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Adverse outcomes from initiation of systemic corticosteroids for asthma: long-term observational study
Authors Price DB, Trudo F, Voorham J, Xu X, Kerkhof M, Ling Zhi Jie J, Tran TN
Received 1 June 2018
Accepted for publication 29 July 2018
Published 29 August 2018 Volume 2018:11 Pages 193—204
DOI https://doi.org/10.2147/JAA.S176026
Checked for plagiarism Yes
Review by Single-blind
Peer reviewers approved by Dr Cristina Weinberg
Peer reviewer comments 2
Editor who approved publication: Dr Amrita Dosanjh
David B Price,1,2 Frank Trudo,3 Jaco Voorham,1 Xiao Xu,4 Marjan Kerkhof,1 Joanna Ling Zhi Jie,1 Trung N Tran5
1Observational and Pragmatic Research Institute, Singapore, Singapore; 2Academic Primary Care, Division of Applied Health Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK; 3Medical Affairs, AstraZeneca, Wilmington, DE, USA; 4Global Payer Evidence and Pricing, AstraZeneca, Gaithersburg, MD, USA; 5Medical Evidence and Observational Research, AstraZeneca, Gaithersburg, MD, USA
Purpose: Prior work suggests a threshold of four courses/year of systemic corticosteroid (SCS) therapy is associated with adverse consequences. The objective of this study was to investigate the onset of adverse outcomes beginning at SCS initiation in a broad asthma population.
Patients and methods: This historical matched cohort study utilized anonymized, longitudinal medical record data (1984–2017) of patients (≥18 years) with active asthma. Matched patients with first SCS prescription (SCS arm) and no SCS exposure (non-SCS arm) were followed until first outcome event. Associations between time-varying exposure measures and onset of 17 SCS-associated adverse outcomes were estimated using Cox proportional hazard regression, adjusting for confounders, in separate models.
Results: We matched 24,117 pairs of patients with median record availability before SCS initiation of 9.9 and 8.7 years and median follow-up 7.4 and 6.4 years in SCS and non-SCS arms, respectively. Compared with patients in the non-SCS arm, patients prescribed SCS had significantly increased risk of osteoporosis/osteoporotic fracture (adjusted hazard ratio 3.11; 95% CI 1.87–5.19), pneumonia (2.68; 2.30–3.11), cardio-/cerebrovascular diseases (1.53; 1.36–1.72), cataract (1.50; 1.31–1.73), sleep apnea (1.40; 1.04–1.86), renal impairment (1.36; 1.26–1.47), depression/anxiety (1.31; 1.21–1.41), type 2 diabetes (1.26; 1.15–1.37), and weight gain (1.14; 1.10–1.18). A dose-response relationship for cumulative SCS exposure with most adverse outcomes began at cumulative exposures of 1.0–<2.5 g and for some outcomes at cumulative exposures of only 0.5–<1 g (vs >0–<0.5 g reference), equivalent to four lifetime SCS courses.
Conclusion: Our findings suggest urgent need for reappraisal of when patients need specialist care and consideration of nonsteroid therapy.
Keywords: adverse outcomes, asthma, cumulative exposure, oral corticosteroids, systemic corticosteroids
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