Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40457870›Full record

ArticleDrug and alcohol review2025

Fentanyl Polysubstance Use Patterns and Their Associations With Hepatitis C Virus, Skin and Soft Tissue Infections, and Non-Fatal Overdose Among People Who Inject Drugs in New York City.

Mehrdad Khezri, Sarah Kimball, Chenziheng Allen Weng, Courtney McKnight, Don Des Jarlais

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Drug and alcohol review, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Mehrdad KhezriDepartment of Epidemiology, New York University School of Global Public Health, New York, New York, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-9712-6221
Sarah KimballDepartment of Epidemiology, New York University School of Global Public Health, New York, New York, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-4995-3489
Chenziheng Allen WengDepartment of Epidemiology, New York University School of Global Public Health, New York, New York, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-3710-2831
Courtney McKnightDepartment of Epidemiology, New York University School of Global Public Health, New York, New York, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-8685-5381
Don Des JarlaisDepartment of Epidemiology, New York University School of Global Public Health, New York, New York, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-0157-8168

Funding

Transdisciplinary Theoretical Svnthesis and Development CoreP30DA011041 · NIDA · NEW YORK UNIVERSITY · PI Holly Hagan · 1998 to 2026
$38.9M
BEHAVIORAL SCI TRAINING IN DRUG ABUSE RESEARCHT32DA007233 · NIDA · PUBLIC HEALTH SOLUTIONS · PI GOLDSAMT, LLOYD A · 1985 to 2023
$20.2M
Risk Factors for HIV/AIDS in Drug UsersR01DA003574 · NIDA · NEW YORK UNIVERSITY · PI DES JARLAIS, DON C, MCKNIGHT, COURTNEY · 1986 to 2025
$16.2M
NIDA NIH HHS 5R01DA003574NIDA NIH HHS P30 DA011041NIDA NIH HHS R01 DA003574NIDA NIH HHS T32 DA007233
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionFentanyl's euphoric effects and short half-life may increase infectious disease transmission risks through frequent injecting and syringe sharing. We examined fentanyl polysubstance use (PSU) patterns and associations with hepatitis C virus (HCV), skin and soft tissue infections (SSTI), and non-fatal overdose among people who inject drugs (PWID) in New York City.

methodsWe recruited 495 PWID between October 2021 and July 2024. Participants were tested for HCV antibody and underwent urine toxicology screenings using the Premier Biotech 13-panel BioCup.

resultsFentanyl was identified in 83.6% of the sample; however, only 23.0% self-reported recent intentional fentanyl use. The most common fentanyl PSU combinations were fentanyl with methadone (67.9%), opiates (66.9%), cocaine (65.9%), cannabis (45.4%), xylazine (36.7%), heroin (35.5%), benzodiazepines (32.5%) and alcohol (29.3%). Compared to no fentanyl use, intentional fentanyl use was associated with HCV antibody seropositivity (aOR 3.44, 95% CI 1.75, 6.93), SSTIs (aOR 4.75, 1.66, 17.20) and non-fatal overdose (aOR 2.35, 1.15, 5.00). Co-use of fentanyl with opiates (aOR 2.08, 1.16, 3.82), cocaine (aOR 2.71, 1.52, 4.97), heroin (aOR 2.06, 1.11, 3.91), benzodiazepines (aOR 2.91, 1.55, 5.63) and alcohol (aOR 3.27, 1.72, 6.37) were associated with HCV. Co-use of fentanyl with benzodiazepines (aOR 2.08, 1.04, 4.34) and alcohol (aOR 2.57, 1.29, 5.37) were associated with non-fatal overdose. DISCUSSION AND

conclusionsIn addition to overdose, when combined with other psychoactive substances, fentanyl PSU is associated with a higher prevalence of infectious diseases. This underscores the need for tailored medication dosing for opioid use disorder and expanding access to syringe service programs and medical care for PWID in the fentanyl era.

Indexed as

Drug OverdoseFentanylHepatitis COpioid-Related DisordersSoft Tissue InfectionsSubstance Abuse, IntravenousAdultAnalgesics, OpioidFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedNew York CityYoung AdultAnalgesics, OpioidFentanyldrug‐related harmsfentanylhepatitis Coverdosepeople who inject drugs

Identifiers

PMID40457870
PMCPMC12703864

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceTDM
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.