2024
Prescription Opioid Dose Change Before Fatal Opioid-Detected Overdose.
Kazemitabar M, Howell B, Becker W, Lin H, Grau L, Heimer R, D'Onofrio G, Hawk K, Fiellin D, Black A. Prescription Opioid Dose Change Before Fatal Opioid-Detected Overdose. Journal Of Studies On Alcohol And Drugs 2024, 85: 815-819. PMID: 38775307, DOI: 10.15288/jsad.24-00026.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchPrescribed opioidsOpioid dose changesRapid dose increaseNon-HispanicOverdose deathsToxicological resultsNon-prescription opioidsBlack non-HispanicMorphine equivalentsOpioid therapyWhite non-HispanicDose changesDaily doseMean ageDispensed opioidsPrescription opioidsPrescribing patternsOpioidDose increaseOpioid overdose crisisIncreasing dosesStudy investigated patternsEffect of timeEffects of ageSecondary analysis
2023
Receipt of opioid use disorder treatments prior to fatal overdoses and comparison to no treatment in Connecticut, 2016–17
Heimer R, Black A, Lin H, Grau L, Fiellin D, Howell B, Hawk K, D'Onofrio G, Becker W. Receipt of opioid use disorder treatments prior to fatal overdoses and comparison to no treatment in Connecticut, 2016–17. Drug And Alcohol Dependence 2023, 254: 111040. PMID: 38043226, PMCID: PMC10872282, DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2023.111040.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsNon-medication treatmentsRelative riskOpioid overdose deathsIncidence rateMOUD treatmentOverdose deathsOpioid use disorder treatmentResults Incidence ratesRetrospective cohort studyDifferent treatment modalitiesPopulation-level effortsUse disorder treatmentFatal opioid poisoningsCohort studyOpioid poisoningTreatment modalitiesConclusion ExposurePoisoning deathsFatal overdosesTreatment exposureDisorder treatmentDeathTreatmentMethadoneRiskFentanyl-Associated Overdose Deaths Outside the Hospital
Jeffery M, Stevens M, D'Onofrio G, Melnick E. Fentanyl-Associated Overdose Deaths Outside the Hospital. New England Journal Of Medicine 2023, 389: 87-88. PMID: 37342960, PMCID: PMC10388669, DOI: 10.1056/nejmc2304991.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchURINE TOXICOLOGY PROFILES OF EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT PATIENTS WITH UNTREATED OPIOID USE DISORDER: A MULTI-SITE VIEW
Cowan E, Perrone J, Dziura J, Edelman E, Hawk K, Herring A, McCormack R, Murphy A, Phadke M, Fiellin D, D'Onofrio G. URINE TOXICOLOGY PROFILES OF EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT PATIENTS WITH UNTREATED OPIOID USE DISORDER: A MULTI-SITE VIEW. Journal Of Emergency Medicine 2023, 65: e357-e365. PMID: 37716904, PMCID: PMC10591927, DOI: 10.1016/j.jemermed.2023.06.007.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchUrine drug screensOpioid use disorderEmergency departmentUntreated opioid use disorderAdult ED patientsOpioid overdose deathsED patientsOnly opioidCommon opioidsOverdose deathsUse disordersCommon drugsOpioidsPolysubstance useDrug useDrug screensAmphetamine-type stimulantsFentanylPatientsAddiction treatmentStimulantsParticipantsBuprenorphineMethadoneBenzodiazepinesNational Institute on Drug Abuse Clinical Trials Network Meeting Report: Advancing Emergency Department Initiation of Buprenorphine for Opioid Use Disorder
Cowan E, Perrone J, Bernstein S, Coupet E, Fiellin D, Hawk K, Herring A, Huntley K, McCormack R, Venkatesh A, D'Onofrio G. National Institute on Drug Abuse Clinical Trials Network Meeting Report: Advancing Emergency Department Initiation of Buprenorphine for Opioid Use Disorder. Annals Of Emergency Medicine 2023, 82: 326-335. PMID: 37178101, PMCID: PMC10524880, DOI: 10.1016/j.annemergmed.2023.03.025.Peer-Reviewed Reviews, Practice Guidelines, Standards, and Consensus StatementsConceptsOpioid use disorderEmergency departmentUse disordersDrug Abuse Clinical Trials NetworkEffective evidence-based treatmentsEmergency department initiationStandard emergency careMajor public health crisisClinical Trials NetworkEvidence of efficacyNational InstituteEvidence-based treatmentsOpioid overdose deathsTechnology-based interventionsBuprenorphine dosingBuprenorphine initiationPeer-based interventionsPublic health crisisPatient outcomesED staffOverdose deathsEmergency careBuprenorphineTrials NetworkUniversal uptakeRacial and ethnic disparities in emergency department–initiated buprenorphine across five health care systems
Holland W, Li F, Nath B, Jeffery M, Stevens M, Melnick E, Dziura J, Khidir H, Skains R, D'Onofrio G, Soares W. Racial and ethnic disparities in emergency department–initiated buprenorphine across five health care systems. Academic Emergency Medicine 2023, 30: 709-720. PMID: 36660800, PMCID: PMC10467357, DOI: 10.1111/acem.14668.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsOpioid use disorderCommunity emergency departmentsEmergency departmentDischarge diagnosisHealth care systemHispanic patientsBlack patientsHospital typeCare systemNon-Hispanic patientsOpioid overdose deathsClinical decision support systemOpioid withdrawalPrimary outcomeMedication treatmentBuprenorphine accessED treatmentTreatment accessOverdose deathsX-waiverBuprenorphinePatientsUse disordersEthnic disparitiesSecondary analysisConcordance between controlled substance receipt and post-mortem toxicology in opioid-detected overdose deaths: A statewide analysis
Howell B, Black A, Grau L, Lin H, Greene C, Lee H, Heimer R, Hawk K, D'Onofrio G, Fiellin D, Becker W. Concordance between controlled substance receipt and post-mortem toxicology in opioid-detected overdose deaths: A statewide analysis. Drug And Alcohol Dependence 2023, 244: 109788. PMID: 36738634, PMCID: PMC9975083, DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2023.109788.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPost-mortem toxicologyOverdose deathsChief Medical ExaminerBenzodiazepine prescribingBenzodiazepine prescriptionsPrimary outcomePreventable deathsOpioid overdosesOpioidsAddiction servicesBenzodiazepinesMental healthStudy periodDeathMedical examinersConcordanceStatewide analysisSubstantial numberReceiptDaysDepartmentMedicationsToxicologyFentanylPrescribing
2022
Assessing the impact of the Good Samaritan Law in the state of Connecticut: a system dynamics approach
Sabounchi NS, Heckmann R, D’Onofrio G, Walker J, Heimer R. Assessing the impact of the Good Samaritan Law in the state of Connecticut: a system dynamics approach. Health Research Policy And Systems 2022, 20: 5. PMID: 34991591, PMCID: PMC8734429, DOI: 10.1186/s12961-021-00807-w.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsOpioid use disorderOverdose deathsGood Samaritan lawsEmergency department visitsOpioid-related deathsPublic health interventionsBehavioral changesPublic health officialsED visitsDepartment visitsOpioid usersUse disordersHealth outcomesOpioid crisisHealth interventionsHealth officialsDeathOverdoseVisitsInterventionOutcomesState of ConnecticutMultiple strategies
2021
Fatal self-injury in the United States, 1999–2018: Unmasking a national mental health crisis
Rockett IRH, Caine ED, Banerjee A, Ali B, Miller T, Connery HS, Lulla VO, Nolte KB, Larkin GL, Stack S, Hendricks B, McHugh RK, White FMM, Greenfield SF, Bohnert ASB, Cossman JS, D'Onofrio G, Nelson LS, Nestadt PS, Berry JH, Jia H. Fatal self-injury in the United States, 1999–2018: Unmasking a national mental health crisis. EClinicalMedicine 2021, 32: 100741. PMID: 33681743, PMCID: PMC7910714, DOI: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2021.100741.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMental health crisisMental disordersSelf-injury mortalityDistrict of ColumbiaAnnual average percentage changeStandardised mortality ratiosSubstance use disordersDrug overdose deathsPublic health practiceHealth crisisRank-order correlation coefficientSuicide ratesAverage percentage changeUS National InstitutesMortality ratioInjury surveillanceUS CentersInjury preventionJoinpoint regressionOverdose deathsUse disordersDrug fatalitiesDeath dataDisease controlDrug availability
2018
A Quality Framework for Emergency Department Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder
Samuels EA, D'Onofrio G, Huntley K, Levin S, Schuur JD, Bart G, Hawk K, Tai B, Campbell CI, Venkatesh AK. A Quality Framework for Emergency Department Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder. Annals Of Emergency Medicine 2018, 73: 237-247. PMID: 30318376, PMCID: PMC6817947, DOI: 10.1016/j.annemergmed.2018.08.439.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsOpioid use disorder treatmentEmergency department treatmentOpioid-associated morbidityOpioid use disorderClinical Trials NetworkNational InstituteUse disorder treatmentClinical quality improvementOpioid overdose deathsImplementation science researchersQuality improvement effortsQuality measure developmentEmergency cliniciansSafe prescribingOutpatient treatmentDrug Abuse CenterOpioid epidemicQuality improvement frameworkAmerican CollegeData registryOverdose deathsUse disordersDisorder treatmentTrials NetworkAddiction medicine