Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41709204›Full record

Observational studyBMC psychiatry2026

Comparison of mortality and causes of death between treatment-engaged individuals with severe alcohol or opioid use disorder: a prospective 19-year clinical cohort study.

Ivar Skeie, Anne Berit Bech, Thomas Clausen, Arne Jan Hjemsæter, Anne Signe Landheim, Bent Monsbakken, Magne Thoresen, Helge Waal

Abstract readComparative StudyObservational Study
In one paragraph

Observational study in BMC psychiatry, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
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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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

8 authors.

Ivar SkeieResearch Centre for Substance Use Disorders and Mental Illness, Innlandet Hospital Trust, Brumunddal, Norway. ivar.skeie@sykehuset-innlandet.no.
Anne Berit BechResearch Centre for Substance Use Disorders and Mental Illness, Innlandet Hospital Trust, Brumunddal, Norway.
Thomas ClausenNorwegian Centre for Addiction Research, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
Arne Jan HjemsæterResearch Centre for Substance Use Disorders and Mental Illness, Innlandet Hospital Trust, Brumunddal, Norway.
Anne Signe LandheimResearch Centre for Substance Use Disorders and Mental Illness, Innlandet Hospital Trust, Brumunddal, Norway.
Bent MonsbakkenResearch Centre for Substance Use Disorders and Mental Illness, Innlandet Hospital Trust, Brumunddal, Norway.
Magne ThoresenDepartment of Biostatistics, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
Helge WaalNorwegian Centre for Addiction Research, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundComparisons of long-term mortality between alcohol-use-disorder (AUD) and opioid-use-disorder (OUD) groups within clinical cohorts are scarce. This study aimed to do this within one clinical cohort comprising groups suffering various severe substance use disorders.

methodsDesign: Observational cohort design. Prospective study of mortality 1998–2016, Cox regression. Sample/setting: 464 persons in specialist SUD treatment at start of observation period. Three subgroups defined by SUD characteristics at the beginning of the observation period, were studied: participants with 1) OUD, on opioid agonist treatment (OAT), (OUD/OAT-group), 2) AUD, no other SUDs (AUD-alone group), 3) AUD as part of a poly-substance-use disorder (AUD/PSUD group). Measures/covariates: Comparison of mortality risks and causes of death (somatic diseases/traumatic causes/substance-induced deaths/unknown cause) between OUD/OAT versus AUD-alone, and AUD-alone versus AUD/PSUD groups. Hazard ratio (HR) adjusted for baseline age (1 January 1998), sex, and socioeconomic/SUD characteristics.

resultsAUD-alone versus OUD/OAT: Unadjusted mortality risk was higher in the AUD-alone group [HR 1.99 (95% CI 1.33–2.99)]. However, in adjusted analysis type of SUD showed no statistically significant association with increased mortality [aHR 0.91 (0.54–1.54)], only male sex and increasing baseline age were independently associated with increased mortality risk. Cause-of-death distributions were very similar and somatic diseases caused over 50% of deaths in both groups. AUD-alone versus AUD/PSUD: Unadjusted mortality risk was higher in the AUD-alone group [(HR 2.57 (1.65–4.00)]. However, in adjusted analysis type of SUD showed no statistically significant association with increased mortality [aHR 1.40 (0.81–2.44)], only male sex, increasing baseline age, and “not being in work or education at study inclusion” were independently associated with increased mortality risk. Substance-induced deaths were most common in the AUD/PSUD group (43%).

conclusionIn adjusted analyses there were no statistically significant differences in mortality risk between the three subgroups. Somatic diseases were the main cause of death. Besides efforts to improve social rehabilitation and to treat the substance use disorders as such, early and targeted lifestyle interventions, and measures for early detection, treatment and follow-up of somatic disorders are essential to reduce mortality in both AUD and OUD populations. CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER: Not applicable

Indexed as

AlcoholismOpioid-Related DisordersAdultCause of DeathCohort StudiesFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedProspective StudiesAgeingAlcohol use disorderCauses of deathComorbidityMortalityOpioid agonist treatmentOpioid use disorder

Identifiers

PMID41709204
PMCPMC12964859

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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.