2020
The OATH Syndemic: opioids and other substances, aging, alcohol, tobacco, and HIV.
Womack JA, Justice AC. The OATH Syndemic: opioids and other substances, aging, alcohol, tobacco, and HIV. Current Opinion In HIV And AIDS 2020, 15: 218-225. PMID: 32487817, PMCID: PMC7422477, DOI: 10.1097/coh.0000000000000635.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSubstance useTreatment of frailtyManagement of HIVAdverse drug interactionsAge-related outcomesPrescribed medicationsHIVHealth statusHealthcare teamFrailtyAdverse effectsSyndemicStigma contributesTreatmentSerious consequencesSubstance interactionsIndividual manifestationsPLWHPolypharmacyOpioidsMedicationsMultimorbidityImportant pathwaySex biasSubstancesAre we missing opioid-related deaths among people with HIV?
Becker WC, Gordon KS, Edelman EJ, Goulet JL, Kerns RD, Marshall BDL, Fiellin DA, Justice AC, Tate JP. Are we missing opioid-related deaths among people with HIV? Drug And Alcohol Dependence 2020, 212: 108003. PMID: 32417360, PMCID: PMC9580216, DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2020.108003.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsVeterans Aging Cohort StudyOpioid useOverdose deathsLife-limiting conditionsUnnatural deathsGreater oddsAging Cohort StudyVACS IndexOpioid exposureCohort studyHIV infectionHIV statusRisk factorsOdds ratioDeath filesIndex causeHIVDisease severityDeathDecedentsIllicit useDifferential misclassificationOddsCauseOpioids
2019
Association of Prescribed Opioids With Increased Risk of Community-Acquired Pneumonia Among Patients With and Without HIV
Edelman EJ, Gordon KS, Crothers K, Akgün K, Bryant KJ, Becker WC, Gaither JR, Gibert CL, Gordon AJ, Marshall BDL, Rodriguez-Barradas MC, Samet JH, Justice AC, Tate JP, Fiellin DA. Association of Prescribed Opioids With Increased Risk of Community-Acquired Pneumonia Among Patients With and Without HIV. JAMA Internal Medicine 2019, 179: 297-304. PMID: 30615036, PMCID: PMC6439696, DOI: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2018.6101.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsVeterans Aging Cohort StudyCommunity-acquired pneumoniaImmunosuppressive propertiesPrescribed opioidsCaP riskHIV statusMedian morphine equivalent daily doseVeterans Health Administration medical centersMorphine equivalent daily doseEquivalent daily doseAging Cohort StudyCase-control studyImmune-related outcomesRace/ethnicityIndex dateOpioid exposureCohort studyDaily doseOpioid propertiesStratified analysisMedical CenterMAIN OUTCOMEOpioidsMedicaid dataHIV
2018
Racial disparities in discontinuation of long-term opioid therapy following illicit drug use among black and white patients
Gaither JR, Gordon K, Crystal S, Edelman EJ, Kerns RD, Justice AC, Fiellin DA, Becker WC. Racial disparities in discontinuation of long-term opioid therapy following illicit drug use among black and white patients. Drug And Alcohol Dependence 2018, 192: 371-376. PMID: 30122319, PMCID: PMC7106601, DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2018.05.033.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsLong-term opioid therapyIllicit drug useUrine drug testsDrug useOpioid therapyWhite racePositive urine drug testDrug testsMonths of treatmentElectronic medical recordsWhite patientsChronic painPatient raceMedical recordsPatientsLogistic regressionOpioidsRacial disparitiesDrug testingCocaineCannabisTherapyCliniciansDiscontinuationPain
2017
Complementary and Alternative Medicine Among Persons living with HIV in the Era of Combined Antiretroviral Treatment
Halpin SN, Carruth EC, Rai RP, Jennifer Edelman E, Fiellin DA, Gibert C, Gordon KS, Huang W, Justice A, Marconi VC, Rimland D, Perkins MM. Complementary and Alternative Medicine Among Persons living with HIV in the Era of Combined Antiretroviral Treatment. AIDS And Behavior 2017, 22: 848-852. PMID: 28733920, PMCID: PMC5939585, DOI: 10.1007/s10461-017-1866-7.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsCAM useAlternative medicineVeterans Aging Cohort StudyAntiretroviral therapy eraCombined Antiretroviral TreatmentAging Cohort StudyTherapy eraBothersome symptomsCohort studyAntiretroviral treatmentCAM usersHigh prevalenceMore benzodiazepinesLess nicotineHIVTraditional treatmentPLWHCliniciansTreatmentMedicineOpioidsSymptomsBenzodiazepinesPrevalenceNicotine
2016
The impact of prescribed opioids on CD4 cell count recovery among HIV‐infected patients newly initiating antiretroviral therapy
Edelman E, Gordon K, Tate J, Becker W, Bryant K, Crothers K, Gaither, Gibert C, Gordon A, Marshall B, Rodriguez‐Barradas M, Samet J, Skanderson M, Justice A, Fiellin D. The impact of prescribed opioids on CD4 cell count recovery among HIV‐infected patients newly initiating antiretroviral therapy. HIV Medicine 2016, 17: 728-739. PMID: 27186715, PMCID: PMC5053822, DOI: 10.1111/hiv.12377.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsCD4 cell countBaseline CD4 cell countCell countPrescribed opioidsImmunosuppressive propertiesVeterans Aging Cohort Study (VACS) dataCD4 cell count recoveryAntiretroviral therapy responseCell count recoveryShort-term opioidsViral load suppressionCohort study dataOverall disease severityYear of initiationPrimary independent variableOpioid durationAntiretroviral therapyCount recoveryComorbid conditionsPharmacy dataOpioid propertiesTherapy responseOpioidsPatientsHIV
2015
Long-term Prescription of Opioids and/or Benzodiazepines and Mortality Among HIV-Infected and Uninfected Patients
Weisberg DF, Gordon KS, Barry DT, Becker WC, Crystal S, Edelman EJ, Gaither J, Gordon AJ, Goulet J, Kerns RD, Moore BA, Tate J, Justice AC, Fiellin DA. Long-term Prescription of Opioids and/or Benzodiazepines and Mortality Among HIV-Infected and Uninfected Patients. JAIDS Journal Of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes 2015, 69: 223-233. PMID: 26009831, PMCID: PMC4446730, DOI: 10.1097/qai.0000000000000591.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsLong-term opioidsMorphine equivalent daily doseOpioid receiptRisk of deathLong-term prescriptionUninfected patientsOpioid dosesAntiretroviral therapyHazard ratioDaily dosePropensity scoreHigher opioid dosesCause mortalityHIV statusAvailable patientsMortality riskOpioidsHIVPatientsProspective analysisMortalityBenzodiazepinesDosesDeathRisk