Impact of Substance Use Disorders on Outcomes of Medically Insured Persons Receiving Multiweek Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy: a Claims-based Cohort Study From 2015 to 2020.

BACKGROUND

Outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT) is often withheld from individuals with substance use disorder (SUD), despite evidence suggesting similar outcomes. We investigated this using a large, nationwide claims database.

METHODS

We analyzed Merative MarketScan (2015-2020) data to identify adults treated with intravenous vancomycin, daptomycin, nafcillin, oxacillin, or cefazolin for ≥7 days after hospitalization. Patients with end-stage renal disease or were excluded. SUD was defined using pre-discharge International Classification of Diseases 10-CM codes. Rates of overdose, central venous catheter (CVC) events during OPAT, and 90-day all-cause readmissions following OPAT completion were compared between patients with and without SUD, adjusting for confounders via multivariable logistic regression.

RESULTS

Among 5903 patients, 18% had SUD. These patients were younger, less often male, and less likely discharged home. Unadjusted rates of 90-day readmission (40.1% vs 32.5%, < .001) and overdose (1.2% vs 0.1%, < .001) were higher in the SUD group, whereas CVC event rates were similar (6.5% vs 5.3%, = .137). However, adjusted analyses revealed SUD was not significantly associated with readmission (odds ratio [OR] 1.16, = .067) or CVC events (OR 1.10, = .552), but was associated with higher odds of overdose (OR 6.03, < .001). Readmission was predicted by insurance type, mental health disorders, and infection type. CVC events were associated with infection type and discharge to home.

CONCLUSIONS

SUD was not independently associated with increased 90-day readmission or CVC event risk, but was a significant risk factor for overdose, supporting harm reduction approaches over exclusion from OPAT based on SUD status.