Disparities in United States hospitalizations for serious infections in patients with and without opioid use disorder: A nationwide observational study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Patients with opioid use disorder (OUD) who are hospitalized for serious infections requiring prolonged intravenous antibiotics may face barriers to discharge, which could prolong hospital length of stay (LOS) and increase financial burden. We investigated differences in LOS, discharge disposition, and charges between hospitalizations for serious infections in patients with and without OUD.

Methods and findings

We utilized the 2016 National Inpatient Sample-a nationally representative database of all discharges from US acute care hospitals. The population of interest was all hospitalizations for infective endocarditis, epidural abscess, septic arthritis, or osteomyelitis. The exposure was OUD, and the primary outcome was LOS until discharge, assessed by using a co

SUBMITTER: Kim JH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7413412 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature