TY - JOUR T1 - Risk of drug-related mortality during periods of transition in methadone maintenance treatment: a cohort study JF - J Subst Abuse Treat Y1 - 2011 A1 - Cousins, G A1 - Teljeur, C A1 - Motterlini, N A1 - McCowan, Colin A1 - Dimitrov, B A1 - Fahey, T KW - Adolescent KW - Adult KW - Cohort Studies KW - Databases, Factual KW - Female KW - Humans KW - Lung Diseases KW - Male KW - Medical Records KW - Methadone KW - Middle Aged KW - Opiate Substitution Treatment KW - Opioid-Related Disorders KW - Patient Dropouts KW - Prescriptions KW - Risk KW - Time Factors KW - Young Adult AB - This study aims to identify periods of elevated risk of drug-related mortality during methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) in primary care using a cohort of 3,162 Scottish drug users between January 1993 and February 2004. Deaths occurring during treatment or within 3 days after last methadone prescription expired were considered as cases "on treatment." Fatalities occurring 4 days or more after leaving treatment were cases "off treatment." Sixty-four drug-related deaths were identified. The greatest risk of drug-related death was in the first 2 weeks of treatment (adjusted hazard ratio 2.60, 95% confidence interval 1.03-6.56). Risk of drug-related death was lower after the first 30 days following treatment cessation, relative to the first 30 days off treatment. History of psychiatric admission was associated with increased risk of drug-related death in treatment. Increasing numbers of treatment episodes and urine testing were protective. History of psychiatric admission, increasing numbers of urine tests, and coprescriptions of benzodiazepines increased the risk of mortality out of treatment. The risk of drug-related mortality in MMT is elevated during periods of treatment transition, specifically treatment initiation and the first 30 days following treatment dropout or discharge. VL - 41 UR - http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0740547211000973 IS - 3 ER -