Does Maintenance Therapy for Patients with Substance Use Disorder and Comorbid COVID-19 Infection lead to Adverse Outcomes?

Abstract

The safety of Opioid Substitution Therapy (OST) for the treatment of Substance Use Disorder (SUD) in people with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is not well understood. People with SUD are typically disengaged with healthcare and have multiple comorbidities. Further, opioids are respiratory depressants and could exacerbate respiratory difficulties arising from COVID-19.