Table 3.
Risk of all cause death in 2016–2017 among opioid users and subgroups of patients, (n=31 998)
| Patient category | Analysis group based on exposure category | ||||||
| None | Opioid only (reference group) | Benzodiazepine* only | Concurrent | ||||
| OR (P value) | 95% CI | OR (P value) | OR (P value) | 95% CI | OR (P value) | 95% CI | |
| Overall population | 0.67 (<0.001) | 0.64 to 0.71 | 1 | 0.76 (<0.001) | 0.69 to 0.83 | 1.90 (<0.001) | 1.76 to 2.05 |
| Female | 0.64 (<0.001) | 0.60 to 0.70 | 1 | 0.68 (<0.001) | 0.60 to 0.78 | 1.73 (<0.001) | 1.56 to 1.92 |
| Male | 0.70 (<0.001) | 0.62 to 0.76 | 1 | 0.85 (0.02) | 0.75 to 0.97 | 2.09 (<0.001) | 1.87 to 2.33 |
| Age at death | |||||||
| 18–45 | 1.20 (0.13) | 0.94 to 1.54 | 1 | 1.98 (<0.001) | 1.38 to 2.86 | 2.26 (<0.001) | 1.63 to 3.13 |
| 46–65 | 1.13 (0.03) | 1.01 to 1.28 | 1 | 1.24 (0.03) | 1.02 to 1.51 | 2.20 (<0.001) | 1.90 to 2.55 |
| >65 | 0.56 (<0.001) | 0.52 to 0.60 | 1 | 0.61 (<0.001) | 0.54 to 0.68 | 1.79 (<0.001) | 1.63 to 1.97 |
| Total days of cumulative concurrency | |||||||
| 1–30 | 0.82 (0.007) | 0.71 to 0.95 | 1 | 0.88 (0.17) | 0.74 to 1.05 | 4.93 (<0.001) | 4.29 to 5.66 |
| 31–90 | 2.4 (<0.001) | 1.84 to 3.15 | 1 | 1.18 (0.21) | 0.91 to 1.56 | 1.41 (<0.001) | 1.14 to 1.74 |
| 91–180 | 2.39 (<0.001) | 1.58 to 3.60 | 1 | 1.74 (0.01) | 1.12 to 2.68 | 0.80 (0.20) | 0.56 to 1.12 |
| 181–365 | 4.27 (<0.001) | 2.58 to 7.07 | 1 | 1.54 (0.08) | 0.94 to 2.51 | 0.92 (0.66) | 0.63 to 1.33 |
| >365 | 1.53 (0.26) | 0.73 to 3.24 | 1 | 1.17 (0.71) | 0.51 to 2.72 | 0.39 (0.003) | 0.21 to 0.72 |
| Total days of opioid use | |||||||
| 1–7 | 0.14 (<0.001) | 0.11 to 0.17 | 1 | 0.17 (<0.001) | 0.12 to 0.23 | 2.78 (<0.001) | 1.79 to 4.32 |
| 8–30 | 0.38 (<0.001) | 0.34 to 0.42 | 1 | 0.48 (<0.001) | 0.40 to 0.59 | 2.29 (<0.001) | 1.89 to 2.78 |
| 31–90 | 1.03 (0.56) | 0.92 to 1.16 | 1 | 1.46 (<0.001) | 1.19 to 1.78 | 2.58 (<0.001) | 2.22 to 3.00 |
| 91–180 | 2.08 (<0.001) | 1.75 to 2.48 | 1 | 2.62 (<0.001) | 1.96 to 3.51 | 2.16 (<0.001) | 1.80 to 2.60 |
| 181–365 | 2.66 (<0.001) | 2.18 to 3.24 | 1 | 3.13 (<0.001) | 2.24 to 4.38 | 1.83 (<0.001) | 1.50 to 2.23 |
| >365 | 2.83 (<0.001) | 2.16 to 3.71 | 1 | 2.41 (<0.001) | 1.51 to 3.87 | 1.20 (0.15) | 0.93 to 1.53 |
| No of opioid dispensations | |||||||
| 1–10 | 0.41 (<0.001) | 0.38 to 0.44 | 1 | 0.45 (<0.001) | 0.39 to 0.51 | 2.23 (<0.001) | 1.96 to 2.54 |
| 11–30 | 1.36 (<0.001) | 1.20 to 1.54 | 1 | 1.72 (<0.001) | 1.41 to 2.11 | 2.70 (<0.001) | 2.34 to 3.12 |
| >30 | 2.11 (<0.001) | 1.83 to 2.44 | 1 | 1.82 (<0.001) | 1.46 to 2.28 | 1.40 (<0.001) | 1.21 to 1.62 |
| No of unique prescribers | |||||||
| 1 | 0.31 (<0.001) | 0.27 to 0.36 | 1 | 0.49 (<0.001) | 0.32 to 0.74 | 2.50 (<0.001) | 1.76 to 3.56 |
| 2 | 0.51 (<0.001) | 0.44 to 0.58 | 1 | 0.63 (<0.001) | 0.48 to 0.81 | 2.29 (<0.001) | 1.81 to 2.90 |
| 3 | 0.60 (<0.001) | 0.52 to 0.69 | 1 | 0.71 (0.004) | 0.56 to 0.90 | 2.03 (<0.001) | 1.64 to 2.52 |
| 4 | 0.75 (<0.001) | 0.64 to 0.87 | 1 | 0.82 (0.12) | 0.64 to 1.05 | 2.49 (<0.001) | 2.01 to 3.08 |
| >5 | 1.36 (<0.001) | 1.23 to 1.50 | 1 | 1.10 (0.15) | 0.96 to 1.26 | 2.01 (<0.001) | 1.82 to 2.24 |
| No of unique pharmacies | |||||||
| 1 | 0.54 (<0.001) | 0.50 to 0.60 | 1 | 0.72 (<0.001) | 0.60 to 0.87 | 1.41 (<0.001) | 1.20 to 1.66 |
| 2 | 0.65 (<0.001) | 0.59 to 0.71 | 1 | 0.74 (<0.001) | 0.62 to 0.87 | 2.09 (<0.001) | 1.82 to 2.40 |
| 3 | 0.73 (<0.001) | 0.64 to 0.84 | 1 | 0.78 (0.018) | 0.63 to 0.96 | 2.48 (<0.001) | 2.09 to 2.93 |
| 4 | 0.99 (0.96) | 0.81 to 1.21 | 1 | 0.82 (0.18) | 0.61 to 1.10 | 2.20 (<0.001) | 1.76 to 2.76 |
| >5 | 1.30 (0.01) | 1.06 to 1.59 | 1 | 1.14 (0.33) | 0.88 to 1.48 | 1.81 (<0.001) | 1.47 to 2.24 |
*Benzodiazepine receptor modulator (includes Z-drugs).
control interval, seven-day period one month before death; risk interval, seven days before death.