Opioid-use disorder (OUD)-related diagnoses are increasing among patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and are associated with increased hospital length of stay (LOS), a recent study found. The retrospective study used weighted data from 2005-2014 and identified adult IBD hospital visits and OUD-related diagnoses. Annual diagnoses were calculated. Associations between OUD and LOS were assessed overall and separately for surgical and non-surgical stays. Researchers found:

• 2.2% of 2,585,174 weighted discharges with any diagnosis of IBD also had an OUD-related diagnosis, with an 8.8% average annual increase.
• In multivariable analysis, Crohn’s disease, public payer or no insurance, and psychiatric comorbidities were associated with a higher likelihood of OUD.
• A primary diagnosis of an IBD-related complication was associated with a lower likelihood of OUD.
• An OUD-related diagnosis was associated with 0.84 days increased LOS overall, 2.79 days for surgical stays, and 0.71 days for non-surgical stays.