Rural-Urban Differences in Hospitalizations for Opioid Use-Associated Infective Endocarditis in the United States, 2003-2016.

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2-1-2020

Institution/Department

Internal Medicine; Maine Medical Center Research Institute; Infections Disease

Journal Title

Open Forum Infect Dis

MeSH Headings

United States, Endocarditis, Endocarditis, Bacterial, Opioid-Related Disorders, Hospitalization

Abstract

Background: The incidence of infective endocarditis, a serious heart infection that can result from injection drug use, has increased in step with the opioid epidemic. Harm reduction services aimed at decreasing infectious complications of injection drug use are limited in rural areas; however, it is unknown whether the burden of opioid use-associated infective endocarditis varies between rural and urban populations.

Methods: We used 2003-2016 National (Nationwide) Inpatient Sample data and joinpoint regression to compare trends in hospitalization for opioid use-associated infective endocarditis between rural and urban populations.

Results: Rates of US hospitalizations for opioid use-associated infective endocarditis increased from 0.28 to 3.86 per 100

Conclusions: The increase in US hospitalizations for opioid use-associated infective endocarditis over the past decade supports the importance of public health efforts to reduce injection-related infections in both urban and rural areas. Future studies should examine factors affecting the higher increase in rate of these hospitalizations in rural areas.

ISSN

2328-8957

First Page

045

Last Page

045

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