One-third of people who inject drugs are at risk of incomplete treatment for Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia: a retrospective medical record review

Liam S Acheson; Krista J Siefried; Brendan Clifford; Emily Murray; Maureen Steele; Liesa Clague; Victoria Malone; Darren M Roberts; Lisa-Jayne Ferguson; Gail V Matthews; Nadine Ezard

doi:10.1016/j.ijid.2021.09.012

One-third of people who inject drugs are at risk of incomplete treatment for Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia: a retrospective medical record review

Int J Infect Dis. 2021 Nov:112:63-65. doi: 10.1016/j.ijid.2021.09.012. Epub 2021 Sep 11.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ St Vincent's Hospital Sydney, Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia. Electronic address: liam.acheson@svha.org.au.
² St Vincent's Hospital Sydney, Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia; National Centre for Clinical Research on Emerging Drugs, UNSW Sydney, NSW, Australia; University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
³ St Vincent's Hospital Sydney, Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia; University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia.
⁴ St Vincent's Hospital Sydney, Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia; University of Notre Dame, Sydney, Australia.
⁵ St Vincent's Hospital Sydney, Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia.
⁶ University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia.
⁷ St Vincent's Hospital Sydney, Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia; University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
⁸ St Vincent's Hospital Sydney, Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia; National Centre for Clinical Research on Emerging Drugs, UNSW Sydney, NSW, Australia.

PMID: 34520844
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijid.2021.09.012

Abstract

Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia (SAB) is often a complication of injecting drug use, and is associated with high morbidity and mortality. This article reports the first audit of inpatient parenteral treatment of SAB completion among people who inject drugs (PWID) in Australia. Of 198 patients admitted with SAB, 106 were analysed. Twelve PWID had an inpatient stay <14 days compared with seven non-PWID (34% vs 10%; P=0.002). Sixteen PWID experienced discharge against medical advice compared with zero non-PWID (46% vs 0%; P<0.001). Re-admission to hospital within 28 days was 2.5 times greater among PWID than non-PWID (31% vs 15%; P=0.026). Methadone dose <60 mg/day was associated with premature discharge in opioid-dependent PWID receiving methadone (n=21, 100% vs 31%; P=0.012).

Keywords: Drug dependence; Healthcare services; Infectious diseases; People who inject drugs; Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia.

MeSH terms

Bacteremia* / drug therapy
Bacteremia* / epidemiology
Drug Users*
Humans
Medical Records
Retrospective Studies
Staphylococcal Infections* / drug therapy
Staphylococcal Infections* / epidemiology
Staphylococcus aureus
Substance Abuse, Intravenous* / complications