Risk of drug-related upper gastrointestinal bleeding in the total population of the Netherlands: a time-trend analysis

Objective Many prescribed and over-the-counter medications, for example, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are associated with upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB). Recently, a decrease in prescribing of NSAIDs was observed in the Netherlands, but whether a similar decreasing trend co...

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Main Authors: Frits R Rosendaal, Albert Dahan, Ajda Bedene, Eveline L A van Dorp, Willem M Lijfering
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMJ Publishing Group 2022-12-01
Series:BMJ Open Gastroenterology
Online Access:https://bmjopengastro.bmj.com/content/9/1/e000733.full
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author Frits R Rosendaal
Albert Dahan
Ajda Bedene
Eveline L A van Dorp
Willem M Lijfering
author_facet Frits R Rosendaal
Albert Dahan
Ajda Bedene
Eveline L A van Dorp
Willem M Lijfering
author_sort Frits R Rosendaal
collection DOAJ
description Objective Many prescribed and over-the-counter medications, for example, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are associated with upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB). Recently, a decrease in prescribing of NSAIDs was observed in the Netherlands, but whether a similar decreasing trend could be observed in the incidence of severe UGIB (either fatal or requiring hospitalisation), contingent on medication prescription, is unknown.Design We conducted a cohort study using Dutch national statistics on pharmacy claims, hospitalisation and mortality between 2013 and 2018. We explored the incidence of sex-specific and age-specific severe UGIB in four (sub)populations: (A) total population, (B) without a filled prescrption for NSAIDs, (C) without filled prescriptions for NSAIDs and antithrombotic agents, (D) without any risk factors for UGIB.Results The cumulative incidence of severe UGIB did not decrease throughout the study period, regardless of the subgroup analysis. In the total population, it was 199 per 100 000 inhabitants (95% CI 197 to 201) in 2013–2014 and 260 (95% CI 258 to 263) in 2017–2018. The absolute risk of severe UGIB was 50% lower in the subgroup B than in the full cohort. It decreased further by 50% in the subgroup D when compared with subgroup B. The risk of severe UGIB was 1.5–1.9 fold higher in young women than in young men; an indication of over-the-counter NSAIDs use being more prevalent in women than men in this age group.Conclusion We found no evidence to support a relationship between reduced prescribing of NSAIDs and the incidence of severe UGIB in the Netherlands since 2013. The relationship was also not observed when we removed the effect of risk factors.
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spelling doaj-art-79f230a202f947c290fac55afbdd0cb62025-08-20T03:20:35ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open Gastroenterology2054-47742022-12-019110.1136/bmjgast-2021-000733Risk of drug-related upper gastrointestinal bleeding in the total population of the Netherlands: a time-trend analysisFrits R Rosendaal0Albert Dahan1Ajda Bedene2Eveline L A van Dorp3Willem M Lijfering4Clinical Epidemiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Zuid-Holland, NetherlandsDepartment of Anesthesiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, NetherlandsClinical Epidemiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The NetherlandsDepartment of Anesthesiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlandspostdoctoral researcherObjective Many prescribed and over-the-counter medications, for example, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are associated with upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB). Recently, a decrease in prescribing of NSAIDs was observed in the Netherlands, but whether a similar decreasing trend could be observed in the incidence of severe UGIB (either fatal or requiring hospitalisation), contingent on medication prescription, is unknown.Design We conducted a cohort study using Dutch national statistics on pharmacy claims, hospitalisation and mortality between 2013 and 2018. We explored the incidence of sex-specific and age-specific severe UGIB in four (sub)populations: (A) total population, (B) without a filled prescrption for NSAIDs, (C) without filled prescriptions for NSAIDs and antithrombotic agents, (D) without any risk factors for UGIB.Results The cumulative incidence of severe UGIB did not decrease throughout the study period, regardless of the subgroup analysis. In the total population, it was 199 per 100 000 inhabitants (95% CI 197 to 201) in 2013–2014 and 260 (95% CI 258 to 263) in 2017–2018. The absolute risk of severe UGIB was 50% lower in the subgroup B than in the full cohort. It decreased further by 50% in the subgroup D when compared with subgroup B. The risk of severe UGIB was 1.5–1.9 fold higher in young women than in young men; an indication of over-the-counter NSAIDs use being more prevalent in women than men in this age group.Conclusion We found no evidence to support a relationship between reduced prescribing of NSAIDs and the incidence of severe UGIB in the Netherlands since 2013. The relationship was also not observed when we removed the effect of risk factors.https://bmjopengastro.bmj.com/content/9/1/e000733.full
spellingShingle Frits R Rosendaal
Albert Dahan
Ajda Bedene
Eveline L A van Dorp
Willem M Lijfering
Risk of drug-related upper gastrointestinal bleeding in the total population of the Netherlands: a time-trend analysis
BMJ Open Gastroenterology
title Risk of drug-related upper gastrointestinal bleeding in the total population of the Netherlands: a time-trend analysis
title_full Risk of drug-related upper gastrointestinal bleeding in the total population of the Netherlands: a time-trend analysis
title_fullStr Risk of drug-related upper gastrointestinal bleeding in the total population of the Netherlands: a time-trend analysis
title_full_unstemmed Risk of drug-related upper gastrointestinal bleeding in the total population of the Netherlands: a time-trend analysis
title_short Risk of drug-related upper gastrointestinal bleeding in the total population of the Netherlands: a time-trend analysis
title_sort risk of drug related upper gastrointestinal bleeding in the total population of the netherlands a time trend analysis
url https://bmjopengastro.bmj.com/content/9/1/e000733.full
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