Association of medications for opioid use disorder with reduced risk of repeat opioid overdose in Medicaid: A cohort study

Abstract

IntroductionFollowing a nonfatal opioid overdose, patients are at high risk for repeat overdose. The objective of this study was to examine the association of MOUD after nonfatal opioid overdose with risk of repeat overdose in the following year. MethodsThis retrospective cohort study analyzed Missouri Medicaid claims from July 2012 to December 2021. The study identified opioid overdoses occurring between 2013 and 2020 using diagnosis codes for opioid poisoning in an inpatient or emergency department setting. The study implemented Cox models with a time-varying covariate for post-overdose receipt of MOUD. ResultsDuring the study period, MOUD receipt after overdose more than tripled, from 4.8 % to 18.9 %. Overall, only 12.1 % of patients received MOUD in the year after index. MOUD during follow-up was associated with significantly lower risk of repeat overdose (HR = 0.34, 95 % CI = 0.14–0.82). Out of 3017 individuals meeting inclusion criteria, 13.6 % had a repeat opioid overdose within 1 year. Repeat overdose risk was higher for those whose index overdose involved heroin or synthetic opioids (HR = 1.71, 95 % CI = 1.35–2.15), but MOUD was associated with significantly reduced risk in this group (HR = 0.34, 95 % CI = 0.13–0.92). ConclusionsMOUD receipt was associated with reduced risk of repeat overdose. Those whose index overdoses involved heroin or synthetic opioids were at greater risk of repeat overdose, but MOUD was associated with reduced risk in this group.