Study, Jun/21:Benzodiazepine Use & Long-Term Mortality in South Korean Adults...

The full title of this S. Korean study is "Benzodiazepine Use and Long-Term Mortality in South Korean Adult Population: A Cohort Study".

 

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34027640/

 

Abstract

 

Purpose: Studies have reported mixed results on the association between benzodiazepine use and mortality. Here, we investigated whether benzodiazepine use is associated with a higher risk of 5-year all-cause mortality, and examined the association between benzodiazepine use and 5-year disease-specific mortality.

 

Materials and methods: In this population-based cohort study, a nationally representative sample cohort in South Korea was examined. In 2010, benzodiazepine users were defined as individuals prescribed benzodiazepine continuously over 30 days for regular administration, and all other subjects were included in the control group. The primary endpoint was 5-year all-cause mortality, evaluated from 2011 to 2015. Propensity score (PS) matching and time-dependent Cox regression were performed for statistical analysis, which included benzodiazepine use during 2011-2015 as a time-dependent variable.

 

Results: A total of 822414 adult individuals were included in the final analysis, and the all-cause 5-year mortality was recorded in 20991 individuals (2.7%). The benzodiazepine group included 30837 patients and the control group comprised 791377 patients. After PS matching, 61672 individuals (30836 in each group) were included in the final analysis. After PS matching, the 5-year all-cause mortality in the benzodiazepine group was 10.0% (3082/30836), whereas that in the control group was 9.4% (2893/30836). In time-dependent Cox regression analysis of the PS-matched cohort, the benzodiazepine group showed 1.15-fold higher 5-year all-cause mortality (hazard ratio: 1.15, 95% confidence interval: 1.09-1.22; p<0.001) compared to the control group.

 

Conclusion: Benzodiazepine use was associated with increased 5-year all-cause mortality in the South Korean adult population. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings.

 

 

That's a very interesting study.

Yes, but as they note....further research is necessary. The word used is "association". With so many confounding factors, it would be very difficult to find out whether there's a causal relationship.

  That "association" thing has been going on for decades.  I've read quite a few research studies about the association between benzo's and dementia, etc.  duh.  Many on here have cognitive problems from the benzo's.  No one will do the research because benzo's are big business and bring in tons of $$$$ for Big Pharma.

It likely has more to with the fact that there are too many other factors that could be contributing to the changes in cognition. You can't just isolate the benzodiazepine's contribution to the problem. Maybe there are dietary factors, or alcohol use, or other medications, or genetics, or lack of exercise, or hormonal changes, or other illnesses, etc., etc. Benzo use might just be one part of it. It's complex.

It continues to concern me that more emphasis is not placed upon the conclusions drawn by this updated meta-analysis of studies related to the Medium and Long-term Cognitive Effects of Benzodiazepines which concludes: "The results of the study are important in that they corroborate the mounting evidence that a range of neuropsychological functions are impaired as a result of long-term benzodiazepine use, and that these are likely to persist even following withdrawal. The findings highlight the residual neurocognitive compromise associated with long-term benzodiazepine therapy as well as the important clinical implications of these results." https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29244060/

 

I continue to advocate for transparent informed consent and risk vs. benefits assessments for the initiation and the discontinuation of long-term benzodiazepine use. Sincere Best Wishes to All