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The opioid epidemic has led to increasing admissions for infective endocarditis (IE) among people who inject drugs. Little is known about long-term outcomes in those offered medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) during their hospitalization. Investigators at one U.S. hospital evaluated outcomes in 26 people who inject drugs with IE who were seen by the addiction medicine service between 2013 and 2015.
Patients' mean age was 34 years, 50% were men, 85% were white, and all used intravenous opiates. Of these, 8 received buprenorphine, 8 received methadone in the hospital, and 10 declined MOUD. Attempts were made to link patients with outpatient therapy at the time of discharge from the hospital or to a rehabilitation facility. Mean follow-u…