Evidence map›Paper›PMID 28543168›Full record

ArticlePharmacotherapy2017

A New Tool to Tackle the Opioid Epidemic: Description, Utility, and Results from the Maine Diversion Alert Program.

Brian J Piper, Clare E Desrosiers, Harriet C Fisher, Kenneth L McCall, Stephanie D Nichols

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Pharmacotherapy, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
2.5field-weighted citation impact, top 11% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 19 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Review
  5. Observational
  6. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 4 institutions in 1 country.

Brian J PiperDepartment of Basic Sciences, Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine, Scranton, Pennsylvania.
Clare E DesrosiersDiversion Alert, Houlton, Maine.
Harriet C FisherDepartment of Government and Legal Studies, Bowdoin College, Brunswick, Maine.
Kenneth L McCallCollege of Pharmacy, University of New England, Portland, Maine.
Stephanie D NicholsDepartment of Pharmacy Practice, Husson University School of Pharmacy, Bangor, Maine.
Bowdoin College · USCommonwealth Medical College · USNew England College · USTufts University · US

Funding

MODE OF ACTION OF ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICANTST32ES007060 · NIEHS · OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY · PI Jamie DeWitt, Siva Kumar Kolluri · 1985 to 2026
$11.6M
NIEHS NIH HHS T32 ES007060
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

STUDY

objectiveThe opioid epidemic continues to impact the United States, and new strategies are needed to combat this epidemic. The objective of this study was to analyze 2015 drug arrest data from Maine's Diversion Alert (DA) program (diversionalert.org), compare arrest data between the first quarters of 2015 and 2016, and provide an analysis of the sex differences in the arrests as well as information about DA use. STUDY

designThis was a population-based descriptive study using data from the Maine DA program. The study population consisted of persons arrested for prescription, nonprescription, or illicit drugs. DATA SOURCE: DA database. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN

resultsThe DA program addresses Maine's prescription drug abuse epidemic with innovative resources that provide access to drug arrest data for health care providers to identify and respond to patients at risk for overdose, those engaged in illegal prescription drug distribution, and those who need treatment. Drug arrest data from 2015 (2723 arrests) and the first quarter of 2016 (788 arrests) were compared and analyzed. The drugs implicated in the arrests were organized by Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) schedule category and whether they were pharmaceuticals (synthesized and distributed by a pharmaceutical company) or nonpharmaceuticals (grown or synthesized in clandestine laboratories). Most arrests were for possession (64.5%) followed by trafficking (23.8%). Heroin was listed in more than three-quarters (76.4%) of the Schedule I arrests, followed by marijuana (11.7%) and "bath salts" (6.3%). Cocaine and crack cocaine were implicated in almost half (46.7%) of the Schedule II arrests, followed by oxycodone (21.0%) and methamphetamine/amphetamine (15.8%). Buprenorphine was responsible for almost all (96.7%) of the Schedule III arrests. The benzodiazepines alprazolam (34.3%), clonazepam (33.8%), diazepam (11.9%), and lorazepam (8.5%) were listed in the preponderance of the Schedule IV arrests. Arrests increased in 2016 by 49.2% for heroin (p<0.01) and 170.0% for methamphetamine (p≤0.0005) relative to 2015. Arrests for trafficking increased by 42.9% (p<0.05). Males outnumbered females 2:1 in DA. Schedule IV agents accounted for only 6.8% of arrests for males versus 11.5% for females (p≤0.0001). Conversely, Schedule I agents were implicated in 33.0% of arrests for males versus only 27.3% for females (p<0.005).

conclusionDA is an important tool for providing timely information for health care providers regarding individuals with a history of past misuse of psychotherapeutic agents, particularly opioids and stimulants.

Indexed as

Analgesics, OpioidDrug OverdoseFemaleHumansMaineMaleMedical Order Entry SystemsOpioid-Related DisordersRegistriesSubstance Abuse Treatment CentersSubstance-Related DisordersAnalgesics, OpioidbuprenorphinecocainecrimeDiversion AlertheroinMaineopioidoxycodone

Identifiers

PMID28543168
PMCPMC5693423
OpenAlexW2620007152

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceTDM
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.