Hospital based opioid agonist treatment

Researchers recently found that many people with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders are admitted to inpatient psychiatric units. According to a 2019 report from the Boston’s Institute for Healthcare Improvement and The Grayken Center, “hospitals have the opportunity to make a major impact in reducing morbidity and mortality related to opioid use.” The present study, therefore, looked at patients admitted to an acute care hospital in Vancouver, British Columbia. It sought to improve our understanding of this population and the care provided so that we can improve patients’ outcomes and care experiences.
Updating alcohol Cochrane literature review

Updating Cochrane systematic reviews makes them most useful and fresh for readers. We updated our review on concurrent alcohol and drug problems again.

Which new studies we found?
We found seven studies that examined 825 people with drug problems. Six of the studies were funded by the National Institutes for Health or by the Health Research Board; one study did not report its funding source.
One study focused on the way people think and act versus an approach based on Alcoholics Anonymous. It aimed to motivate the person to develop a desire to stop using drugs or alcohol.
Three studies looked at a counselling style for helping people to explore and resolve doubts about changing their behaviour (group, individual and intensive formats). Their controls were education, or less intensive counselling, or assessment-only.
Two Irish studies and one Swiss study looked at practices that aimed to identify an alcohol problem and motivate the person to do something about it versus usual treatment.
This study has been made into a podcast available at Cochrane.org news item at https://www.cochrane.org/news/podcast-which-talking-therapies-work-people-who-use-drugs-and-also-have-alcohol-problems
and a Network news item https://mhn.cochrane.org/news/podcast-which-talking-therapies-work-people-who-use-drugs-and-also-have-alcohol-problems Listen to the podcast below:
Updating Cochrane Review – Key results
The Swiss and Irish studies were directly compared. They took place in general practices (one trial) or methadone clinics (two trials). They included 170 participants with a mean age of 37 years. All participants had positive alcohol screening test upon entry to the trial. At the end, the scores between groups were similar (average difference in scores: -0.6, 1.7 and -2, respectively).
One study found that a brief motivational intervention led to a reduction of alcohol use (by seven or more days in the past month at 6 months).
It remains uncertain whether talking therapies affect drinking and drug-using in people who have problems with both alcohol and other drugs. We lack high quality studies.
Cited cochrane review: Klimas J, Fairgrieve C, Tobin H, Field C-A, O’Gorman CSM, Glynn LG, Keenan E, Saunders J, Bury G, Dunne C, Cullen W. Psychosocial interventions to reduce alcohol consumption in concurrent problem alcohol and illicit drug users. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2018, Issue 11
Read a summary of the previous version of this review here
Which talking therapies work for drug users with alcohol problems? A Cochrane update
Will this patient go into severe alcohol withdrawal?

New research from the BC Centre on Substance Use (BCCSU) suggests applying easy and effective tool to identify patients at high risk of going into withdrawal, in efforts to modernize alcohol detox. In a study published in the August issue of the peer-reviewed Journal of American Medical Association, BCCSU researchers used data from approximately 71,295 persons taking part in 14 scientific studies to predict which patient will develop serious complications, including seizures and delirium.
Which patient will go into severe alcohol withdrawal?
From the press release by British Columbia Centre on Substance Use (Aug 28, 2018):
(Text taken from http://www.bccsu.ca/news-releases/)
From: Will This Hospitalized Patient develop Severe Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome?: The Rational Clinical Examination Systematic Review. JAMA (In Press) JAMA Network: jama.jamanetwork.com
If you’re interested in alcohol, read more about my alcohol research here.
For more information about the study or to schedule an interview, please contact:
Kevin Hollett, BC Centre on Substance Use
778-918-1537
khollett[at]cfenet.ubc.ca
Correct dose keeps treatment going, study finds

We wanted to find out whether continued use of drugs or alcohol impedes addiction treatment with methadone. We looked at the dose and things that make people stop treatment.
How was the study done?
Between 2005 and 2015, we talked to 823 people receiving methadone who said they used alcohol at least once. We asked about their experiences with interrupting methadone treatment and their drug use.
The VIDUS study involves people who use illicit drugs. The ACCESS study involves people living with HIV who use illicit drugs, mostly living in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside neighbourhood. Researchers work with participants to look at how social, economic, physical, policy, and individual factors impact the health and well-being of HIV-positive illicit drug users. All participants do an interviewer-administered survey, and a clinic visit with a study nurse, every 6 months. (text taken from: http://www.bccsu.ca/access/ and http://www.bccsu.ca/vidus/)
What did the study find?
48% said they had stopped methadone treatment. Those who were homeless, or injected heroin daily, were more likely to stop methadone treatment. Those who also received other addiction treatment, received doses of at least 60 ml of methadone, or had Hepatitis C, were less likely to stop methadone treatment.
Heavy alcohol use was not linked to treatment discontinuation.
Why is continuous methadone treatment useful?
People who enroll in methadone treatment may continue to use illicit drugs and alcohol. There is a need to understand how to manage continuous drug use while receiving methadone treatment. Receiving therapeutic doses of methadone and also additional addiction treatment may reduce treatment interruption.
Study: Klimas, J., Nosova, E., Socías, E., Nolan, S., Brar, R., Hayashi, K., Milloy, M., Kerr, T., Wood, E. (2018) Factors associated with discontinuation of methadone maintenance therapy (MMT) among persons who also use alcohol in Vancouver, Canada. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, May 1, Volume 186, Pages 182–186
Read about other similar research here.
Does alcohol use change after shift to Methadose?


We talked to 787 people receiving methadone for opioid use disorder in Vancouver, Canada. Our new study followed them as they switched from methadone (1mg/mL) to Methadose (10mg/mL). We asked whether their drinking has changed after the switch – between 2013 and 2015. 16% said they drank too much at least once in the last six months. Those who drank too much were not more likely to do so after the shift to Methadose. The Substance Use& Misuse journal has published the study this week. Persons on methadone for opioid use disorder may report going through opioid withdrawal and increasing their illicit opioid use when switched to Methadose. We need to understand impacts of these changes on other forms of drug use. Careful and planned information about upcoming changes may help people cope with the potential risks better.