ArticleDrug and alcohol review2025
Changes in the rates and characteristics of gamma hydroxybutyrate (GHB)-related death in Australia, 2001-2023.
Article in Drug and alcohol review, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. An erratum has been issued. Cited by 3 papers.
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.
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.
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Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed.
- Accuracy of Patient-Reported Exposure to New Psychoactive Substances and Other Illicit Drugs in Australian Emergency Departments: Findings From the Emerging Drugs Network of Australia.Drug and alcohol review · 2026Article
- Patterns of Acute Gamma-Hydroxybutyrate Harms Requiring Ambulance Attendance: Should Greater Focus Be on Regional Areas?Drug and alcohol review · 2025Article
- Changes in the rates and characteristics of gamma hydroxybutyrate (GHB)-related death in Australia, 2001-2023.Drug and alcohol review · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
- Erratum issued
Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
Abstract
introductionIn recent years gamma hydroxybutyrate (GHB) use appears to have increased. This study aimed to determine: (i) population rates of GHB-related death in Australia, 2001-2021; and (ii) whether there have been changes in the characteristics of GHB-related death in Australia over the period 2001-2023.
methodsRetrospective study of all Australian cases in which GHB was a mechanism contributory to death retrieved from the National Coronial Information System (n = 217). Joinpoint regression models were used to analyse trends in overall rates.
resultsDeath rates were stable between 2001 and 2015 ('stable period') (annual percent change [APC] = 3.7) but showed marked acceleration between 2016 and 2021 ('accelerated period') (APC = 44.4). Circumstances of death were: unintentional toxicity (81.6%), intentional toxicity (5.1%), self-harm (6.0%), traumatic injury (7.4%). Compared to the stable period, later cases were slightly older (34.2 vs. 30.7 years, p < 0.05), less likely to be employed (odds ratio [OR] 0.4), but more likely to have substance use problems (OR 3.9), a history of injecting drug use (OR 3.5), mental health problems (OR 3.6), and to have present in their blood at toxicological screening opioids (OR 3.2) and hypnosedatives (OR 3.7). The median blood GHB concentration was 170 mg/L, (range 0-3210), which did not change significantly. There were no differences in major organ pathology, but the proportion with aspiration pneumonia declined (OR 0.4). DISCUSSION AND
conclusionsGHB-related death rates increased from 2016, accompanied by changes in case characteristics. In recent years GHB use appears to have extended to a population more likely to have substance use problems and use other respiratory depressants.
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