The Impact of Medicinal Drugs on Traffic Safety: a Systematic Review of Epidemiological Studies

Overview

Journal Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf

Publisher Wiley

Specialties Pharmacology
Public Health

Date 2009 May 7

PMID 19418468

Citations 34

Authors

Ludivine Orriols

Louis-Rachid Salmi

Pierre Philip

Nicholas Moore

Bernard Delorme

Anne Castot

Emmanuel Lagarde

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate the quality of epidemiological research into effects of medicinal drugs on traffic safety and the current knowledge in this area.

Data Sources: The bibliographic search was done in Medline electronic database using the keywords: ((accident* or crash*) and traffic and drug*) leading to 1141 references. Additional references were retrieved from the Safetylit website and the reference lists of selected studies. Original articles published in English or French, between 1 April 1979 and 31 July 2008, were considered for inclusion. We excluded descriptive studies, studies limited to alcohol or illicit drug involvement and investigations of injuries other than from traffic crashes. Studies based on laboratory tests, driving simulators or on-the-road driving tests were also excluded. Eligible studies had to evaluate the causal relationship between the use of medicinal drugs and the risk of traffic crashes. Study quality was assessed by two independent experts, according to a grid adapted from the strengthening the reporting of observational studies in epidemiology (STROBE) statement.

Results: Twenty two studies of variable methodological quality were included. Definition of drug exposure varied across studies and depended on the data sources. Potential confounding due to the interaction between the effects of the medicinal drug and disease-related symptoms was often not controlled. The risk of motor-vehicle crashes related to benzodiazepines has been amply studied and demonstrated. Results for other medicinal drugs remain controversial.

Conclusion: There is a need for large studies, investigating the role of individual substances in the risk of road traffic crashes.

Citing Articles

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Trends in the Use of Driving-Impairing Medicines According to the DRUID Category: A Population-Based Registry Study with Reference to Driving in a Region of Spain between 2015 and 2019.

Gutierrez-Abejon E, Criado-Espegel P, Pedrosa-Naudin M, Fernandez-Lazaro D, Herrera-Gomez F, Alvarez F Pharmaceuticals (Basel). 2023; 16(4).

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Driving under the influence of drugs: Correlation between blood psychoactive drug concentrations and cognitive impairment. A narrative review taking into account forensic issues.

Blandino A, Cotroneo R, Tambuzzi S, Di Candia D, Genovese U, Zoja R Forensic Sci Int Synerg. 2022; 4:100224.

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Antonic R, Jankovic S, Folic M Zdr Varst. 2022; 61(1):32-39.

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Changes in benzodiazepine use in the French general population after November 2015 terrorist attacks in Paris: an interrupted time series analysis of the national CONSTANCES cohort.

Gouraud C, Airagnes G, Kab S, Courtin E, Goldberg M, Limosin F BMJ Open. 2021; 11(9):e044891.

PMID: 34535472 PMC: 8451294. DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-044891.

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