Impact of Hospital-Administered Extended-Release Naltrexone on Readmission Rates in Patients With Alcohol Use Disorder: A Pilot Study.

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the impact of extended-release (ER) intramuscular naltrexone on readmission rates for hospitalized patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD). Methods: This was a single-center, retrospective before and after study. Adult patients with AUD who received ER naltrexone prior to discharge between June 29, 2020, and November 30, 2020, were included in the study. The primary outcome measure was alcohol-related readmission 90 days after ER naltrexone administration. Secondary outcomes were the number of emergency department visits, length of hospital stay, and time between hospital admissions. Patients served as their own controls before and after ER naltrexone administration, and data were collected from the electronic medical records. Comparative analysis was performed using descriptive statistics and paired Student t test. Results: 58 patients received ER naltrexone during the study period, with a mean (SD) pre and post 90-day admission rate of 0.60 (1.14) and 0.71 (1.27), respectively, P = .56. Number of emergency department visits before and after the intervention were 0.5 (1.06) and 0.48 (1.40), respectively, P = .93. Length of hospital stay decreased after naltrexone administration (2.92 vs 1.18 days, P < .005). Conclusion: There was no major difference in the number of hospitalizations or emergency department visits, but there was a decreased length of hospital stay in patients who received ER naltrexone prior to hospital discharge for the treatment of AUD.