title: Co-consumption of benzodiazepines in heroin users, methadone-substituted and codeine-substituted patients.
abstract: Concomitant consumption of benzodiazepines (BZDs) and opioids is a major problem in patients with opioid dependence. It may have substantial impact on morbidity, mortality and clinical course. The current retrospective study aims to determine whether there are differences in the additional use of BZDs among addicts regularly taking methadone or codeine medications in treatment and untreated addicts injecting heroin. The records of 1,685 patients admitted for detoxification were analyzed using bivariate analysis and multiple logistic regression analysis. Demographic and drug related variables were considered, both as possible confounders and predictors of concomitant BZD use. Daily intake of BZDs was reported in 44.4% of the patients. Patients treated with methadone or codeine medications report daily intake of BZDs significantly more often than the heroin-dependent patients (p < 0.01). Using multiple regression analyses, the results were confirmed as independent from the assessed possible confounders. Further we found that daily use of alcohol or barbiturates, early onset of opioid use (p < 0.01), unemployment, having a substance dependent family member with, and a history of imprisonment (for all p < 0.05) were associated with concomitant daily consumption of BZDs in opioid dependent subjects. These finding underline the need to further explore the causes, interactions and consequences of concomitant BZD and opiate use.
authors.affiliation: Kolner Platz 1, München, 80804, Germany. Markus.Backmund@kms.mhn.de
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Backmund
authors.forename: Kirsten
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Henkel
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Soyka
authors.forename: Jens
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Reimer
authors.forename: Christian G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Schütz
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001569:Benzodiazepines; D003061:Codeine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006556:Heroin Dependence / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008691:Methadone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009294:Narcotics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D009294:Narcotics; D001569:Benzodiazepines; D008691:Methadone; D003061:Codeine