10% were positive for illicit opioids and 4% for cocaine. Among UDTs with illicit opioid or cocaine positive results, in 57% and 76% of these scenarios, the patient did not disclose. The odds of non-disclosure and having a positive UDT was higher in the first 180 days for opioids and 90 days for cocaine. CONCLUSION Among primary care patients treated with buprenorphine, a small but substantial percentage of UDTs were cocaine or opioid positive. As treatment time increased, non-disclosure was less common but persisted even after six months. Among primary care patients treated with buprenorphine, UDTs contribute information to optimize clinical care.

Tapering off and returning to buprenorphine maintenance in a primary care Office Based Addiction Treatment (OBAT) program

BACKGROUND Guidelines recommend long-term treatment for opioid use disorder including the use of buprenorphine; however, many patients desire to eventually taper off. This study examines the prevalence and patient characteristics of patients that voluntarily taper off buprenorphine. METHODS This is a 12-year retrospective cohort study of adults on buprenorphine in a large urban safety-net primary care practice. The primary outcome was completion of a voluntary buprenorphine taper, which was further characterized as a medically supervised or unsupervised taper. The secondary outcome was re-engagement in care after taper. Descriptive statistics and estimated proportions of both taper completion and re-engagement in treatment were calculated using Kaplan-Meier estimates. RESULTS The study sample included 1308 patients with a median follow-up time of 316 days; 48 patients were observed to taper off buprenorphine during the study period, with an estimated proportion of 15% (95%CI: 10%-21%) based on Kaplan Meier analyses. Less than half of the tapers, 45.8% (22/48), were medically supervised. Thirteen of the 48 patients subsequently, re-engaged in buprenorphine treatment (estimated proportion 61%, 95%CI: 27%-96%), based on Kaplan-Meier analyses with median follow-up time of 490 days. DISCUSSION Despite the fact that many patients desire to discontinue buprenorphine, a minority had a documented taper. Among those who tapered, more than half did so unsupervised by the clinic and a majority of those who tapered off returned to buprenorphine treatment within two years. As many patients are unable to successfully taper off buprenorphine, the medical community must work to address any barriers to long-term maintenance.