TY - JOUR
T1 - Association of benzodiazepines, Z-drugs, pregabalin, and melatonin with traffic accidents
T2 - A nationwide cohort and case-crossover study in Danish adults
AU - Osler, Merete
AU - Jørgensen, Martin B
PY - 2022
Y1 - 2022
N2 - BACKGROUND: Benzodiazepines, Z-drugs, pregabalin, and melatonin (BZPMs) have been associated with a higher risk of traffic accidents, but the evidence is inconsistent, and lacking for newer drugs.AIM: To examine the association of BZPMs with risk of traffic accidents.METHODS: All Danish adults (n = 3,823,588) were followed for redeemed prescriptions of BZPM and for incident traffic accidents registered in Danish registers from 2002 through 2018. Associations were examined in cohort and case-crossover designs using Cox proportional hazard and conditional logistic regression with adjustment for co-variables.RESULTS: A total of 19.3% (n = 738,019) of all participants initiated treatment with BZPMs. During the mean follow-up of 10.3 years, 595,173(15.5%) of participants were involved in a traffic accident. In the cohort analysis, all BZPMs besides pregabalin were associated with a higher risk of traffic accidents in adults below 70 years, with chlordiazepoxide showing the strongest association (hazard ratio (HR)age 18-49 = 1.76, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.67-1.86 and HRage 50-69 = 1.84, 95% CI: 1.70-2.00). In the older age groups, the specific BZPM medications were associated with lower or no risk of traffic accidents. However, in case-time-crossover analysis with inherited control for confounders, no BZPM medication was positively associated with traffic accidents, except for chlordiazepoxide, which had a higher odds ratio in middle-aged group (1.62, 95% CI: 1.15-2.29).CONCLUSIONS: This study does not fully support that BZPM use is a risk factor for traffic accidents. However, a positive association was found for chlordiazepoxide, which is approved for treatment of acute alcohol withdrawal.
AB - BACKGROUND: Benzodiazepines, Z-drugs, pregabalin, and melatonin (BZPMs) have been associated with a higher risk of traffic accidents, but the evidence is inconsistent, and lacking for newer drugs.AIM: To examine the association of BZPMs with risk of traffic accidents.METHODS: All Danish adults (n = 3,823,588) were followed for redeemed prescriptions of BZPM and for incident traffic accidents registered in Danish registers from 2002 through 2018. Associations were examined in cohort and case-crossover designs using Cox proportional hazard and conditional logistic regression with adjustment for co-variables.RESULTS: A total of 19.3% (n = 738,019) of all participants initiated treatment with BZPMs. During the mean follow-up of 10.3 years, 595,173(15.5%) of participants were involved in a traffic accident. In the cohort analysis, all BZPMs besides pregabalin were associated with a higher risk of traffic accidents in adults below 70 years, with chlordiazepoxide showing the strongest association (hazard ratio (HR)age 18-49 = 1.76, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.67-1.86 and HRage 50-69 = 1.84, 95% CI: 1.70-2.00). In the older age groups, the specific BZPM medications were associated with lower or no risk of traffic accidents. However, in case-time-crossover analysis with inherited control for confounders, no BZPM medication was positively associated with traffic accidents, except for chlordiazepoxide, which had a higher odds ratio in middle-aged group (1.62, 95% CI: 1.15-2.29).CONCLUSIONS: This study does not fully support that BZPM use is a risk factor for traffic accidents. However, a positive association was found for chlordiazepoxide, which is approved for treatment of acute alcohol withdrawal.
KW - Accidents, Traffic
KW - Adolescent
KW - Adult
KW - Aged
KW - Alcoholism
KW - Benzodiazepines/adverse effects
KW - Chlordiazepoxide
KW - Cohort Studies
KW - Cross-Over Studies
KW - Denmark/epidemiology
KW - Humans
KW - Melatonin/adverse effects
KW - Middle Aged
KW - Pregabalin/adverse effects
KW - Substance Withdrawal Syndrome
KW - Young Adult
U2 - 10.1177/02698811221080465
DO - 10.1177/02698811221080465
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 35485852
VL - 36
SP - 470
EP - 478
JO - Journal of Psychopharmacology
JF - Journal of Psychopharmacology
SN - 0269-8811
IS - 4
ER -