Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34238301›Full record

ArticleHarm reduction journal2021

Factors associated with opioid overdose during medication-assisted treatment: How can we identify individuals at risk?

Vivian Y O Au, Tea Rosic, Nitika Sanger, Alannah Hillmer, Caroul Chawar, Andrew Worster, David C Marsh, Lehana Thabane, Zainab Samaan

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Harm reduction journal, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
10citing papers in PubMed
2.0field-weighted citation impact, top 14% 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

10 citing papers in PubMed, 16 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Trial
  2. An antifentanyl monoclonal antibody reverses fentanyl-induced apnea in pigs.The Journal of pharmacology and experimental therapeutics · 2025
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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

9 authors at 4 institutions in 1 country.

Vivian Y O AuMichael G. DeGroote School of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
Tea RosicDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, McMaster University, 100 West 5th St, Hamilton, ON, L8N 3K7, Canada.
Nitika SangerMedical Sciences Graduate Program, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
Alannah HillmerNeuroscience Graduate Program, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
Caroul ChawarNeuroscience Graduate Program, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
Andrew WorsterDepartment of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
David C MarshNorthern Ontario School of Medicine, Sudbury, ON, Canada.
Lehana ThabaneDepartment of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
Zainab SamaanDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, McMaster University, 100 West 5th St, Hamilton, ON, L8N 3K7, Canada. samaanz@mcmaster.ca.ORCID 0000-0002-5974-9361
McMaster University · CAImpact · CAHealth Sciences North · CAPopulation Health Research Institute · CA

Funding

CIHR PJT-156306
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundDue to the loss of tolerance to opioids during medication-assisted treatment (MAT), this period may represent a time of heightened risk for overdose. Identifying factors associated with increased risk of overdose during treatment is therefore paramount to improving outcomes. We aimed to determine the prevalence of opioid overdoses in patients receiving MAT. Additionally, we explored factors associated with opioid overdose during MAT and the association between length of time enrolled in MAT and overdose.

methodsData were collected prospectively from 2360 participants receiving outpatient MAT in Ontario, Canada. Participants were divided into three groups by overdose status: no history of overdose, any lifetime history of overdose, and emergency department visit for opioid overdose in the last year. We used a multivariate multinomial regression model to assess demographic and clinical factors associated with overdose status.

resultsTwenty-four percent of participants reported a lifetime history of overdose (n = 562), and 8% reported an emergency department (ED) visit for opioid overdose in the last year (n = 179). Individuals with a recent ED visit for opioid overdose were in treatment for shorter duration (odds ratio [OR] 0.92, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.87, 0.97, p = 0.001). Individuals with a lifetime or recent history of overdose were more likely to be younger in age (OR 0.93, 95% CI 0.89, 0.98, p = 0.007 and OR 0.84, 95% CI 0.77, 0.92, p < 0.001, respectively), report more physical symptoms (OR 1.02, 95% CI 1.01, 1.03, p = 0.005 and OR 1.03, 95% CI 1.01, 1.05, p = 0.005, respectively), and had higher rates of non-prescription benzodiazepine use (OR 1.87, 95% CI 1.32, 2.66, p < 0.001 and OR 2.34, 95% CI 1.43, 3.81, p = 0.001, respectively) compared to individuals with no history of overdose.

conclusionsA considerable number of patients enrolled in MAT have experienced overdose. Our study highlights that there are identifiable factors associated with a patient's overdose status that may represent areas for intervention. In particular, longer duration in MAT is associated with a decreased risk of overdose.

Indexed as

Drug OverdoseOpiate OverdoseOpioid-Related DisordersAnalgesics, OpioidEmergency Service, HospitalHumansOntarioRisk FactorsAnalgesics, OpioidCanadaMedication-assisted treatmentOpioid use disorderProspective observational study

Identifiers

PMID34238301
PMCPMC8265117
OpenAlexW3180721686

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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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.