Nationwide increase in the number of hospitalizations for illicit injection drug use-related infective endocarditis.

Cooper, Hannah L F; Brady, Joanne E; Ciccarone, Daniel; Tempalski, Barbara; Gostnell, Karla; Friedman, Samuel R · Clin Infect Dis · 2007

retrospective_cohort · Level III

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Abstract

Infective endocarditis is a potentially fatal consequence of illicit injection drug use. We estimate that the number of hospitalization for injection drug use-related infective endocarditis increased by 38%-66% in the United States between 2000-2001 and 2002-2003, a period during which the number of at-risk persons (i.e., injection drug users) remained stable. Increasing methamphetamine use and/or drug injection frequency may have increased the incidence of infective endocarditis among active injection drug users.

Medical subject headings