Essential components of physician health program monitoring for substance use disorder: A survey of participants 5 years post successful program completion.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Physician health programs (PHPs) have demonstrated efficacy, but their mechanism of influence is unclear. This study sought to identify essential components of PHP care management for substance use disorder (SUD), and to assess whether positive outcomes are sustained over time. METHODS: Physicians with DSM-IV diagnoses of Substance Dependence and/or Substance Abuse who had successfully completed a PHP monitoring agreement at least 5 years before the study (N = 343) were identified as eligible. Of the 143 (42%) that could be reached by phone, 93% (n = 133; 86% male) completed the anonymous online survey. RESULTS: Virtually all PHP program components were rated as being at least "somewhat helpful" in promoting recovery, with the plurality of respondents rating almost all components as "extremely helpful." The top-rated components were: signing a PHP monitoring agreement, participation in the PHP, formal SUD treatment, and attending 12-step meetings, with each receiving a mean rating of at least 6.2 out of 7. Notably, 88% of respondents endorsed continued participation in 12-step fellowships. Despite the significant financial burden of PHP participation, 85% of respondents reported they believed the total financial cost of PHP participation was "money well spent." DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Components of PHP monitoring were viewed as acceptable and helpful to physicians who completed the program, and outcomes were generally sustained over 5 years. More studies are needed to confirm these preliminary findings. SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE: This study documents the perceived cost-benefit of participation in a PHP among a small sample of program completers.

Cellular photo digital breathalyzer for monitoring alcohol use: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Monitoring alcohol use is important in numerous situations. Direct ethanol metabolites, such as ethyl glucuronide (EtG), have been shown to be useful tools in detecting alcohol use and documenting abstinence. For very frequent or continuous control of abstinence, they lack practicability. Therefore, devices measuring ethanol itself might be of interest. This pilot study aims at elucidating the usability and accuracy of the cellular photo digital breathalyzer (CPDB) compared to self-reports in a naturalistic setting. METHOD: 12 social drinkers were included. Subjects used a CPDB 4 times daily, kept diaries of alcohol use and submitted urine for EtG testing over a period of 5 weeks. RESULTS: In total, the 12 subjects reported 84 drinking episodes. 1,609 breath tests were performed and 55 urine EtG tests were collected. Of 84 drinking episodes, CPDB detected 98.8%. The compliance rate for breath testing was 96%. Of the 55 EtG tests submitted, 1 (1.8%) was positive. CONCLUSIONS: The data suggest that the CPDB device holds promise in detecting high, moderate, and low alcohol intake. It seems to have advantages compared to biomarkers and other monitoring devices. The preference for CPDB by the participants might explain the high compliance. Further studies including comparison with biomarkers and transdermal devices are needed.

Patterns of abstinence or continued drug use among methadone maintenance patients and their relation to treatment retention.

The efficacy and effectiveness of methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) in the medical management of opioid addiction has been well-established, but treatment outcomes are compromised by the continued use of licit and illicit drugs during MMT. The present study examined the relationship between in-treatment illicit drug use and retention and dropout of 604 MMT patients in Washington, D.C. Sixty-eight percent of patients did not test positive for an unprescribed drug during the study period. Of patients who tested positive for an illicit drug during the baseline period, 55% tested positive for cocaine, 44% for opiates, 23% for THC, 20% for benzodiazepines, 7% for PCP, and 4% for amphetamines. Those testing positive were three times more likely to leave treatment than those who did not test positive. Testing positive for one drug doubled the rate of attrition; testing positive for multiple drugs quadrupled the risk of attrition. Non-prescribed opioid or benzodiazepine use was a predictor of MMT dropout, but prescribed opioid or benzodiazepine use was not. Continued illicit drug use poses significant risk for subsequent premature termination of MMT. Assertive clinical management of continued illicit drug use could provide mechanisms to enhance MMT retention and long-term recovery outcomes.

Anesthesiologists with substance use disorders: a 5-year outcome study from 16 state physician health programs.

BACKGROUND: Anesthesiologists have a higher rate of substance use disorders than other physicians, and their prognoses and advisability to return to anesthesiology practice after treatment remain controversial. Over the past 25 yr, physician health programs (PHPs), created under authority of state medical regulatory boards, have become primary resources for management and monitoring of physicians with substance abuse and other mental health disorders. METHODS: We conducted a 5-yr, longitudinal, cohort study involving 904 physicians consecutively admitted to 1 of 16 state PHPs between 1995 and 2001. This report analyzed a subset of the data involving the 102 anesthesiologists among the subjects and compared them with other physicians. The main outcome measures included relapse (defined as any unauthorized addictive substance use, including alcohol), return to anesthesiology practice, disciplinary actions, physician death, and patient harm. RESULTS: Anesthesiologists were significantly less likely to enroll in a PHP because of alcohol abuse (odds ratio [OR] 0.4 [confidence interval {CI}: 0.2-0.6], P < 0.001) and much more likely to enroll because of opioid abuse (OR 2.8 [CI: 1.7-4.4], P < 0.001). Anesthesiologists had a higher rate of IV drug use, 41% vs 10% (OR 6.3 [CI: 3.8-10.7], P < 0.001). During similar periods of monitoring, anesthesiologists received more drug tests, 101 vs 82 (mean difference = 19 [CI: 3-35], P = 0.02); however, anesthesiologists were less likely to fail at least one drug test during monitoring, 11% vs 23% (OR 0.4 [CI: 0.2-0.9], P = 0.02). There was no statistical difference among rates of program completion, disciplinary actions, return to practice, or deaths, and there was no report of significant patient harm from relapse in any record. CONCLUSIONS: Anesthesiologists in our sample treated and monitored for substance disorders under supervision of PHPs had excellent outcomes similar to other physicians, with no higher mortality, relapse rate, or disciplinary rate and no evidence in their records of patient harm. It is postulated that differences of study design account for contradictory conclusions from other reports.

Trends in Abstaining From Substance Use in Adolescents: 1975-2014.

: media-1vid110.1542/5789654654001PEDS-VA_2017-3498Video Abstract BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Adolescent substance use is a prevalent modifiable health behavior; understanding long-term trends is essential to inform prevention efforts and public health policy. We investigated changes in the proportion of substance nonuse among adolescents over a 40-year period and associations between abstinence and individual risk and protective factors. METHODS: Data from the nationally representative Monitoring the Future survey, administered 1975-2014, were analyzed to determine the annual proportion of abstinent students. The 2014 Monitoring the Future cohort was analyzed to determine associations between nonuse and risk and protective factors. RESULTS: The prevalence of abstaining seniors between 1976 and 2014 increased fivefold for lifetime abstinence and more than doubled for past 30 days; similar increases were reported by younger students between 1991 and 2014. Trend lines were distinct for alcohol, which increased steadily over the past 38 years; tobacco, which increased dramatically over the past 20 years; and marijuana and illicit drugs, which increased slightly, although not consistently, between 1976 and 2014. In 2014, students that identified as male, African American, or other race and those who reported greater religious commitment were significantly more likely to report lifetime abstinence. Students that lived in single-parent households, spent more evenings out, worked more hours during the school year, and reported lower grades and more truancy had lower abstinence rates. CONCLUSIONS: Abstinence is a realistic choice for a growing proportion of high school students. With the differences in abstinence trends for individual substances, we suggest strategies for advancing prevention efforts.

Family Medicine Physicians With Substance Use Disorder: A 5-year Outcome Study.

OBJECTIVES: There is little published evidence on how well family medicine physicians (FMPs) with substance use disorder (SUD) perform in Physician Health Programs (PHPs). We examined outcomes for FMP compared with non-FMP physicians. METHODS: This study utilized data from a 5-year, longitudinal, cohort study involving 904 physicians with diagnoses of SUD consecutively admitted to one of 16 state PHPs between 1995 and 2001. We compared 175 FMPs to 687 other physicians. Outcome measures were relapse, successful completion of monitoring contract at 5 years, and licensed and employed at 5 years. RESULTS: Of the 3 outcome variables measured: relapse, successful completion of monitoring contract at 5 years, and licensed and employed at 5 years, FMPs had similar rates of success on all variables except monitoring contract completion at 5 years when compared with the other physician cohort. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, FMPs with SUD do as well as other physicians in PHPs at 5 years. However, FMPs were less likely to complete the monitoring contract at 5 years as compared to the other physician cohort.

Drug test results as a predictor of retention among patients using buprenorphine in a comprehensive outpatient treatment program.

The study examined the relationship between continued non-medical drug use and treatment retention for patients receiving buprenorphine maintenance treatment in a comprehensive addiction treatment program. The participants were 106 newly admitted patients and 103 continuing patients in treatment for an average of 9.4 months at the start of the study. Retrospective chart reviews were used to determine for each group whether the use of illicit, non-prescribed drugs during a 3-month baseline period was associated with lowered rates of treatment retention over the following 14 months. The New Admissions group was divided into 4 subgroups based on the percentage of urine drug tests that were positive during baseline: 0, 1-33, 34-67, or 68-100%. Because only 16 (15%) of the continuing patients had positive drug tests during baseline, the continuing group was divided into just 2 subgroups-no positives and any positives. Newly admitted patients testing positive for drugs more than 33% of the time were significantly more likely than those with less frequent or no positive tests to withdraw from treatment within 2 months. Continuing patients with at least 1 positive drug test left treatment 6 months sooner, on average, than those with no positive tests and were twice as likely to leave without completing continuing care (87 to 42%). Non-prescribed drug use during buprenorphine maintenance treatment is strongly correlated with lowered retention and risk of early treatment termination for new and continuing patients. Actions taken to monitor and reduce drug use during buprenorphine maintenance treatment may improve retention and enhance long-term recovery outcomes.

Outcomes for Physicians With Opioid Dependence Treated Without Agonist Pharmacotherapy in Physician Health Programs.

AIMS: To compare treatment outcome among substance dependent physicians enrolled in a physician health program (PHP) who have a history of alcohol use only, any opioid use, or non-opioid drug use, in order to determine whether the distinctive PHP system of care management is as effective for individuals with opioid use disorders as for those with alcohol or other drug use disorders. METHODS: A 5-year, retrospective chart review, intent-to-treat analysis was conducted for all physicians admitted to 16 physician health programs (N=702; 85.5% male; age range=24-75). Analyses compared treatment outcomes for participants based upon their substance(s) of abuse [i.e., 1) "Alcohol Only" (n=204), 2) "Any Opioid" with or without alcohol use (n=339), and 3) "Non-Opioid" drug use with or without alcohol use (n=159)]. RESULTS: In this sample, 75-80% of physicians across the three groups never tested positive for alcohol or drugs during their extended care management period with random drug testing. This included physicians with opioid dependence who did not receive opioid substitution therapy (OST). Of the 22.1% of physicians who had a positive test, two thirds (i.e., 14.5% of the total sample) had just one positive test, and only one third (i.e., 7.6% of the total sample) had more than one positive test. These results were similar in all three groups. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that individuals with opioid use disorders who are managed by PHPs can achieve long-term abstinence from opioids, alcohol, and other drugs without OST through participation in abstinence-based psychosocial treatment with extended, intensive care management following discharge.

Psychiatrists with substance use disorders: positive treatment outcomes from physician health programs.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to compare outcomes of psychiatrists and nonpsychiatrist physicians enrolled in state physician health programs for substance use disorders. METHODS: The study used the data set from a five-year, longitudinal cohort study of 904 physicians, including 55 psychiatrists, with diagnoses of substance abuse or dependence consecutively admitted to one of 16 state physician health programs between 1995 and 2001. RESULTS: There was a higher proportion of women among psychiatrists than among other physicians, but there were no other significant differences between the cohorts. Five-year outcomes were similar between psychiatrists and the other physicians, with at least 75% of psychiatrists continuing their medical practice after five years of monitoring and treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Psychiatrists were not overrepresented compared with other physician groups and had similar clinical outcomes at the five-year follow-up. Physician health programs appeared to be effective treatment programs for psychiatrists with substance use disorders.

Prognosis for the recovery of surgeons from chemical dependency: a 5-year outcome study.

HYPOTHESIS: Rates of relapse, monitoring contract completion, and return to medical practice may differ between surgeons and nonsurgeons being monitored for diagnosed substance use disorders. DESIGN: Retrospective 5-year longitudinal cohort study. SETTING: A sample of 16 state physician health programs in the United States. PARTICIPANTS: Nine hundred four physicians who underwent treatment for a substance use disorder and were consecutively admitted to 1 of 16 state physician health programs between September 1, 1995, and September 1, 2001. The study analyzed a subset of data comparing 144 surgeons with 636 nonsurgeons. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Rates of continued drug and alcohol misuse (relapse), monitoring contract completion, and return to medical practice at 5 years. RESULTS: Surgeons were significantly more likely than nonsurgeons to enroll in a physician health program because of alcohol-related problems (odds ratio, 1.9; 95% CI, 1.3-2.7; P = .001) and were less likely to enroll because of opioid use (odds ratio, 0.5; 95% CI, 0.3-0.8, P = .002). Surgeons were neither more nor less likely than nonsurgeons to have a positive drug test result, complete or fail to complete the monitoring contract, or extend the monitoring period beyond the original 5 years specified in their agreements. Fewer surgeons than nonsurgeons were licensed and practicing medicine at the conclusion of the monitoring period, although this difference was not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Surgeons in this study had positive outcomes similar to those of nonsurgeons. However, further research is necessary to conclude whether surgeons are less likely than their nonsurgeon peers to successfully return to medical practice following chemical dependency treatment.

Pharmacokinetics of azithromycin in plasma and sinus mucosal tissue following administration of extended-release or immediate-release formulations in adult patients with chronic rhinosinusitis.

This study compared the pharmacokinetics of azithromycin (AZI) following administration of extended-release (ER) and immediate-release (IR) formulations in plasma and sinus mucosa in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis. Patients (n=71) were randomised 1:1 to receive a single dose of AZI-ER 2g or up to three doses of AZI-IR 500 mg daily. Paired plasma and sinus tissue samples were taken during endoscopic sinus surgery at 2-168 h (four patients per time point) after the first dose. Samples were measured by a validated liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry assay. Pharmacokinetics were determined using composite concentration-time profiles. Comparison between formulations showed that within the first 24 h, the AZI area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC(24)) for ER was 5.2- and 7.0-fold higher than IR in plasma and sinus tissue, respectively. Comparison between matrices showed that the AUC(24) and AUC(168) in sinus tissue were 28.2- and 62.2-fold higher than in plasma for the ER formulation, whilst the AUC(24) in sinus tissue was 21.1-fold higher than in plasma for IR formulation. These results indicated that AZI has good penetration into sinus tissue regardless of formulation; however, dosing of AZI-ER (2 g) increased AZI exposure within the first 24 h compared with the Day 1 dose of 500 mg IR regimen.