Optimal hepatitis C treatment adherence patterns and sustained virologic response among people who inject drugs: The HERO study

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) are highly effective for treating HCV infection even among people who inject drugs (PWID). Yet, little is known about patients' adherence patterns and their association with sustained virologic response (SVR) rates. We aimed to summarize various adherence patterns and determine their associations with SVR.

METHODS

Electronic blister packs were used to measure daily adherence to once-a-day sofosbuvir/velpatasvir during the 12-week treatment period among active PWIDs. Blister pack data were available for 496 participants who initiated DAAs for whom SVR status was known. Adherence was summarized in multiple patterns, such as total adherent days, consecutive missed days, and early discontinuations. Thresholds for adherence patterns associated with >90% SVR rates were also determined.

RESULTS

The overall SVR rate was 92.7%, with a median adherence rate of 75%. All adherence patterns indicating greater adherence were significantly associated with achieving SVR. Participant groups with ≥50% (>42/84) adherent days or <26 consecutive missed days achieved an SVR rate of >90%. Greater total adherent days during 9-12 weeks and no early discontinuation were significantly associated with higher SVR rates only in those with <50% adherence. Participants with first month discontinuation and ≥2 weeks of treatment interruption had low SVR rates, 25% and 85%, respectively. However, greater adherent days were significantly associated with SVR (adjusted odds ratio 1.10; 95% CI 1.04-1.16; p <0.001) even among participants with ≥14 consecutive missed days.

CONCLUSIONS

High SVR rates can be achieved in the PWID population despite suboptimal adherence. Encouraging patients to take as much medication as possible, with <2 weeks consecutive missed days and without early discontinuation, was found to be important for achieving SVR.

IMPACT AND IMPLICATIONS

People who inject drugs can be cured of HCV in >90% of cases, even with relatively low adherence to direct-acting antivirals, but early discontinuations and long treatment interruptions can significantly reduce the likelihood of achieving cure. Clinicians should encourage people who inject drugs who are living with HCV to adhere daily to direct-acting antivirals as consistently as possible, but if any days are interrupted, to continue and complete treatment. These results from the HERO study are important for patients living with HCV, clinicians, experts writing clinical guidelines, and payers.

CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER

NCT02824640.

Loss, liberation, and agency: Patient experiences of methadone treatment at opioid treatment programs during the COVID-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND

Despite its safety and effectiveness, methadone treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD) remains highly stigmatized, and stringent opioid treatment program (OTP) attendance requirements create barriers to retention for many patients. The COVID-19 pandemic prompted a shift in federal regulations governing methadone, including a blanket exemption permitting increased take-home doses of methadone. We studied the impact of these changes upon established patients' experiences of OTP care.

METHOD

We conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews with 18 OTP patients who met our criteria of having established OTP care (i.e., enrolled at the OTP for at least 12 weeks) and were administered methadone three to six days weekly prior to the March 2020 blanket exemption. Interviews centered on how COVID-19 had affected their experiences of receiving treatment at an OTP.

RESULTS

We identified three interconnected themes relevant to transformation of OTP care by the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants described mourning therapeutic OTP relationships and structure (1. loss), yet feeling more satisfaction with fewer in-person OTP visits (2. liberation), and appreciating more opportunities to self-direct their OUD care (3. agency).

DISCUSSION

Structural changes made to OTP care early in the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in loss of community and structure. Increasing the availability of take-home methadone also improved patient experience and sense of agency. Our findings join a diverse body of converging evidence in support of policy changes allowing for more flexible dosing and individualized OTP care.

Available but inaccessible: patient experiences during the first 2 years of a primary care-based medical cannabis program at an academic medical center

BACKGROUND

Medical cannabis use and public acceptance in the United States have increased over the past 25 years. However, access to medical cannabis remains limited, particularly for underserved populations. To understand how patients experience medical cannabis accessibility, we measured medical cannabis use and barriers to use after medical cannabis certification in an urban safety-net academic medical center.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective cohort study among patients seen in Montefiore's Medical Cannabis Program (MMCP) from 2017 to 2019. Patient demographic and clinical characteristics, as well purchase history of medical cannabis, were extracted from electronic medical records. We also administered a phone questionnaire to a subset of patients to assess usage patterns, effectiveness, and barriers to medical cannabis use.

RESULTS

Among 562 patients who were newly certified for medical cannabis between 2017 and 2019, 45% purchased medical cannabis, while 55% did not. Patients who purchased medical cannabis were more likely to be white and have private insurance or Medicare. Unregulated cannabis use and current tobacco use were less common among those who purchased medical cannabis. In multivariable logistic regression analysis, unregulated cannabis use remained negatively associated with purchasing medical cannabis. Patients reported that affordability and dispensary accessibility were their main barriers to purchasing medical cannabis.

CONCLUSION

Among patients certified for medical cannabis use, fewer than half purchased medical cannabis after certification. Improving access to medical cannabis is crucial for ensuring equitable access to regulated cannabis, and to reducing unregulated cannabis use.

Nurse Care Management for Opioid Use Disorder Treatment: The PROUD Cluster Randomized Clinical Trial

Importance

Few primary care (PC) practices treat patients with medications for opioid use disorder (OUD) despite availability of effective treatments.

Objective

To assess whether implementation of the Massachusetts model of nurse care management for OUD in PC increases OUD treatment with buprenorphine or extended-release injectable naltrexone and secondarily decreases acute care utilization.

Design, Setting, and Participants

The Primary Care Opioid Use Disorders Treatment (PROUD) trial was a mixed-methods, implementation-effectiveness cluster randomized clinical trial conducted in 6 diverse health systems across 5 US states (New York, Florida, Michigan, Texas, and Washington). Two PC clinics in each system were randomized to intervention or usual care (UC) stratified by system (5 systems were notified on February 28, 2018, and 1 system with delayed data use agreement on August 31, 2018). Data were obtained from electronic health records and insurance claims. An implementation monitoring team collected qualitative data. Primary care patients were included if they were 16 to 90 years old and visited a participating clinic from up to 3 years before a system's randomization date through 2 years after.

Intervention

The PROUD intervention included 3 components: (1) salary for a full-time OUD nurse care manager; (2) training and technical assistance for nurse care managers; and (3) 3 or more PC clinicians agreeing to prescribe buprenorphine.

Main Outcomes and Measures

The primary outcome was a clinic-level measure of patient-years of OUD treatment (buprenorphine or extended-release injectable naltrexone) per 10 000 PC patients during the 2 years postrandomization (follow-up). The secondary outcome, among patients with OUD prerandomization, was a patient-level measure of the number of days of acute care utilization during follow-up.

Results

During the baseline period, a total of 130 623 patients were seen in intervention clinics (mean [SD] age, 48.6 [17.7] years; 59.7% female), and 159 459 patients were seen in UC clinics (mean [SD] age, 47.2 [17.5] years; 63.0% female). Intervention clinics provided 8.2 (95% CI, 5.4-∞) more patient-years of OUD treatment per 10 000 PC patients compared with UC clinics (P = .002). Most of the benefit accrued in 2 health systems and in patients new to clinics (5.8 [95% CI, 1.3-∞] more patient-years) or newly treated for OUD postrandomization (8.3 [95% CI, 4.3-∞] more patient-years). Qualitative data indicated that keys to successful implementation included broad commitment to treat OUD in PC from system leaders and PC teams, full financial coverage for OUD treatment, and straightforward pathways for patients to access nurse care managers. Acute care utilization did not differ between intervention and UC clinics (relative rate, 1.16; 95% CI, 0.47-2.92; P = .70).

Conclusions and Relevance

The PROUD cluster randomized clinical trial intervention meaningfully increased PC OUD treatment, albeit unevenly across health systems; however, it did not decrease acute care utilization among patients with OUD.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03407638.

Reduction in Depressive Symptoms in People who Inject Drugs who Are Cured of Hepatitis C Virus Infection: The HERO Study

Background

Depressive symptoms are prevalent among people who inject drugs (PWID) and people with hepatitis C virus (HCV). We examined changes in depressive symptoms among HCV-infected PWID following direct-acting antiviral treatments to evaluate whether these changes differed by history of depressive symptoms, substance use, or HCV treatment outcome.

Methods

We conducted a secondary analysis of the HERO Study (NCT02824640), a pragmatic randomized clinical trial among PWID, to test the effectiveness of HCV care models. Depressive symptoms (primary outcome) were measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) at baseline, end of treatment (EOT), and at follow-up 12 and 24 weeks after EOT. Sustained virologic response (SVR) was defined as undetectable HCV RNA at ≥12 weeks following EOT. Baseline drug use was defined as having a positive urine screening test for amphetamine, methamphetamine, benzodiazepine, cocaine, cannabis, opiate, or oxycodone.

Results

The sample (n = 498) was 72.3% male, 64.2% White, and on average 43.9 years old. In patients who achieved SVR (F(3432) = 4.58; P = .004) and those with drug use at baseline (F(3478) = 5.11; P < .01), PHQ-9 scores significantly declined over time, with scores lower at EOT and both follow-ups as compared with baseline. Mean PHQ-9 scores at EOT and follow-ups were significantly lower than at baseline, except for those with no depression or mild depression at baseline.

Conclusions

This study showed that HCV treatment in PWID is associated with sustained declines in depression up to 24 weeks post-treatment among those who achieve SVR and that drug use does not interfere with improvement in depressive symptoms.

Cannabis dispensary staff approaches to counseling on potential contraindications to cannabis use: insights from a national self-report survey

BACKGROUND

Legal cannabis is available in more than half of the United States. Health care professionals (HCPs) rarely give recommendations on dosing or safety of cannabis due to limits imposed by policy and lack of knowledge. Customer-facing cannabis dispensary staff, including clinicians (pharmacists, nurses, physician's assistants), communicate these recommendations in the absence of HCP recommendations. Little is known about how dispensary staff approach individuals with complex medical and psychiatric comorbidities. Using responses from a national survey, we describe how cannabis dispensary staff counsel customers with medical and psychiatric comorbidities on cannabis use and examine whether state-specific cannabis policy is associated with advice given to customers.

METHODS

National, cross-sectional online survey study from February 13, 2020 to October 2, 2020 of dispensary staff at dispensaries that sell delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol containing products. Measures include responses to survey questions about how they approach customers with medical and psychiatric comorbidities; state medicalization score (scale 0-100; higher score indicates more similarity to regulation of traditional pharmacies); legalized adult-use cannabis (yes/no). We conducted multiple mixed effects multivariable logistic regression analyses to understand relationships between state medicalization and dispensary employees' perspectives.

RESULTS

Of 434 eligible respondents, most were budtenders (40%) or managers (32%), and a minority were clinicians (18%). State medicalization score was not associated with responses to most survey questions. It was associated with increased odds of encouraging customers with medical comorbidities to inform their traditional HCP of cannabis use (Odds ratio [OR]=1.2, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.0-1.4, p=0.03) and reduced odds of recommending cannabis for individuals with cannabis use disorder (CUD) (OR=0.8, 95% CI 0.7-1.0, p=0.04). Working in a state with legalized adult-use cannabis was associated with recommending traditional health care instead of cannabis in those with serious mental illness (OR 2.2, 95% CI 1.1-4.7, p=0.04). Less than half of respondents believed they had encountered CUD (49%), and over a quarter did not believe cannabis is addictive (26%).

CONCLUSIONS

When managing cannabis dosing and safety in customers with medical and psychiatric comorbidity, dispensary staff preferred involving individuals' traditional HCPs. Dispensary staff were skeptical of cannabis being addictive. While state regulations of dispensaries may impact the products individuals have access to, they were not associated with recommendations that dispensary staff gave to customers. Alternative explanations for dispensary recommendations may include regional or store-level variation not captured in this analysis.

Dispensary Staff Perceptions About the Benefits, Risks, and Safety of Cannabis for Medical Purposes

BACKGROUND

Therapeutic use of cannabis is common in the United States (up to 18.7% of Americans aged ≥12), and dispensaries in the US are proliferating rapidly. However, the efficacy profile of medical cannabis is unclear, and customers often rely on dispensary staff for purchasing decisions. The objective was to describe cannabis dispensary staff perceptions of medical cannabis benefits and risks, as well as its safety in high-risk populations.

METHODS

Online Survey study conducted using Qualtrics from February 13, 2020 to October 2, 2020 with a national sample of dispensary staff who reportedinteracting with customers in a cannabis dispensary selling tetrahydrocannabinol-containing products. Participants were queried about benefits ("helpfulness") and risks ("worry") about cannabis for a variety of medical conditions, and safety in older adults and pregnant women on a five-point Likert scale. These results were then collapsed into three categories including "neutral" (3/5). "I don't know" (uncertainty) was a response option for helpfulness and safety.

RESULTS

Participants (n = 434) were from 29 states and included patient-facing dispensary staff (40%); managers (32%); pharmacists (13%); and physicians, nurse practitioners, or physician assistants (5%). Over 80% of participants perceived cannabis as helpful for post-traumatic stress disorder (88.7%), epilepsy (85.3%) and cancer (83.4%). Generally, participants were not concerned about potential cannabis risks, including increased use of illicit drugs (76.3%), decreases in intelligence (74.4%), disrupted sleep (71.7%), and new/worsening health problems from medical cannabis use (70.7%). Cannabis was considered safe in older adults by 81.3% of participants, though there was much less consensus on safety in pregnancy.

CONCLUSIONS

Cannabis dispensary staff generally view medical cannabis as beneficial and low-risk. However, improvements in dispensary staff training, an increased role for certifying clinicians, and interventions to reduce dispensary staff concerns (e.g., cost, judgment) may improve evidence-based staff recommendations to patients seeking medical cannabis.

"It doesn't make any sense to even try": the disruptive impact of COVID-19's first wave on people with chronic pain using medical cannabis in New York

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted health care but it is unknown how it impacted the lives of people using medical cannabis for chronic pain.

OBJECTIVE

To understand the experiences of individuals from the Bronx, NY, who had chronic pain and were certified to use medical cannabis during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

We conducted 1:1 semi-structured qualitative telephone interviews from March through May 2020 with a convenience sample of 14 individuals enrolled in a longitudinal cohort study. We purposively recruited participants with both frequent and infrequent patterns of cannabis use. Interviews addressed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on daily life, symptoms, medical cannabis purchase, and use. We conducted a thematic analysis, with a codebook approach, to identify and describe prominent themes.

RESULTS

Participants' median age was 49 years, nine were female, four were Hispanic, four were non-Hispanic White, and four were non-Hispanic Black. We identified three themes: (1) disrupted access to health services, (2) disrupted access to medical cannabis due to the pandemic, and (3) mixed impact of chronic pain on social isolation and mental health. Due to increased barriers to health care in general and to medical cannabis specifically, participants reduced medical cannabis use, stopped use, or substituted medical cannabis with unregulated cannabis. Living with chronic pain both prepared participants for the pandemic and made the pandemic more difficult.

CONCLUSION

The COVID-19 pandemic amplified pre-existing challenges and barriers to care, including to medical cannabis, among people with chronic pain. Understanding pandemic-era barriers may inform policies in ongoing and future public health emergencies.

Factors Associated with Medical Cannabis Use After Certification: A Three-Month Longitudinal Study

Background: Over the past decade, there has been increased utilization of medical cannabis (MC) in the United States. Few studies have described sociodemographic and clinical factors associated with MC use after certification and more specifically, factors associated with use of MC products with different cannabinoid profiles. Methods: We conducted a longitudinal cohort study of adults (N=225) with chronic or severe pain on opioids who were newly certified for MC in New York State and enrolled in the study between November 2018 and January 2022. We collected data over participants' first 3 months in the study, from web-based assessment of MC use every 2 weeks (unit of analysis). We used generalized estimating equation models to examine associations of sociodemographic and clinical factors with (1) MC use (vs. no MC use) and (2) use of MC products with different cannabinoid profiles. Results: On average, 29% of the participants used predominantly high delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) MC products within the first 3 months of follow-up, 30% used other MC products, and 41% did not use MC products. Non-Hispanic White race, pain at multiple sites, and past 30-day sedative use were associated with a higher likelihood of MC use (vs. no MC use). Current tobacco use, unregulated cannabis use, and enrollment in the study during the COVID-19 pandemic were associated with a lower likelihood of MC use (vs. no MC use). Among participants reporting MC use, female gender and older age were associated with a lower likelihood of using predominantly high-THC MC products (vs. other MC products). Conclusion: White individuals were more likely to use MC after certification, which may be owing to access and cost issues. The findings that sedative use was associated with greater MC use, but tobacco and unregulated cannabis were associated with less MC use, may imply synergism and substitution that warrant further research. From the policy perspective, additional measures are needed to ensure equitable availability of and access to MC. Health practitioners should check patients' history and current use of sedative, tobacco, and unregulated cannabis before providing an MC recommendation and counsel patients on safe cannabis use. clinicaltrials.gov (NCT03268551).

More intensive hepatitis C virus care models promote adherence among people who inject drugs with active drug use: The PREVAIL study

Adequate adherence to medications for hepatitis C infection (HCV) among people who inject drugs (PWID) is crucial for cure. However, active drug use may interfere with optimal adherence. Using data from the PREVAIL study that randomized three models of care with different levels of intensity—modified directly observed therapy (mDOT), groups therapy (GT), or standard individual therapy (SIT)—we examined whether more intensive care models such as mDOT or GT would also increase adherence among participants with active drug use compared to those without at baseline and during the entire treatment period. The daily adherence was measured using electronic blister packs available for analysis from N=147 participants. Drug use was ascertained by urine toxicology tests and defined in four ways: at baseline, and ever, frequent, and concurrent use during treatment period. Regardless of how drug use was defined, adherence of drug users was the greatest in mDOT, the lowest in SIT, and middle in GT. For instance, adjusted adherence was significantly higher for participants with baseline drug use than those without in mDOT (86.6±3.9(SE) vs. 76.8±4.3, p=.035) but significantly lower for those with baseline drug use in SIT (64.7±4.1 vs. 79.1±4.2, p=.003). Among non-drug users, there was no such clear dose-response relationship between intensity levels of care and adherence. In conclusion, more intensive care models should be implemented to promote adherence and mitigate the potential negative effect of drug use on adherence among PWID living with HCV.

Sex Differences in Comorbid Mental and Substance Use Disorders Among Primary Care Patients With Opioid Use Disorder

OBJECTIVE

The authors sought to characterize the 3-year prevalence of mental disorders and nonnicotine substance use disorders among male and female primary care patients with documented opioid use disorder across large U.S. health systems.

METHODS

This retrospective study used 2014-2016 data from patients ages ≥16 years in six health systems. Diagnoses were obtained from electronic health records or claims data; opioid use disorder treatment with buprenorphine or injectable extended-release naltrexone was determined through prescription and procedure data. Adjusted prevalence of comorbid conditions among patients with opioid use disorder (with or without treatment), stratified by sex, was estimated by fitting logistic regression models for each condition and applying marginal standardization.

RESULTS

Females (53.2%, N=7,431) and males (46.8%, N=6,548) had a similar prevalence of opioid use disorder. Comorbid mental disorders among those with opioid use disorder were more prevalent among females (86.4% vs. 74.3%, respectively), whereas comorbid other substance use disorders (excluding nicotine) were more common among males (51.9% vs. 60.9%, respectively). These differences held for those receiving medication treatment for opioid use disorder, with mental disorders being more common among treated females (83% vs. 71%) and other substance use disorders more common among treated males (68% vs. 63%). Among patients with a single mental health condition comorbid with opioid use disorder, females were less likely than males to receive medication treatment for opioid use disorder (15% vs. 20%, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

The high rate of comorbid conditions among patients with opioid use disorder indicates a strong need to supply primary care providers with adequate resources for integrated opioid use disorder treatment.

A pilot randomized controlled trial of smartphone-assisted mindfulness-based intervention with contingency management for smokers with mood disorders

Cigarette smoking disproportionately affects individuals with mood disorders, but smoking cessation interventions have modest effects in this population. Home mindfulness practice during abstinence incentivized via contingency management (CM) may help those in affective distress quit smoking.

METHOD

Adult smokers receiving outpatient psychiatric treatment for mood disorders were randomized to receive a smartphone-assisted mindfulness-based smoking cessation intervention with contingency management (SMI-CM, n = 25) or enhanced standard treatment (EST, n = 24) with noncontingent rewards. Participants in SMI-CM were prompted to practice audio-guided mindfulness five times per day for 38 days (vs. no comparison intervention in EST), and received monetary incentives for carbon monoxide (CO) ≤ 6 ppm. The primary outcome was biochemically verified 7-day point prevalence abstinence rates 2, 4, and 13 weeks after a target quit day.

RESULTS

Of the 49 participants, 63.3% were Latinx and 30.6% Black; 75.5% reported household incomes < $25,000. Abstinence rates for SMI-CM were 40.0%, 36.0%, and 16.0% versus 4.2%, 8.3%, and 4.2% in EST at weeks 2, 4, and 13. A generalized estimating equations (GEE) model showed significant overall differences in abstinence rates in SMI-CM versus EST (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 8.12, 95% CI = 1.42-46.6, p = .019). Those who received SMI-CM reported significantly greater reduction in smoking-specific experiential avoidance from baseline to 3 days prior to quit date (β = -7.21, 95% CI = -12.1-2.33, p = .006).

CONCLUSIONS

SMI-CM may increase cessation rates among smokers with mood disorders, potentially through reduced smoking-specific experiential avoidance. SMI-CM is a promising intervention, and warrants investigation in a fully powered randomized controlled trial (RCT). (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

HIV And HCV adherence and treatment outcomes among people who inject drugs receiving opioid agonist therapy

Among people who inject drugs (PWID), 60% have HCV and 50-90% of HIV-infected PWID are co-infected with HCV. Data comparing adherence to direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy among HCV mono-infected and HIV/HCV co-infected PWID is limited. The impact of HCV treatment initiation on HIV antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence is also poorly understood. We assessed DAA adherence in HCV mono-infected and HIV/HCV co-infected PWID and examined changes in ART adherence and HIV outcomes following HCV treatment. Study was conducted in three Medication for Opioid use Disorder (MOUD) programs in Bronx, New York. HCV treatment adherence was measured using electronic blister packs. 2-week DAA adherence rates were compared and controlled for study arm, psychiatric illness and alcohol intoxication within the past 30 days. ART adherence was measured using participant self-report and dichotomized to "excellent" or "other". ART adherence, CD4 count, and HIV viral load were identified six months prior to, during, and six months after HCV treatment. Statistical significance was assessed with mixed-effects regression linear or logistic models. Overall DAA adherence rates among HCV mono-infected and HIV/HCV co-infected PWID were 74% (95% CI=71-78%) and 76% (95%CI=70-83%), respectively (p=.55). There were no significant changes in ART adherence, CD4 counts, or HIV viral loads prior to, during, or after HCV treatment. This is the first study assessing the impact of DAA therapy on ART adherence and HIV treatment outcomes among PWID. It is one of the first to compare DAA adherence among HCV and HIV/HCV co-infected PWID. Our data demonstrate no significant difference in DAA adherence and no significant impact of HCV treatment on ART adherence or HIV outcomes.

Increasing Access to Safe Medical Cannabis: Establishment of a Medical Cannabis Program in a Safety-Net Academic Medical Center

Despite numerous challenges, Montefiore Medical Center in New York City implemented a program aimed at providing comprehensive, evidence-based medical cannabis certifications to patients, including those who have been historically disenfranchised, and shares insights from five years of operation.

Clinical Approaches to Cannabis: A Narrative Review

Cannabis use in the United States is growing at an unprecedented pace. Most states in the United States have legalized medical cannabis use, and many have legalized nonmedical cannabis use. In this setting, health care professionals will increasingly see more patients who have questions about cannabis use, its utility for medical conditions, and the risks of its use. This narrative review provides an overview of the background, pharmacology, therapeutic use, and potential complications of cannabis.

First-Year Trajectories of Medical Cannabis Use Among Adults Taking Opioids for Chronic Pain: An Observational Cohort Study

OBJECTIVE

To describe first-year trajectories of medical cannabis use and identify characteristics associated with patterns of use in a cohort of adults using opioids for chronic pain.

DESIGN

Latent class trajectory analysis of a prospective cohort study using data on the 14-day frequency of medical cannabis use.

SETTING

A large academic medical center and four medical cannabis dispensaries in the New York City metropolitan area.

SUBJECTS

Adults with chronic pain using opioids and newly certified for medical cannabis in New York between 2018 and 2020.

METHODS

Using latent class trajectory analysis, we identified clusters of participants based on the 14-day frequency of medical cannabis use. We used logistic regression to determine factors associated with cluster membership, including sociodemographic characteristics, pain, substance use, and mental health symptoms.

RESULTS

Among 99 participants, the mean age was 53 years; 62% were women, and 52% were White. We identified three clusters of medical cannabis use: infrequent use (n = 30, mean use = 1.5 days/14-day period), occasional use (n = 28, mean = 5.7 days/14-day period), and frequent use (n = 41, mean = 12.1 days/14-day period). Within clusters, use patterns did not vary significantly over 52 weeks. Differences were observed in two sociodemographic variables: Frequent (vs infrequent) use was associated with non-Hispanic White race/ethnicity (adjusted odds ratio 4.54, 95% confidence interval 1.49-14.29), while occasional (vs infrequent) use was associated with employment (adjusted odds ratio 13.84, 95% confidence interval 1.21-158.74).

CONCLUSIONS

Three clusters of medical cannabis use patterns emerged and were stable over time. Results suggest that structural factors related to race/ethnicity and employment may be major drivers of medical cannabis use, even among adults certified for its use.

Pain catastrophizing and mental health phenotypes in adults with refractory chronic pain: A latent class analysis

Chronic pain, pain catastrophizing, and mental health disorders such as anxiety or depression frequently occur together and are challenging to treat. To help understand the relationship between these conditions, we sought to identify distinct phenotypes associated with worse pain and function. In a cohort of people with chronic pain on opioids seeking medical cannabis in New York, we conducted latent class analysis to identify clusters of participants based on pain catastrophizing and mental health symptoms of depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). We then compared clusters with respect to sociodemographic and clinical characteristics using descriptive statistics. Among 185 participants, we identified four discrete groups: low pain catastrophizing and low mental health symptoms (49% of participants), low pain catastrophizing and ADHD-predominant mental health symptoms (11%), high pain catastrophizing and anxiety-predominant mental health symptoms (11%), and high pain catastrophizing and high mental health symptoms (30%). The group with high pain catastrophizing and high mental health symptoms had the worst pain intensity and interference, disability, insomnia, and quality of life, compared to the two groups with lower pain catastrophizing, though not all differences were statistically significant. Our findings highlight the importance of identifying and addressing pain catastrophizing in patients with comorbid chronic pain and mental health symptoms.

Underrepresentation of diverse populations and clinical characterization in opioid agonist treatment research: A systematic review of the neurocognitive effects of buprenorphine and methadone treatment

INTRODUCTION

The relative neurocognitive effects of the two most common opioid agonist treatments (OAT; buprenorphine and methadone) for opioid use disorder (OUD) are poorly understood. The aim of this systematic review is to examine the neurocognitive effects of OAT (buprenorphine and methadone) and the clinical and sociodemographic characteristics of study samples.

METHODS

The research team queried PubMed, PsycINFO and Cochrane Reviews for articles (01/1980-01/2020) with terms related to neurocognitive testing in adults (age ≥ 18) prescribed OAT. The team extracted neurocognitive data and grouped them by domain (e.g., executive functioning, learning/memory), and assessed study quality.

RESULTS

The search retrieved 2341 abstracts, the team reviewed 278 full articles, and 32 met inclusion criteria. Of these, 31 were observational designs and one was an experimental design. Healthy controls performed better across neurocognitive domains than OAT-treated persons (buprenorphine or methadone). Compared to those with active OUD, OAT-treated persons had better neurocognition in various domains. However, in seven studies comparing buprenorphine- and methadone-treated persons, buprenorphine was associated with better neurocognition than was methadone, with moderate to large effect sizes in executive functioning, attention/working memory, and learning/memory. Additionally, OAT research underreports clinical characteristics and underrepresents Black and Latinx adults, as well as women.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings suggest that compared to active opioid use, both buprenorphine and methadone treatment are associated with better neurocognitive functioning, but buprenorphine is associated with better executive functioning, attention/working memory, and learning/memory. These findings should be interpreted with caution given widespread methodological heterogeneity, and limited representation of ethnoracially diverse adults and women. Rigorous longitudinal comparisons with more diverse, better characterized samples will help to inform treatment and policy recommendations for persons with OUD.

Hepatitis C Resistance-Associated Substitutions Among People Who Inject Drugs Treated With Direct-Acting Antiviral-Containing Regimens

BACKGROUND

Resistance-associated substitutions (RASs) to HCV direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) can contribute to virologic failure and limit retreatment options. People who inject drugs (PWID) are at highest risk for transmission of resistant virus. We report on RASs at baseline and after virologic failure in DAA-naive and protease inhibitor-experienced PWID.

METHODS

We sequenced the NS3/4A, NS5A, and NS5B regions from 150 PWID with genotype 1 (GT1) viruses; 128 (85.3%) GT1a, 22 (14.7%) GT1b.

RESULTS

Among the 139 (92.7%) DAA-naive PWID, 85 of 139 (61.2%) had baseline RASs-67 of 139 (48.2%) in NS3 (predominantly Q80K/L); 25 of 139 (18.0%) in NS5A; and 8 of 139 (5.8%) in NS5B. Of the 11 protease inhibitor-experienced participants, 9 had baseline NS3 RASs (V36L N = 1, Q80K N = 9) and 4 had baseline NS5A RASs (M28V N = 2, H58P N = 1, A92T N = 1). Among the 11 participants who had posttreatment samples with detectable virus (7 treatment failures, 1 late relapse, 3 reinfections), 1 sofosbuvir/ledipasvir failure had a baseline H58P. Two sofosbuvir/ledipasvir-treated participants developed new NS5A mutations (Q30H, Y93H, L31M/V). Otherwise, no RASs were detected.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results demonstrate RAS prevalence among DAA-naive PWID is comparable to that in the general population. Only 2 of 150 (1.3%) in our longitudinal cohort developed treatment-emergent RASs. Concern for transmission of resistant virus may therefore be minimal.

Analysis of State Cannabis Laws and Dispensary Staff Recommendations to Adults Purchasing Medical Cannabis

IMPORTANCE

Over the last decade, cannabis has become more accessible through the proliferation of dispensaries in states that have legalized its use. Most patients using cannabis for medical purposes report getting advice from dispensaries, yet there has been little exploration of frontline dispensary staff practices.

OBJECTIVE

To describe the practices of frontline dispensary workers who interact with customers purchasing cannabis for medical purposes and assess whether dispensary practices are associated with medicalization of state cannabis laws (degree to which they resemble regulation of prescription or over-the-counter drugs) and statewide adult use.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

This nationwide cross-sectional survey study was conducted from February 13, 2020, to October 2, 2020, using an online survey tool. Potential respondents were eligible if they reported working in a dispensary that sells tetrahydrocannabinol-containing products and interacting with customers about cannabis purchases.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

Participant responses to questions about formulating customer recommendations and talking to customers about risks.

RESULTS

The 434 survey responses from 351 unique dispensaries were most often completed by individuals who identified as budtenders (40%), managers (32%), and pharmacists (13%). Most respondents reported basing customer recommendations on the customer's medical condition (74%), the experiences of other customers (70%), the customer's prior experience with cannabis (67%), and the respondent's personal experience (63%); fewer respondents relied on clinician input (40%), cost (45%), or inventory (12%). Most respondents routinely advised customers about safe storage and common adverse effects, but few counseled customers about cannabis use disorder, withdrawal, motor vehicle collision risk, or psychotic reactions. A higher state medicalization score was significantly associated with using employer training (odds ratio, 1.41; 95% CI, 1.18-1.67) and physician or clinician input (odds ratio, 1.23; 95% CI, 1.05-1.43) as a basis for recommendation. Medicalization score was not associated with counseling about cannabis risks.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

This survey study provides insight into how frontline dispensary staff base cannabis recommendations and counsel about risks. The findings may have utility for clinicians to counsel patients who purchase cannabis, customers who want to be prepared for a dispensary visit, and policy makers whose decisions affect cannabis laws.

Documented opioid use disorder and its treatment in primary care patients across six U.S. health systems

BACKGROUND

The United States is in the middle of an opioid overdose epidemic, and experts are calling for improved detection of opioid use disorders (OUDs) and treatment with buprenorphine or extended release (XR) injectable naltrexone, which can be prescribed in general medical settings. To better understand the magnitude of opportunities for treatment among primary care (PC) patients, we estimated the prevalence of documented OUD and medication treatment of OUD among PC patients.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study included patients with ≥2 visits to PC clinics across 6 healthcare delivery systems who were ≥16 years of age during the study period (fiscal years 2014-2016). Diagnoses, prescriptions, and healthcare utilization were ascertained from electronic health records and insurance claims (5 systems that also offer health insurance). Documented OUDs were defined as ≥1 International Classification of Diseases code for OUDs (active or remission), and OUD treatment was defined as ≥1 prescription(s) for buprenorphine formulations indicated for OUD or naltrexone XR, during the 3-year study period. The prevalence of documented OUD and treatment (95% confidence intervals) across health systems were estimated, and characteristics of patients by treatment status were compared. Prevalence of OUD and OUD treatment were adjusted for age, gender, and race/ethnicity. Combined results were also adjusted for site.

RESULT

Among 1,403,327 eligible PC patients, 54-62% were female and mean age ranged from 46 to 51 years across health systems. The 3-year prevalence of documented OUD ranged from 0.7-1.4% across the health systems. Among patients with documented OUD, the prevalence of medication treatment (primarily buprenorphine) varied across health systems: 3%, 12%, 16%, 20%, 22%, and 36%.

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of documented OUD and OUD treatment among PC patients varied widely across health systems. The majority of PC patients with OUD did not have evidence of treatment with buprenorphine or naltrexone XR, highlighting opportunities for improved identification and treatment in medical settings. These results can inform initiatives aimed at improving treatment of OUD in PC. Future research should focus on why there is such variation and how much of the variation can be addressed by improving access to medication treatment.

Hepatitis C virus DAA treatment adherence patterns and SVR among people who inject drugs treated in opioid agonist therapy programs

BACKGROUND

Adequate medication adherence is critical for achieving sustained viral response (SVR) of hepatitis C virus (HCV) among people who inject drugs (PWID). However, it is less known which patterns of direct-acting antiviral (DAA) treatment adherence are associated with SVR in this population or what factors are associated with each pattern.

METHODS

The randomized three-arm PREVAIL study utilized electronic blister packs to obtain daily time frame adherence data in opiate agonist therapy program settings. Exact logistic regressions were applied to test the associations between SVR and six types of treatment adherence patterns.

RESULTS

Of the 113 participants treated with combination DAAs, 109 (96.5%) achieved SVR. SVR was significantly associated with all pattern parameters except for number of switches between adherent and missed days: total adherent daily doses (exact AOR=1.12; 95%CI=1.04-1.22), percent total doses (1.09; 1.03-1.16), days on treatment (1.16; 1.05-1.32), maximum consecutive adherent days (1.34; 1.06-2.04), maximum consecutive non-adherent days (.85; .74-.95=.003). SVR was significantly associated with total adherent doses in the first two months of treatment, it was not in the last month. Compared to White participants (30.7±11.8(se)), Black (18.4±7.8) and Hispanic participants (19.2±6.1) had significantly shorter maximum consecutive adherent days. While alcohol intoxication was significantly associated with frequent switches, drug use was not associated with any adherence pattern.

CONCLUSION

Consistent maintenance of adequate total dose adherence over the entire course of HCV treatment is important in achieving SVR among PWID. Additional integrative addiction and medical care may be warranted for treating PWID experiencing alcohol intoxication.

Effect of varenicline directly observed therapy versus varenicline self-administered therapy on varenicline adherence and smoking cessation in methadone-maintained smokers: a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Level of adherence to tobacco cessation medication regimens is believed to be causally related to medication effectiveness. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of varenicline directly observed therapy (DOT) on varenicline adherence and smoking cessation rates among smokers with opioid use disorder (OUD) receiving methadone treatment.

DESIGN

Multicenter, parallel-group two-arm randomized controlled trial.

SETTING

Urban opioid treatment program (OTP) in the Bronx, New York, USA.

PARTICIPANTS

Daily smokers of ≥ 5 cigarettes/day, interested in quitting (ladder of change score 6-8), in methadone treatment for ≥ 3 months, attending OTP ≥ 3 days/week. Participants' mean age was 49 years, 56% were male, 44% Latino, 30% Black, and they smoked a median of 10 cigarettes/day.

INTERVENTIONS

Individual, block, random assignment to 12 weeks of varenicline, either directly observed with methadone (DOT, n = 50) or via unsupervised self-administered treatment (SAT, n = 50).

MEASUREMENTS

The primary outcome was adherence measured by pill count. The secondary outcome was 7-day point prevalence tobacco abstinence verified by expired carbon monoxide (CO) < 8 parts per million.

FINDINGS

Retention at 24 weeks was 92%. Mean adherence was 78.5% [95% confidence interval (CI) = 71.8-85.2%] in the DOT group versus 61.8% in the SAT group (95% CI = 55.0-68.6%); differences were driven by DOT effects in the first 6 weeks. CO-verified abstinence did not differ between groups during the intervention (P = 0.26), but was higher in the DOT than the SAT group at intervention end (DOT = 18% versus SAT = 10%, difference = 8%, 95% CI = -13, 28); this difference was not significant (P = 0.39) and was not sustained at 24-week follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

Among daily smokers attending opioid treatment programs, opioid treatment program-based varenicline directly observed therapy was associated with early increases in varenicline adherence compared with self-administered treatment, but findings were inconclusive as to whether directly observed therapy was associated with a difference in tobacco abstinence.

Prevalence and Medication Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder Among Primary Care Patients with Hepatitis C and HIV

BACKGROUND

Hepatitis C and HIV are associated with opioid use disorders (OUD) and injection drug use. Medications for OUD can prevent the spread of HCV and HIV.

OBJECTIVE

To describe the prevalence of documented OUD, as well as receipt of office-based medication treatment, among primary care patients with HCV or HIV.

DESIGN

Retrospective observational cohort study using electronic health record and insurance data.

PARTICIPANTS

Adults ≥ 18 years with ≥ 2 visits to primary care during the study (2014-2016) at 6 healthcare systems across five states (CO, CA, OR, WA, and MN).

MAIN MEASURES

The primary outcome was the diagnosis of OUD; the secondary outcome was OUD treatment with buprenorphine or oral/injectable naltrexone. Prevalence of OUD and OUD treatment was calculated across four groups: HCV only; HIV only; HCV and HIV; and neither HCV nor HIV. In addition, adjusted odds ratios (AOR) of OUD treatment associated with HCV and HIV (separately) were estimated, adjusting for age, gender, race/ethnicity, and site.

KEY RESULTS

The sample included 1,368,604 persons, of whom 10,042 had HCV, 5821 HIV, and 422 both. The prevalence of diagnosed OUD varied across groups: 11.9% (95% CI: 11.3%, 12.5%) for those with HCV; 1.6% (1.3%, 2.0%) for those with HIV; 8.8% (6.2%, 11.9%) for those with both; and 0.92% (0.91%, 0.94%) among those with neither. Among those with diagnosed OUD, the prevalence of OUD medication treatment was 20.9%, 16.0%, 10.8%, and 22.3%, for those with HCV, HIV, both, and neither, respectively. HCV was not associated with OUD treatment (AOR = 1.03; 0.88, 1.21), whereas patients with HIV had a lower probability of OUD treatment (AOR = 0.43; 0.26, 0.72).

CONCLUSIONS

Among patients receiving primary care, those diagnosed with HCV and HIV were more likely to have documented OUD than those without. Patients with HIV were less likely to have documented medication treatment for OUD.

How medical are states' medical cannabis policies?: Proposing a standardized scale

BACKGROUND

There are important differences in medical cannabis laws across the U.S.. However, prior studies investigating the effect of medical cannabis laws on outcomes disregard this heterogeneity. Findings from the body of literature using a simple dichotomous assessment of whether a particular state has enacted a medical cannabis law are equivocal or conflicting. To advance the science, a national advisory group of experts in medical cannabis developed and utilized a systematic methodology, the "medicalization of cannabis laws standardized scale" (MCLaSS), to characterize and quantify state laws' degree of medicalization, the extent to which medical cannabis is treated similarly to pharmaceutical medications.

METHODS

We conducted a systematic review of state-level medical cannabis laws in the U.S. Using the novel MCLaSS, we calculated seven domain scores (patient-clinician relationship, manufacturing and testing, product labeling, types of products, supply and dose limit, prescription drug monitoring program, and dispensing practices) and a summary score for each state which had enacted medical cannabis laws as of July 2019.

RESULTS

There is substantial heterogeneity in the degree of medicalization of states' medical cannabis laws, as demonstrated by the MCLaSS summary score, which ranged from 23 (least medicalized) to 86 (most medicalized).

CONCLUSION

This methodology will advance the evidence base about the impact of medical cannabis laws on patient and public health outcomes, which is urgently needed to ensure the development of policies that minimize the risks and maximize the benefits of medical cannabis.

High HCV cure rates among people who inject drugs and have suboptimal adherence: A patient-centered approach to HCV models of care

BACKGROUND

Though people who inject drugs (PWID) make up the majority of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) epidemic, concerns about adherence often exclude PWID from receiving direct-acting antiviral (DAA) medication. The most effective models of HCV care to promote sustained virologic response (SVR) and high adherence need to be evaluated.

METHODS

We conducted a prospective cohort study in three opioid treatment programs (OTPs) in the Bronx, NY. Participants, in collaboration with providers, chose one of three models of onsite care: directly observed therapy (mDOT), group treatment (GT), or self-administered individual treatment (SIT).  SVR12, daily adherence, and participant characteristics were compared between groups.

RESULTS

Of 61 participants, the majority were male (62%) and Latino (67%), with a mean age of 53 (SD 9). Participants received DAAs via one of three models of care: mDOT (21%), GT (25%), or SIT (54%). The majority (59%) used illicit drugs during treatment. Overall, SVR12 was 98% with no differences between models of care: mDOT (100%), GT (100%), and SIT (97%) (p = 1.0). Overall, daily adherence was 73% (SD 16); 86% among those who chose mDOT compared to 71% among those who chose GT (p<0.01) and 73% among those who chose SIT (p<0.01).

CONCLUSION

Despite ongoing illicit drug use and suboptimal adherence, SVR12 was high among PWID treated onsite at an OTP using any one of three models of care. Shared decision making in real world settings may be key to choosing the appropriate model of care for PWID.

Treatment with buprenorphine prior to EcoHIV infection of mice prevents the development of neurocognitive impairment

Approximately 15-40% of people living with HIV develop HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders, HAND, despite successful antiretroviral therapy. There are no therapies to treat these disorders. HIV enters the CNS early after infection, in part by transmigration of infected monocytes. Currently, there is a major opioid epidemic in the United States. Opioid use disorder in the context of HIV infection is important because studies show that opioids exacerbate HIV-mediated neuroinflammation that may contribute to more severe cognitive deficits. Buprenorphine is an opioid derivate commonly prescribed for opiate agonist treatment. We used the EcoHIV mouse model to study the effects of buprenorphine on cognitive impairment and to correlate these with monocyte migration into the CNS. We show that buprenorphine treatment prior to mouse EcoHIV infection prevents the development of cognitive impairment, in part, by decreased accumulation of monocytes in the brain. We propose that buprenorphine has a novel therapeutic benefit of limiting the development of neurocognitive impairment in HIV-infected opioid abusers as well as in nonabusers, in addition to decreasing the use of harmful opioids. Buprenorphine may also be used in combination with HIV prevention strategies such as pre-exposure prophylaxis because of its safety profile.

New normal: caring for hospitalised patients in the Bronx, New York, during COVID-19

The Bronx, New York, is the poorest congressional district in the United States and has the highest COVID‐19 infection rate in New York City. COVID‐19 has led to major changes in our healthcare system, including heightened infection‐control practices, novel staffing patterns and widespread social distancing. In this article, we describe how our experience with inpatient care has changed in the wake of COVID‐19.

Medical Marijuana and Opioids (MEMO) Study: protocol of a longitudinal cohort study to examine if medical cannabis reduces opioid use among adults with chronic pain

INTRODUCTION

In the USA, opioid analgesic use and overdoses have increased dramatically. One rapidly expanding strategy to manage chronic pain in the context of this epidemic is medical cannabis. Cannabis has analgesic effects, but it also has potential adverse effects. Further, its impact on opioid analgesic use is not well studied. Managing pain in people living with HIV is particularly challenging, given the high prevalence of opioid analgesic and cannabis use. This study's overarching goal is to understand how medical cannabis use affects opioid analgesic use, with attention to Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol content, HIV outcomes and adverse events.

METHODS AND ANALYSES

We are conducting a cohort study of 250 adults with and without HIV infection with (a) severe or chronic pain, (b) current opioid use and (c) who are newly certified for medical cannabis in New York. Over 18 months, we collect data via in-person visits every 3 months and web-based questionnaires every 2 weeks. Data sources include: questionnaires; medical, pharmacy and Prescription Monitoring Program records; urine and blood samples; and physical function tests. Using marginal structural models and comparisons within participants' 2-week time periods (unit of analysis), we will examine how medical cannabis use (primary exposure) affects (1) opioid analgesic use (primary outcome), (2) HIV outcomes (HIV viral load, CD4 count, antiretroviral adherence, HIV risk behaviours) and (3) adverse events (cannabis use disorder, illicit drug use, diversion, overdose/deaths, accidents/injuries, acute care utilisation).

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

This study is approved by the Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine institutional review board. Findings will be disseminated through conferences, peer-reviewed publications and meetings with medical cannabis stakeholders.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

ClinicalTrials.gov Registry (NCT03268551); Pre-results.

Impact of an Opt-In eConsult Program on Primary Care Demand for Specialty Visits: Stepped-Wedge Cluster Randomized Implementation Study

BACKGROUND

eConsult programs have been instituted to increase access to specialty expertise. Opt-in choice eConsult programs maintain primary care physician (PCP) autonomy to decide whether to utilize eConsults versus traditional specialty referrals, but little is known about how this intervention may impact PCP eConsult adoption and traditional referral demand.

OBJECTIVE

We assessed the feasibility of implementing an opt-in choice eConsult program and examined whether this intervention reduces demand for in-person visits for primary care patients requiring specialty expertise.

DESIGN

Stepped-wedge, cluster randomized trial conducted from July 2018 to June 2019.

PARTICIPANTS

Sixteen primary care practices in a large, urban academic health care system.

INTERVENTION

Our intervention was an opt-in choice eConsult available in addition to traditional specialty referral; our implementation strategy included in-person training, audit and feedback, and incentive payments.

MAIN MEASURES

Our implementation outcome measure was the eConsult rate: weekly proportion of eConsults per PCP visit at each site. Our intervention outcome measure was traditional referral rate: weekly proportion of referrals per PCP visit at each site. We also assessed PCP experiences with questionnaires.

KEY RESULTS

Of 305,915 in-person PCP visits, there were 31,510 traditional referrals to specialties participating in the eConsult program, and 679 eConsults. All but one primary care site utilized the opt-in choice eConsult program, with a weekly rate of 0.05 eConsults per 100 PCP visits by the end of the study period. The weekly rate of traditional referrals was 11 per 100 PCP visits at the end of the study period; this represents a significant increase in traditional referral rate after implementation of eConsults. PCPs were generally satisfied with the eConsult program and valued prompt provider-to-provider communication.

CONCLUSIONS

Implementation of an opt-in choice eConsult program resulted in widespread PCP adoption; however, this did not decrease the demand for traditional referrals. Future studies should evaluate different strategies to incentivize and increase eConsult utilization while maintaining PCP choice.

Toward better preparedness for the next pandemic

New York City has been described as the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. While health care workers are notably at increased risk for COVID-19 infection, the impact on resident physicians remains unclear. In this issue of the JCI, Breazzano et al. surveyed resident physicians for their exposure to COVID-19 during the exponential phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. The researchers also assessed how personal protective equipment and COVID-19 testing protected health care workers from infection. This study highlights resident physician experiences of the first COVID-19 wave that can inform and improve preparedness for upcoming COVID-19 surges and other future epidemics.

Evaluation of Algorithms Used for PrEP Surveillance Using a Reference Population From New York City, July 2016-June 2018

OBJECTIVE

Daily tenofovir disoproxil fumarate/emtricitabine (TDF/FTC) use as HIV preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is monitored by identifying TDF/FTC prescriptions from pharmacy databases and applying diagnosis codes and antiretroviral data to algorithms that exclude TDF/FTC prescribed for HIV postexposure prophylaxis (PEP), HIV treatment, and hepatitis B virus (HBV) treatment. We evaluated the accuracy of 3 algorithms used by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Gilead Sciences, and the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) using a reference population in Bronx, New York.

METHODS

We extracted diagnosis codes and data on all antiretroviral prescriptions other than TDF/FTC from an electronic health record database for persons aged ≥16 prescribed TDF/FTC during July 2016-June 2018 at Montefiore Medical Center. We reviewed medical records to classify the true indication of first TDF/FTC use as PrEP, PEP, HIV treatment, or HBV treatment. We applied each algorithm to the reference population and compared the results with the medical record review.

RESULTS

Of 2862 patients included in the analysis, 694 used PrEP, 748 used PEP, 1407 received HIV treatment, and 13 received HBV treatment. The algorithms had high specificity (range: 98.4%-99.0%), but the sensitivity of the CDC algorithm using a PEP definition of TDF/FTC prescriptions ≤30 days was lower (80.3%) than the sensitivity of the algorithms developed by Gilead Sciences (94.7%) or NYSDOH (96.1%). Defining PEP as TDF/FTC prescriptions ≤28 days improved CDC algorithm performance (sensitivity, 95.8%; specificity, 98.8%).

CONCLUSIONS

Adopting the definition of PEP as ≤28 days of TDF/FTC in the CDC algorithm should improve the accuracy of national PrEP surveillance.

Prevalence and treatment of opioid use disorders among primary care patients in six health systems

BACKGROUND

The U.S. experienced nearly 48,000 opioid overdose deaths in 2017. Treatment of opioid use disorder (OUD) with buprenorphine is a recommended part of primary care, yet little is known about current U.S. practices in this setting. This observational study reports the prevalence of documented OUD and OUD treatment with buprenorphine among primary care patients in six large health systems.

METHODS

Adults with ≥2 primary care visits during a three-year period (10/1/2013-9/30/2016) in six health systems were included. Data were obtained from electronic health record and claims data, with measures, assessed over the three-year period, including indicators for documented OUD from ICD 9 and 10 codes and OUD treatment with buprenorphine. The prevalence of OUD treatment was adjusted for age, gender, race/ethnicity, and health system.

RESULTS

Among 1,368,604 primary care patients, 13,942 (1.0 %) had documented OUD, and among these, 21.0 % had OUD treatment with buprenorphine. For those with documented OUD, the adjusted prevalence of OUD treatment with buprenorphine varied across demographic and clinical subgroups. OUD treatment was lower among patients who were older, women, Black/African American and Hispanic (compared to white), non-commercially insured, and those with non-cancer pain, mental health disorders, greater comorbidity, and more opioid prescriptions, emergency department visits or hospitalizations.

CONCLUSIONS

Among primary care patients in six health systems, one in five with an OUD were treated with buprenorphine, with disparities across demographic and clinical characteristics. Less buprenorphine treatment among those with greater acute care utilization highlights an opportunity for systems-level changes to increase OUD treatment.

Use of Cannabis to Relieve Pain and Promote Sleep by Customers at an Adult Use Dispensary

Medical cannabis patients consistently report using cannabis as a substitute for prescription medications; however, little is known about individuals accessing cannabis through adult-use markets. A survey at two retail stores was conducted in Colorado, United States. Between August 2016 and October 2016, store staff asked customers if they wanted to participate and, if so, provided an electronic survey link. All customers reporting medical certification were excluded. Of 1,000 adult-use only customer respondents, 65% reported taking cannabis to relieve pain and 74% reported taking cannabis to promote sleep. Among respondents taking cannabis for pain, 80% reported that it was very or extremely helpful, and most of those taking over-the-counter pain medications (82%) or opioid analgesics (88%) reported reducing or stopping use of those medications. Among respondents taking cannabis for sleep, 84% found it very or extremely helpful, and most of those taking over-the-counter (87%) or prescription sleep aids (83%) reported reducing or stopping use of those medications. De facto medical use of cannabis for symptom relief was common among adult-use dispensary customers and the majority reported that cannabis decreased their medication use. Adult use cannabis laws may broaden access to cannabis for the purpose of symptom relief.

Intensive Models of Hepatitis C Care for People Who Inject Drugs Receiving Opioid Agonist Therapy: A Randomized Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND

Many people who inject drugs (PWID) are denied treatment for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, even if they are receiving opioid agonist therapy (OAT). Research suggests that HCV in PWID may be treated effectively, but optimal models of care for promoting adherence and sustained virologic response (SVR) have not been evaluated in the direct-acting antiviral (DAA) era.

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether directly observed therapy (DOT) and group treatment (GT) are more effective than self-administered individual treatment (SIT) in promoting adherence and achieving SVR among PWID receiving OAT.

DESIGN

Three-group, randomized controlled trial conducted from October 2013 to April 2017. (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01857245).

SETTING

Three OAT programs in Bronx, New York.

PARTICIPANTS

Persons aged 18 years and older with genotype 1 HCV infection who were willing to receive HCV therapy on site in the OAT program. Of 190 persons screened, 158 were randomly assigned to a study group and 150 initiated treatment: DOT (n = 51), GT (n = 48), and SIT (n = 51).

INTERVENTION

2 intensive interventions (DOT and GT) and 1 control condition (SIT).

MEASUREMENTS

Primary: adherence, measured by using electronic blister packs. Secondary: HCV treatment completion and SVR 12 weeks after treatment completion.

RESULTS

Mean age was 51 years; 65% of participants had positive results on urine drug testing during the 6 months before treatment, and 75% reported ever injecting drugs. Overall adherence, estimated from mixed-effects models using the daily timeframe, was 78% (95% CI, 75% to 81%) and was greater among participants randomly assigned to DOT (86% [CI, 80% to 92%]) than those assigned to SIT (75% [CI, 70% to 81%]; difference, 11% [CI, 5% to 18%]; Bonferroni-corrected P = 0.001). No significant difference in adherence was observed between participants randomly assigned to GT (80% [CI, 74% to 86%]) and those assigned to SIT (difference, 4.7% [CI, -2% to 11%]; Bonferroni-corrected P = 0.29). The HCV treatment completion rate was 97%, with no differences among groups (P = 0.53). Overall SVR was 94% (CI, 89% to 97%); the SVR rate was 98% in the DOT group, 94% in the GT group, and 90% in the SIT group (P = 0.152).

LIMITATION

These findings may not be generalizable to PWID not enrolled in OAT programs.

CONCLUSION

All models of onsite HCV care delivered to PWID in OAT programs resulted in high SVR, despite ongoing drug use. Directly observed therapy was associated with greater adherence than SIT.

PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE

National Institute on Drug Abuse and Gilead Sciences.

Evaluation of contingency management as a strategy to improve HCV linkage to care and treatment in persons attending needle and syringe programs: A pilot study

BACKGROUND

A greater proportion of HCV-infected people who inject drugs (PWID) need to be linked to care for HCV antiviral treatment. This study sets out to evaluate the efficacy of contingency management (CM) for improving HCV linkage to care, treatment initiation, adherence, and cure for PWID recruited from a needle and syringe program.

METHODS

Between March 2015 and April 2016, 20 participants were enrolled into the CM arm, and then subsequently enrolled 20 participants in the enhanced standard of care (eSOC) arm. Participants in the eSOC arm received an expedited appointment and a round-trip transit card. Participants enrolled in the CM arm received eSOC plus $25 for up to ten HCV clinical visits and $10 for each returned weekly medication blister pack. Adherence was measured via electronic blister packs.

RESULTS

Overall the median age was 47 years; most were men (67%) and Hispanic (69%). There were no significant differences in demographic characteristics between participants in the study arms. In the CM arm 74% were linked to HCV care, compared to 30% in the eSOC arm (p = 0.01). In the CM arm, 75% (9/12) of treatment eligible participants initiated treatment, compared to 100%(4/4) in the eSOC arm (p = 0.53). All patients (9/9) achieved cure in the CM arm, as compared to 75% (3/4) of patients in the eSOC arm. There were no differences in adherence between study arms.

CONCLUSIONS

In this pilot study, contingency management led to higher rates of HCV linkage to care for PWID, as compared to standard of care. CM should be considered as a possible intervention to improve the HCV treatment cascade for PWID.

Preference option randomized design (PORD) for comparative effectiveness research: Statistical power for testing comparative effect, preference effect, selection effect, intent-to-treat effect, and overall effect

Comparative effectiveness research trials in real-world settings may require participants to choose between preferred intervention options. A randomized clinical trial with parallel experimental and control arms is straightforward and regarded as a gold standard design, but by design it forces and anticipates the participants to comply with a randomly assigned intervention regardless of their preference. Therefore, the randomized clinical trial may impose impractical limitations when planning comparative effectiveness research trials. To accommodate participants' preference if they are expressed, and to maintain randomization, we propose an alternative design that allows participants' preference after randomization, which we call a "preference option randomized design (PORD)". In contrast to other preference designs, which ask whether or not participants consent to the assigned intervention after randomization, the crucial feature of preference option randomized design is its unique informed consent process before randomization. Specifically, the preference option randomized design consent process informs participants that they can opt out and switch to the other intervention only if after randomization they actively express the desire to do so. Participants who do not independently express explicit alternate preference or assent to the randomly assigned intervention are considered to not have an alternate preference. In sum, preference option randomized design intends to maximize retention, minimize possibility of forced assignment for any participants, and to maintain randomization by allowing participants with no or equal preference to represent random assignments. This design scheme enables to define five effects that are interconnected with each other through common design parameters-comparative, preference, selection, intent-to-treat, and overall/as-treated-to collectively guide decision making between interventions. Statistical power functions for testing all these effects are derived, and simulations verified the validity of the power functions under normal and binomial distributions.

Empowering With PrEP (E-PrEP), a Peer-Led Social Media-Based Intervention to Facilitate HIV Preexposure Prophylaxis Adoption Among Young Black and Latinx Gay and Bisexual Men: Protocol for a Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial

Background

Young black and Latinx, gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (YBLGBM, aged 18-29 years) have among the highest rates of new HIV infections in the United States and are not consistently reached by existing prevention interventions. Preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP), an oral antiretroviral regimen taken daily by HIV-uninfected individuals to prevent HIV acquisition, is highly efficacious in reducing HIV acquisition and could help stop the HIV epidemic in YBLGBM. Use of social media (eg, Facebook, Twitter, online dating sites) is ubiquitous among young people, providing an efficient avenue to engage YBLGBM to facilitate PrEP adoption.

Objective

Our overall goal was to develop and pilot test a theoretically grounded, social media–based, peer-led intervention to increase PrEP uptake in YBLGBM. We used diffusion of innovation and information-motivation-behavioral skills frameworks to (1) identify potential factors associated with interest in and adoption of PrEP among YBLGBM; (2) develop Empowering with PrEP (E-PrEP), a social media–based, peer-led intervention to increase PrEP uptake in YBLGBM; and (3) pilot test the feasibility and acceptability of E-PrEP, and determine its preliminary efficacy for increasing adoption of PrEP by YBLGBM. We describe the development and protocol for E-PrEP.

Methods

Using a participatory research approach, we partnered with YBLGBM intervention development partners to develop a social media–based behavioral intervention to facilitate PrEP uptake, which involved an online messaging campaign disseminated by YBLGBM peer leaders to their existing online networks. We designed the 6-week campaign to provide education about PrEP, increase motivation to use PrEP, and facilitate access to PrEP. We then conducted a cluster-randomized trial of E-PrEP compared with an attention-matched general health control condition (E-Health) among YBLGBM aged 18 to 29 years to assess E-PrEP’s feasibility, acceptability, preliminary efficacy for increasing self-reported intention to use PrEP, PrEP uptake, and impact on knowledge and attitudes about PrEP at 12-week follow-up (6 weeks after the end of the online campaign).

Results

From October 2016 to March 2017, we developed, pretested, and refined E-PrEP with 6 YBLGBM intervention development partners. From May to June 2017, we recruited, enrolled, and randomly assigned 10 peer leaders (n=5 for each condition). The 10 peer leaders then recruited and enrolled 152 participants from their existing online networks (range 3-33 per peer leader), during June and July 2017. Intervention follow-up was completed after 12 weeks, in November 2017, with analyses underway.

Conclusions

We hypothesize that, compared with E-Health, participants randomly assigned to E-PrEP will be more likely to express intention to use PrEP and greater PrEP uptake, and will also show changes in potential mediators of PrEP uptake (knowledge, attitudes, stigma, and access). A Web-based biobehavioral intervention model such as E-PrEP could be rapidly scaled even with limited resources and have significant population-level impact.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03213366; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03213366 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/71onSdcXY)

Registered Report Identifier

RR1-10.2196/11375

Cannabis Use is Associated with Lower Odds of Prescription Opioid Analgesic Use Among HIV-Infected Individuals with Chronic Pain

BACKGROUND

Chronic pain is common in the United States and prescribed opioid analgesics use for noncancer pain has increased dramatically in the past two decades, possibly accounting for the current opioid addiction epidemic. Co-morbid drug use in those prescribed opioid analgesics is common, but there are few data on polysubstance use patterns.

OBJECTIVE

We explored patterns of use of cigarette, alcohol, and illicit drugs in HIV-infected people with chronic pain who were prescribed opioid analgesics.

METHODS

We conducted a secondary data analysis of screening interviews conducted as part of a parent randomized trial of financial incentives to improve HIV outcomes among drug users. In a convenience sample of people with HIV and chronic pain, we collected self-report data on demographic characteristics; pain; patterns of opioid analgesic use (both prescribed and illicit); cigarette, alcohol, and illicit drug use (including cannabis, heroin, and cocaine) within the past 30 days; and current treatment for drug use and HIV.

RESULTS

Almost half of the sample of people with HIV and chronic pain reported current prescribed opioid analgesic use (N = 372, 47.1%). Illicit drug use was common (N = 505, 63.9%), and cannabis was the most commonly used illicit substance (N = 311, 39.4%). In multivariate analyses, only cannabis use was significantly associated with lower odds of prescribed opioid analgesic use (adjusted odds ratio = 0.57; 95% confidence interval: 0.38-0.87). Conclusions/Importance: Our data suggest that new medical cannabis legislation might reduce the need for opioid analgesics for pain management, which could help to address adverse events associated with opioid analgesic use.

The Use of Online Posts to Identify Barriers to and Facilitators of HIV Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) Among Men Who Have Sex with Men: A Comparison to a Systematic Review of the Peer-Reviewed Literature

Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) remains an under-utilized HIV prevention tool among men who have sex with men (MSM). To more comprehensively elucidate barriers and facilitators to PrEP use among US MSM, we conducted a systematic review of peer-reviewed published articles and content analysis of online posts about PrEP. We searched peer-reviewed databases (Medline, Web of Science, Google Scholar) using MESH headings and keywords about PrEP and/or HIV prevention from 2005 to 2015. We included original studies among MSM in the US that reported on barriers, facilitators, or other factors related to PrEP use. We also searched online posts and associated comments (news articles, opinion pieces, blogs and other social media posts) in diverse venues (Facebook, Slate Outward, Huffington Post Gay Voices, Queerty, and My PrEP Experience blog) to identify posts about PrEP. We used content analysis to identify themes and compare potential differences between the peer-reviewed literature and online posts. We identified 25 peer-reviewed articles and 28 online posts meeting inclusion criteria. We identified 48 unique barriers and 46 facilitators to using PrEP. These 94 themes fit into six overarching categories: (1) access (n = 14), (2) attitudes/beliefs (n = 24), (3) attributes of PrEP (n = 13), (4) behaviors (n = 11), (5) sociodemographic characteristics (n = 8), and (6) social network (n = 6). In all categories, analysis of online posts resulted in identification of a greater number of unique themes. Thirty-eight themes were identified in the online posts that were not identified in the peer-reviewed literature. We identified barriers and facilitators to PrEP in online posts that were not identified in a systematic review of the peer-reviewed literature. By incorporating data both from a systematic review of peer-reviewed articles and from online posts, we have identified salient and novel information about barriers to and facilitators of PrEP use. Traditional research approaches may not comprehensively capture current factors important for designing and implementing PrEP related interventions.

Willingness to Participate in Longitudinal Research Among People with Chronic Pain Who Take Medical Cannabis: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Background: Regulatory barriers limit clinical trials of medical cannabis in the United States. Longitudinal cohort studies may be one feasible alternative that could yield clinically relevant information. Willingness to participate in such studies is not known.

Materials and Methods: In October 2016, we surveyed a convenience sample of patients with chronic pain from two New York registered organizations (responsible for growing, processing, distributing, and retailing medical cannabis products). After a vignette describing a longitudinal cohort study involving weekly patient-reported outcomes and quarterly assessments of physical functioning and urine and blood tests, we asked about respondents' willingness to participate. We examined willingness to participate, duration of participation, and frequency of data collections overall and by subgroups, using multivariable logistic regression models.

Results: Of 405 respondents (estimated response rate: 30%), 54% were women and 81% were white non-Hispanic. Neuropathy was the most common pain condition (67%) followed by inflammatory bowel disease (19%). Of respondents, 94% (95% CI 92–97%) thought that the study should be done, 85% (95% CI 81–88%) would definitely or probably enroll if asked, 76% (95% CI 72–81%) would participate for ≥1 year, and 59% (95% CI 54–64%) would respond to questions at least daily. Older age was the only factor associated with lower willingness to participate, lower willingness to participate for ≥1 year, and lower willingness to respond to questions at least daily.

Conclusions: Nearly all respondents were supportive of the proposed study and most reported that they would enroll if asked. Enhanced engagement with older individuals may be needed to promote equal enrollment. Recruitment for longitudinal cohort studies with frequent data collection appears feasible in this patient population.

Rationale, design and pilot feasibility results of a smartphone-assisted, mindfulness-based intervention for smokers with mood disorders: Project mSMART MIND

BACKGROUND

Although individuals with psychiatric disorders are disproportionately affected by cigarette smoking, few outpatient mental health treatment facilities offer smoking cessation services. In this paper, we describe the development of a smartphone-assisted mindfulness smoking cessation intervention with contingency management (SMI-CM), as well as the design and methods of an ongoing pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) targeting smokers receiving outpatient psychiatric treatment. We also report the results of an open-label pilot feasibility study.

METHODS

In phase 1, we developed and pilot-tested SMI-CM, which includes a smartphone intervention app that prompts participants to practice mindfulness, complete ecological momentary assessment (EMA) reports 5 times per day, and submit carbon monoxide (CO) videos twice per day. Participants earned incentives if submitted videos showed CO≤6ppm. In phase 2, smokers receiving outpatient treatment for mood disorders are randomized to receive SMI-CM or enhanced standard treatment plus non-contingent CM (EST).

RESULTS

The results from the pilot feasibility study (N=8) showed that participants practiced mindfulness an average of 3.4times/day (≥3min), completed 72.3% of prompted EMA reports, and submitted 68.0% of requested CO videos. Participants reported that the program was helpful overall (M=4.85/5) and that daily mindfulness practice was helpful for both managing mood and quitting smoking (Ms=4.50/5).

CONCLUSIONS

The results from the feasibility study indicated high levels of acceptability and satisfaction with SMI-CM. The ongoing RCT will allow evaluation of the efficacy and mechanisms of action underlying SMI-CM for improving cessation rates among smokers with mood disorders.

Rationale, design, and methodology of a trial evaluating three models of care for HCV treatment among injection drug users on opioid agonist therapy

BACKGROUND

People who inject drugs (PWID) constitute 60% of the approximately 5 million people in the U.S. infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV). Treatment of PWID is complex due to addiction, mental illness, poverty, homelessness, lack of positive social support, poor adherence-related skills, low motivation and knowledge, and poor access to and trust in the health care system. New direct-acting antiviral medications are available for HCV with high cure rates and few side effects. The life expectancy and economic benefits of new HCV treatments will not be realized unless we determine optimal models of care for the majority of HCV-infected patients. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of directly observed therapy and group treatment compared with self-administered individual treatment in a large, urban opioid agonist therapy clinic setting in the Bronx, New York.

METHODS/DESIGN

In this randomized controlled trial 150 PWID with chronic HCV were recruited from opioid agonist treatment (OAT) clinics and randomized to one of three models of onsite HCV treatment in OAT: 1) modified directly observed therapy; 2) group treatment; or 3) control - self-administered individual treatment. Participants were age 18 or older, HCV genotype 1, English or Spanish speaking, treatment naïve (or treatment experienced after 12/3/14), willing to receive HCV treatment onsite, receiving methadone or buprenorphine at the medication window at least once per week, and able to provide informed consent. Outcomes of interest include adherence (as measured by self-report and electronic blister packs), HCV treatment completion, sustained virologic response, drug resistance, and cost-effectiveness.

DISCUSSION

This paper describes the design and rationale of a randomized controlled trial comparing three models of care for HCV therapy delivered in an opioid agonist treatment program. Our trial will be critical to rigorously identify models of care that result in high adherence and cure rates. Use of blister pack technology will help us determine the role of adherence in successful cure of HCV. Moreover, the trial methodology outlined here can serve as a template for the development of future programs and studies among HCV-infected drug users receiving opioid agonist therapy, as well as the cost-effectiveness of such programs.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

This trial was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov ( NCT01857245 ). Trial registration was obtained prospectively on May 20th, 2013.

Neuropsychological function is improved among opioid dependent adults who adhere to opiate agonist treatment with buprenorphine-naloxone: a preliminary study

BACKGROUND

Among persons with opioid use disorder (OUD), neuropsychological dysfunction is associated with depression, and better neuropsychological function is associated with opioid abstinence. However, it is unknown whether depressive symptomatology or adherence to opiate agonist treatment are associated with neuropsychological change over time.

METHODS

We recruited 20 buprenorphine/naloxone-treated adults with OUD (M Age = 45.2 years [SD = 8.1]; 25% female) to complete baseline and 6 month visits containing a neuropsychological test battery and self-reported measures of depressive symptomatology and medication adherence.

RESULTS

Depressive symptomatology was not significantly related to neuropsychological change (p's > .05). Greater adherence to buprenorphine/naloxone was associated with improvements in learning, memory, and global functioning (r's = .52-60; p's < .05).

CONCLUSIONS

Among OUD patients, greater adherence to buprenorphine/naloxone is associated with improved neuropsychological functioning over time. In contrast, depressive symptomatology is not associated with neuropsychological functioning over time. Supporting adherence to buprenorphine/naloxone may improve and/or preserve learning and memory functioning in individuals treated for OUD.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

NCT01108679 . Registered 21 April 2010.

Feasibility and Preliminary Effectiveness of Varenicline for Treating Co-Occurring Cannabis and Tobacco Use

Few studies have evaluated treatment for co-occurring cannabis and tobacco use. The objective of this pilot study was to evaluate the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of varenicline for co-occurring cannabis and tobacco use. Participants who reported cannabis use on ≥5 days per week were recruited from an urban, outpatient opioid treatment program (OTP). Participants were randomized to either four weeks of standard OTP clinical care (SCC; medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorder and individual behavioral counseling), followed by four weeks of SCC plus varenicline (SCC+VT), or to four weeks of SCC+VT followed by four weeks of SCC. All participants contributed feasibility and outcome data during both study phases. Of 193 persons screened, seven were enrolled. Retention at eight weeks was 100%. No adverse effects prompted varenicline discontinuation. Participants reported lower cannabis craving during the SCC+VT phase compared to baseline, and lower frequencies and quantities of cannabis use compared to both baseline and the SCC alone phase. In the SCC+VT phase, participants also reported fewer cigarettes per day. Among persons with co-occurring cannabis and tobacco use, varenicline is well-tolerated and may reduce cannabis craving, cannabis use, and tobacco use.

When human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) treatment goals conflict with guideline-based opioid prescribing: A qualitative study of HIV treatment providers

BACKGROUND

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients have a high prevalence of chronic pain and opioid use, making HIV care a critical setting for improving the safety of opioid prescribing. Little is known about HIV treatment providers' perspectives about opioid prescribing to patients with chronic pain.

METHODS

The authors administered a questionnaire and conducted semistructured telephone interviews with 18 HIV treatment providers (infectious disease specialists, general internists, family medicine physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants) in Bronx, NY. Open-ended interview questions focused on providers' experiences, beliefs, and attitudes about opioid prescribing and about the use of guideline-based opioid prescribing practices (conservative prescribing, and monitoring for and responding to misuse). Transcripts were thematically analyzed using a modified grounded theory approach.

RESULTS

Eighteen HIV treatment providers included 13 physicians, four nurse practitioners, and one physician assistant. They were 62% female, 56% white, and practiced as HIV treatment providers for a mean of 14.6 years. Most reported always or almost always using opioid treatment agreements (56%) and urine drug testing (61%) with their patients on long-term opioid therapy. HIV treatment providers tended to view opioid prescribing for chronic pain within the "HIV paradigm," a set of priorities and principles defined by three key themes: (1) primacy of HIV goals, (2) familiarity with substance use, and (3) the clinician as ally. The HIV paradigm sometimes supported, and sometimes conflicted with, guideline-based opioid prescribing practices. For HIV treatment providers, perceived alignment with the HIV paradigm determined whether and how guideline-based opioid prescribing practices were adopted. For example, the primacy of HIV goals superseded conservative opioid prescribing when providers prescribed opioids with the goal of retaining patients in HIV care.

CONCLUSION

These findings highlight unique factors in HIV care that influence adoption of guideline-based opioid prescribing practices. These factors should be considered in future research and initiatives to address opioid prescribing in HIV care.

Neurocognitive, psychiatric, and substance use characteristics in opioid dependent adults

AIMS

To describe neurocognitive function among opioid-dependent adults seeking buprenorphine treatment and to explore the impact of lifetime psychiatric conditions on neurocognitive function. To explore the additive interaction of patient-based characteristics that may help to inform treatment.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional assessment of neurocognitive function, substance use, and psychiatric characteristics of adults seeking buprenorphine treatment within substance use treatment centers in New York City.

PARTICIPANTS

Thirty-eight opioid-dependent adults seeking buprenorphine treatment.

MEASUREMENTS

A comprehensive battery, which included measures of executive functioning, learning, memory, verbal fluency, attention, processing speed, and motor functioning were administered. The Wide Range Achievement Test-Third Edition, the Composite International Diagnostic Interview, and an audio computer assisted structured interview were also completed. Correlations and independent sample t-tests were used to ascertain group differences.

FINDINGS

Thirty-nine percent of participants were impaired in global neurocognitive function (n=15). Over one third were impaired in either: learning (n=28), memory (n=26), executive functioning (n=17), motor functioning (n=17), attention/working memory (n=14) or verbal fluency (n=12). Lifetime history of alcohol dependence was associated with impairment in global neurocognitive, executive functioning, and motor functioning. Lifetime history of cocaine dependence was associated with impairment in executive functioning and motor functioning (all p's<0.05). Major depressive disorder history was not associated with neurocognitive impairment.

CONCLUSIONS

Among this sample of opioid-dependent adults, there were high rates of global and domain-specific neurocognitive impairment, with severe impairment in learning and memory. Lifetime alcohol and cocaine dependence were associated with greater neurocognitive impairment, particularly in executive functioning. Because executive functioning is critical for decision-making and learning/memory dysfunction may interfere with information encoding, these findings suggest that opioid-dependent adults may require enhanced support for medical decision-making.