An increase in overdose mortality during the first 2 weeks after entering or re-entering methadone treatment in Amsterdam

AIMS: It has been suggested that starting and temporarily discontinuing methadone treatment is related to an increased risk in overdose mortality. This study describes the incidence of overdose mortality in relation to time after (re)entering or leaving treatment. DESIGN: A dynamic cohort of 5200 Amsterdam methadone clients was observed during treatment and (a maximum of 1 year) after treatment. FINDINGS: Between 1986 and 1998, 29,729 person-years (py) and 68 overdose deaths were recorded, leading to an overdose mortality rate of 2.3/1000 py (2.2 during and 2.4 after treatment). A modest increase was observed during the first 2 weeks after (re)entering treatment; 6.0/1000 py (rate ratio: 2.9; 95% confidence interval 1.4; 5.8). Directly after leaving treatment no increase was observed. CONCLUSIONS: Inhaling heroin, common among Amsterdam heroin users, is thought to account for low OD mortality rates both during and after treatment. Accumulation of methadone, inadequate assessment of tolerance of known clients re-entering treatment and concurrent periods of stress or extreme heroin use when entering treatment are mentioned as possible explanations of the increased risk within the first 2 weeks. An Australian study reported a much higher increase. The modest increase in Amsterdam is explained by low background risk of overdose mortality, low starting dosage and the low threshold to treatmen

Chasing the dragon, related to the impaired lung function among heroin users

AIM: To describe the pulmonary function and prevalence of dyspnoea among methadone patients and to study the relation with exposure to heroin by inhaling. STUDY POPULATION: A sample of 100 patients from methadone maintenance treatment (84% male, average age 42 years). MEASUREMENTS: Questionnaires were used to measure life-time exposure to heroin, cocaine, cannabis, tobacco, and symptoms of dyspnoea. Spirometry was performed and residual difference of measured FEV(1) from the age, sex, height and ethnicity predicted value (delta FEV(1)) was used as a main outcome parameter. FINDINGS: The median delta FEV(1) was -0.26 l (inter quartile range -0.70; +0.12). Twenty per cent experienced dyspnoea while 'walking at a normal pace with someone of their own age'. History of cigarette smoking was reported by 98%; heroin smoking by 88%. Multiple linear regression analysis showed a statistically significant association between heroin-smoking and delta FEV(1), logistic regression analysis showed an association between heroin-smoking and prevalence of dyspnoea. CONCLUSIONS: Chronic heroin smoking seems to be related to an impaired lung function and higher prevalence of dyspnoea. However, part of the observed lung function impairment will be caused by tobacco smoking. Further research is needed to quantify the effect of heroin smoking and disentangle the effect of smoking heroin and tobacc

Ethnic differences in risk of acute compulsory admission in Amsterdam, 1996-2005

Several European studies have shown that migrants from non-western countries are at increased risk of psychotic disorders. This study examines how this is reflected in the risk of acute compulsory admission (ACA).Information on all patients with an ACA in Amsterdam from 1996 to 2005 was linked to the Amsterdam municipal register.The incidence of first ACA in Amsterdam was 4.5 per 10,000 person years. The incidence risk of ACA for any psychiatric disorders and for psychotic disorders in particular showed a 2- to 3-fold increase in almost all migrant groups from non-western countries, and especially for second-generation migrants. In addition, all non-western migrant groups were at increased risk of being assessed as posing a danger to others.The relative risk of ACA for psychotic disorders was similar to that for the incidence of psychotic disorders in most ethnic groups from other studies, suggesting that the increased risk of ACA in non-western migrants can mainly be explained by the increased incidence of psychotic disorders in these groups. However, the relative risk of ACA for psychotic disorders among Moroccan migrants was lower than expected on the basis of incidence studies, which suggests that additional factors are relevant, such as illness-related expression and access to and quality of care