NSAID Use Research Articles

Time trends in use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and opioids one year after total hip arthroplasty due to osteoarthritis during 1996–2018: a population-based cohort study of 103,209 patients

To examine time trends in the use of NSAIDs and opioids for patients with osteoarthritis undergoing total hip arthroplasty (THA) during 1996-2018. Using Danish population-based medical databases, we identified 103,209 THA patients. Prevalence rates of NSAID and opioid use among preoperative users and non-users were calculated in four quarters (Q1-Q4) after THA by calendar periods (1996-2000, 2001-2006, 2007-2012 and 2013-2018). Prevalence rate ratios (PRR) were adjusted for age and gender. Among preoperative NSAID users and non-users, NSAID use in Q1 increased from 32.6% in 1996-2000 to 48.0% in 2013-2018 (PRR=1.49, 95% CI: 1.42-1.55) and from 12.9% to 32.0% (PRR=2.49 (2.32-2.67)), respectively. Among preoperative opioid users and non-users, opioid use in Q1 increased from 42.7% in 1996-2000 to 76.9% in 2013-2018 (PRR=1.81 (1.73-1.89)) and from 15.2% to 58.2% (PRR=3.85 (3.65-4.05)), respectively. NSAID use in Q4 decreased from 24.5% in 1996-2000 to 21.4% in 2013-2018 (PRR=0.88 (0.83-0.93)) and from 6.9% to 5.6% (PRR=0.81 (0.73-0.91)) in preoperative NSAIDs users and non-users, respectively. Opioid use in Q4 increased from 26.6% in 1996-2000 to 28.6% (PRR=1.08 (1.02-1.15)) in 2013-2018 and from 4.1% to 5.0% (PRR=1.25 (1.11-1.40)) in preoperative opioid users and non-users, respectively. We observed up to a 4-fold increase in NSAID and opioid use in Q1 during 1996-2018, while usage in Q4 did not change substantially. However, 5-6% of the preoperative non-users of NSAIDs and opioids were users in Q4, which might relate to inaccurate indication for or timing of THA and the post-surgical phasing out of analgesics use.

Use of Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs and Incidence of Melanoma in the United States Radiologic Technologists Study.

NSAIDs have been associated with both reduced and increased melanoma risk. However, few studies have examined the role of UVR or personal sun-sensitivity on these associations. Our findings strengthen the evidence that NSAID use is not associated with melanoma risk, even in sun-sensitive subgroups.

Single-centre, randomized, clinical trial of opioid-free analgesia versus routine opioid-based analgesia regimen for the management of acute post-operative pain following caesarean section: study protocol

<p class="abstract"><strong>Background: </strong>Pain management post-caesarean section is a common source of exposure to opioids in women. To address the rising opioid addiction associated with peri-operative administration, trend in operative analgesia is moving towards opioid-free, multimodal analgesia. We present our protocol for this study so that it may be replicated in other settings and possibly modified for future studies.</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Methods: </strong>In a Single-centre, non-inferiority, parallel, randomized, controlled, clinical trial with balanced allocation [1:1] into two arms, we compared a peri-operative opioid-free analgesia regimen with a routine post-operative opioid-based analgesia regimen in women undergoing caesarean section under spinal anaesthesia. Primary outcome measures were post-operative pain intensity at 4, 8 and 24 hours (using Numerical Rating Scale) and post-operative pentazocine use. Secondary outcome measures were the incidence of adverse events and Apgar score. Results will be published in a peer-reviewed, open access journal.</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Conclusions:</strong> This protocol adopted the use of intravenous paracetamol and intravenous NSAID as baseline analgesics. Magnesium sulphate was introduced peri-operatively as part of our opioid-free multimodal analgesia regimen because of its established effect in decreasing post-operative pain and opioid use. We also relied on the preventive analgesic effect of administration of intravenous paracetamol and intravenous magnesium sulphate before surgical incision, continued intraoperatively and post-operatively. In addition, magnesium sulphate is a familiar drug to the obstetrician, readily available and affordable in most settings where comprehensive emergency obstetric care is offered, easy to administer and it has been well tolerated clinically.</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Trial registration:</strong> This protocol was registered with clinicaltrials.gov (Identifier: NCT04539249) on September 3, 2020, prospectively.</p>

Impact of preoperative esophagogastroduodenoscopy in patients undergoing bariatric surgery and development of a model to predict clinically significant abnormal endoscopic findings.

BackgroundPreoperative esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) in patients undergoing bariatric surgery can help surgeons detect abnormalities in the upper gastrointestinal (UGI) tract that may require a change in surgical plan. However, the need for EGD before bariatric surgery is controversial.ObjectivesWe aimed to determine the prevalence of UGI abnormalities and evaluate the predictive factors of abnormal findings that require a change in surgical plan or cause a delay in surgical treatment in patients undergoing bariatric surgery and develop a prediction model.MethodsThe medical records from January 2012 to July 2020 were retrospectively reviewed in patients who underwent EGD before bariatric surgery. The EGD findings were classified into four groups based on their effects on management. Group 1 had normal findings. Group 2 had abnormal findings that did not require a change in surgical management. Group 3 had abnormal findings that required a change in the surgical plan or caused a delay in surgical treatment. Group 4 had contraindications to surgery. Predictive factors for Groups 3 and 4 were analyzed using univariate and multivariate analyses. A model visualized as a nomogram was developed based on significant factors. Discrimination and calibration were evaluated.ResultsA total of 461 patient records (63.8% female) were reviewed. The mean age was 35.1 ± 11.2 years and the mean BMI was 47.7 ± 8.7 kg/m2. The prevalence of endoscopic findings in Groups 1, 2, 3, and 4 were 42.5%, 35.6%, 21.9%, and 0%, respectively. The most common abnormal findings were non-erosive gastritis (31.2%) followed by Helicobacter pylori infection (18.7%) and hiatal hernia (10.2%). Male sex and NSAID use were significantly associated with detection of lesions in Group 3 either on univariate or multivariate analysis, while type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) was a significant protective factor on multivariate analysis. On subgroup analysis in patients ≥ 40 years old, multivariate analysis revealed age, BMI, and NSAID use were significantly associated with the detection of lesions in Group 3, while T2DM was still a significant protective factor. A nomogram to predict lesions in Group 3 for this subgroup was developed and showed good discrimination (C-statistics 0.737, 95% CI 0.721‒0.752).ConclusionA high prevalence of abnormal endoscopic findings was observed in Thai patients who are undergoing bariatric surgery. Preoperative EGD screening is helpful in detecting UGI abnormalities that require a change in the surgical decision plan. The new nomogram may help rational utilization of EGD prior to bariatric surgery.Graphical abstract Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00464-022-09391-8.

Laparoscopically Confirmed Endometriosis and Risk of Incident Stroke: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Prior research suggests that women with endometriosis are at greater risk of coronary heart disease. Therefore, our objective was to prospectively investigate the association between laparoscopically confirmed endometriosis and risk of incident stroke during 28 years of follow-up. Participants in the NHSII cohort study (Nurses' Health Study II) were followed from 1989 when they were between the ages of 25 to 42 until 2017 for development of incident stroke (ischemic and hemorrhagic). Cox proportional hazard models were used to calculate hazard ratios and 95% CI, with adjustment for potential confounding variables (alcohol intake, body mass index at age 18, current body mass index, age at menarche, menstrual cycle pattern in adolescence, current menstrual cycle pattern, parity, oral contraceptive use history, smoking history, diet quality, physical activity, NSAID use, aspirin use, race/ethnicity, and income). We estimated the proportion of the total association mediated by history of hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, hysterectomy/oophorectomy, and hormone therapy. We also tested for effect modification by age (<50, ≥50 years), infertility history, body mass index (<25, ≥25 kg/m2), and menopausal status. We documented 893 incident cases of stroke during 2 770 152 person-years of follow-up. Women with laparoscopically confirmed endometriosis had a 34% greater risk of stroke in multivariable-adjusted models (hazard ratio, 1.34 [95% CI, 1.10-1.62]), compared to those without a history of endometriosis. Of the total association of endometriosis with risk of stroke, the largest proportion was attributed to hysterectomy/oophorectomy (39% mediated [95% CI, 14%-71%]) and hormone therapy (16% mediated [95% CI, 5%-40%]). We observed no differences in the relationship between endometriosis and stroke by age, infertility history, body mass index, or menopausal status. We observed that women with endometriosis were at elevated risk of stroke. Women and their health care providers should be aware of endometriosis history, maximize primary cardiovascular prevention, and discuss signs and symptoms of cardiovascular disease.

Development and internal validation of a prognostic model for 15-year risk of Alzheimer dementia in primary care patients.

The exploitation of routinely collected clinical health information is warranted to optimize the case detection and diagnostic workout of Alzheimer's disease (AD). We aimed to derive an AD prediction score based on routinely collected primary care data. We built a cohort selecting 199,978 primary care patients 60 + part of the Health Search Database between January 2002 and 2009, followed up until 2019 to detect incident AD cases. The cohort was randomly divided into a derivation and validation sub-cohort. To identify AD and non-AD cases, we applied a clinical algorithm that involved two clinicians. According to a nested case-control design, AD cases were matched with up to 10 controls based on age, sex, calendar period, and follow-up duration. Using the derivation sub-cohort, 32 potential AD predictors (sociodemographic, clinical, drug-related, etc.) were tested in a logistic regression and selected to build a prediction model. The predictive performance of this model was tested on the validation sub-cohort by mean of explained variation, calibration, and discrimination measurements. We identified 3223 AD cases. The presence of memory disorders, hallucinations, anxiety, and depression and the use of NSAIDs were associated with future AD. The combination of the predictors allowed the production of a predictive score that showed an explained variation (pseudo-R2) for AD occurrence of 13.4%, good calibration parameters, and an area under the curve of 0.73 (95% CI: 0.71-0.75). In accordance with this model, 7% of patients presented with a high-risk score for developing AD over 15years. An automated risk score for AD based on routinely collected clinical data is a promising tool for the early case detection and timely management of patients by the general practitioners.

Postoperative Acute Kidney Injury With Dual NSAID Use After Outpatient Primary Total Joint Arthroplasty.

NSAIDs have been shown to be highly effective analgesic agents in the postoperative period. NSAIDs do have several potential adverse effects, including kidney injury (AKI). Little is known about AKI in the outpatient total joint arthroplasty (TJA) setting, where patient labs are not closely monitored. The objective of this study was to evaluate the renal safety of combined use of ibuprofen for pain control and aspirin for deep vein thrombosis chemoprophylaxis after outpatient primary TJA. Patients undergoing primary total hip or total knee arthroplasty between January 2020 and July 2020 at a single center were included for analysis. All included patients were discharged on a standard regimen including aspirin 81 mg twice a day and ibuprofen 600 mg three times a day. Patients were ordered a serum creatinine test at 2 and 4 weeks postoperatively. Patients with postoperative acute kidney injury were identified per Acute Kidney Injury Network criteria. Between January 23, 2020, and August 30, 2020, 113 patients were included in this study, of whom creatinine levels were measured in 103 patients (90.3%) at the 2-week postoperative time point, 58 patients (50.9%) at the 4-week time point, and 48 (42.1%) at combined 2- and 4-week time points. Three patients (2.9%) were found to have an AKI. This study found a rate of AKI of 2.9% with the use of dual NSAID therapy postoperatively after primary TJA. All cases occurred at 2 weeks postoperatively and saw spontaneous resolution.

Effect of Katibasti, Ksheera Basti &amp; Vatagajankusha Rasa in Gridhrasi Vis A Vis Lumbar Spondylosis - A Case Series

The symptomatology of Gridhrasi given in Ayurvedic classics are pain in chronological order starting from Sphikpurva, Kati, Prushta, Uru, Janu, Jangha, upto Pada, Sakthna kshepo nighruniyat. The clinical features of lumbar spondylosis can be correlated with Gridhrasi and condition can be treated on the lines of Gridhrasi and Vatavyadhi. &#x0D; Objectives: To evaluate the efficacy of Katibasti, Ksheerabasti and Vatagajankusha rasa as Shamanoushadhi in the management of Gridhrasi vis a vis lumbar spondylosis.&#x0D; Result: The therapies Katibasti, Ksheerabasti and Vatagajankusha rasa along with the suitable Anupana as Shamanoushadhi chosen for the treatment showed very good results in terms of reducing acute pain as well as radiculopathy.&#x0D; Conclusion: As the long term or extensive use of NSAID’s, Cox-inhibitors like etoricoxib, muscle relaxants, intervertebral steroid injections and even surgery in the management of lumbar spondylosis will induce serious adverse effect on body, safe and effective therapies like Katibasti, Ksheerabasti and Vatagajankusha rasa along with the suitable Anupana as Shamanoushadhi were selected for treatment. These therapies have not caused any adverse events and improved the condition by arresting the pathogenesis at their respective particular stages. It was observed that the above mentioned Ayurvedic therapies were found to be safe and effective in Gridhrasi vis a vis Lumbar spondylosis.

Are the goals of therapy achievable in patients with rheumatoid arthritis receiving upadacitinib in real clinical practice?

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of UPA in RA patients in real clinical practice after 3 and 6 months of therapy.Material and methods. The study included 63 RA patients with high activity of the disease. Activity was assessed according to the DAS28 (ESR), DAS28 (CR P), SDAI, CDAI; functional ability to HAQ; quality of life to the EQ-5D; disease activity according to the patient’s RAPID-3 index; the level of depression and anxiety to the HADS scale. The effectiveness of therapy was evaluated after 3 (n=45) and 6 (n=31) months of UPA therapy.Results. Remission or low activity of the disease by 3 months of therapy was achieved by most patients: remission of 69.8% of patients, low activity of the disease – 16.3% of patients. Moderate or high activity persisted in 13.9% of patients. By the 6th month of UPA therapy, the number of remissions reached 90% , low activity – 3.3%, moderate activity persisted in 6.7% of patients, high activity of the disease was not in any patient. 20% improvement in function was achieved in 71.8% of patients by the 3rd month of therapy and in 77.8% – by the 6th month of treatment; the difference in average HAQ values by the 3rd month of therapy was 0.38 points, by the 6th month – 0.58 points. After 3 months of follow-up, 31.1% of patients continued taking GC, by 6 months – 24.2%. The dose of GC was reduced from an average of 7.23 mg/d to 5.6 mg/d. The percentage of patients requiring NSAIDs decreased from 95.2% to 35.6% and 33.3%, respectively. DMARDs continued to be received by 75.6% of patients by 3 months and 69.7% by 6 months of follow-up.Conclusion. Achieving remission or low activity of the disease in patients with RA receiving UPA in real clinical practice is possible in most patients. A rapid decrease in inflammatory activity is accompanied by a significant improvement in the functional state and quality of life of patients. UPA therapy reduces the need for the use of NSAIDs and reduces the dose of GC in a third of patients.

An assessment of the minimal clinically important difference for the pain disability quality-of-Life Questionnaire-Spine

ObjectiveThe Pain Disability Quality-Of-Life Questionnaire-Spine (PDQQ-S) is a validated six question patient reported outcome measure designed for usage in minimally invasive spine intervention. The purpose of this study was to determine the Minimal Clinically Important Difference (MCID) for the PDQQ-S. DesignRetrospective single arm cohort study involving 411 patients who had undergone lumbar facet and/or sacroiliac joint RFN and had completed pre-and 3-month post RFN PDQQ-S. MethodsThe MCID using both distribution and anchor-based (“Rebook RFN”; “Analgesic Requirements”) methods were calculated. ResultsThe distribution-based approach (using standard error of measurement) estimated the MCID to be −17.3 [PDQQ-S baseline mean (SD): 46.9 (7.9)]. This is supported by the anchor based approach, which calculated the MCID to be: −21.5 for rebook RFN; −11.3, -17.2 and −30.5 for mildly, moderately and dramatically decreased NSAID use respectively; and −11.7, -16.9 and −31.7 for mildly, moderately and dramatically decreased opioid use respectively. A moderate reduction in medication use was deemed to be clinically relevant. ConclusionThe MCID value for the PDQQ-S is a score reduction of 17.

PRESCRIPTION ADHERENCE TO AGS BEERS CRITERIA AND MEDICATION ADHERENCE IN GERIATRIC PATIENTS

Objective: The objective of the present study was to determine the prescription pattern and adherence to Beers Criteria 2019 and also evaluate the reasons for non-adherence and ways to promote adherence among geriatric patients. Methods: Retrospective as well as prospective data were collected using a predesigned form. A total of 268 patients aged 60 years and above were involved in the study. The prescriptions were analyzed for appropriateness using AGS Beers Criteria 2019 and the 8-Item Morisky Medication Adherence Scale was used for the assessment of medication adherence. Results: The majority of the patients were in the age group of 65–69 years with a mean age of 73.6 ± 5.05 years with a male preponderance (67%). Out of 268 sample sizes observed, the maximum number of prescriptions had at least one potential inappropriate medication (PIM) – during admission (40.67%) and discharge (48.50%). The most common PIMs observed were PPIs and insulin sliding scale. The use of NSAIDs (aspirin) in heart and renal failure patients was the generally recognized drug-disease and drug-drug interactions. This study confirms the presence of moderate adherence to the prescription among geriatric patients. Conclusion: Even though Beers Criteria have been commonly used as a reference in many studies, it has not made its way into conventional clinical practice. The prescribers need to make themselves aware of the Beers Criteria and it should be followed for the geriatric population. Hence, this study will help physicians to deliver quality care to elderly patients.

Anti-CD74 IgA antibodies show diagnostic potential for axial spondyloarthritis but are not associated with microscopic gut inflammation.

Gut inflammation commonly occurs in axial SpA (axSpA), and is linked to disease activity and outcome. Given the role of IgA in mucosal immunity, we explored the association between anti-CD74 IgA antibodies, gut inflammation and axSpA. Anti-CD74 IgA was measured by ELISA in serum samples of axSpA patients, fulfilling the 2009 Assessment of SpondyloArthritis international Society classification criteria. A group of fibromyalgia (FM) and RA patients served as non-inflammatory and inflammatory controls. Newly diagnosed axSpA patients underwent ileocolonoscopy; mucosal biopsies were histopathologically assessed as normal, acute or chronically inflamed. Optimal anti-CD74 IgA cut-off values were determined with a receiver operating characteristics curve. axSpA patients (n = 281) showed higher anti-CD74 IgA levels [mean (s.d.) 18.8 (12.4) U/ml] compared with 100 FM patients [10.9 (5.0) U/ml, P < 0.001] and 34 RA patients [13.7 (9.6) U/ml, P = 0.02]. The area under the receiver operating characteristics curve for diagnosis (axSpA vs FM) was 0.70, providing a sensitivity of 60% and specificity of 87% (cut-off 15 U/ml). Antibody concentrations were not significantly different between axSpA patients with (n = 40) and without (n = 69) gut inflammation (P = 0.83), yielding an area under the receiver operating characteristics curve of 0.51. Anti-CD74 IgA levels were not associated with degree of bone marrow oedema on MRI of the sacroiliac joints, CRP or any other disease-specific feature such as the use of NSAIDs or biological treatment. Serum anti-CD74 IgA is a potentially useful diagnostic biomarker for axSpA. However, antibody levels do not correlate with any phenotypical feature, including microscopic gut inflammation, suggesting this to be a disease-specific rather than an inflammatory marker.

Proton Pump Inhibitor Use and Obesity-Associated Cancers in the Women's Health Initiative

Purpose: Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) inhibit fatty acid synthase (FAS), a critical enzyme in lipogenesis, energy balance, and cancer cell survival. We aimed to evaluate the association of PPI use with incidence of common obesity- related cancers in women: postmenopausal breast, colorectal, and endometrial cancers. Methods: Our study included 124,931 postmenopausal who were enrolled in the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) observational study and clinical trials, and had responded to a year 3 follow-up assessment. We examined prescription and over the counter use of PPI and/or histamine 2 receptor antagonists (H2RA) at baseline and year 3, to isolate potential effects of FAS inhibition by PPI rather than simply acid suppression. Incident cancer cases were physician-adjudicated. Cox proportional hazard regression models were used to estimate multivariable hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for associations between PPI and/or H2RA use and cancer incidence after year 3. Results: There were 7956 PPI ever users (with or without H2RA use) and 9398 H2RA only users. PPI or H2RA use was not associated with risk of breast cancer (n=9186 cases), compared to women who did not use either agent (HR 1.01, 95% CI 0.93-1.10 and HR 0.95 95% CI 0.87-1.03, respectively). The incidence of colorectal cancer (n=2280) was significantly lower in PPI users (HR 0.75, 95% CI 0.61-0.92), but not in H2RA users (HR 1.13, 95% CI 0.97-1.31). This association was strengthened with increasing duration (p=0.006) and potency (p=0.005) of PPI use and held regardless of BMI or NSAID use. PPI or H2RA use was not associated with endometrial cancer (n=1231) (HR 0.81, 95% CI 0.61-1.07 and HR 1.13, 95% CI 0.91-1.40, respectively), but showed a trend in decreased risk with increasing PPI potency (P=0.048). Conclusions: Among postmenopausal women, PPI use, but not H2RA use, demonstrated an inverse, dose-responsive association with colorectal cancer incidence. This was consistent with preclinical data that FAS inhibition prevents colon cancer progression and supports further investigation of this commonly used medication as a cancer preventive agent. PPI use was not associated with incidence of breast or endometrial cancer.

Pharmacotherapy for Spine-Related Pain in Older Adults.

As the population ages, spine-related pain is increasingly common in older adults. While medications play an important role in pain management, their use has limitations in geriatric patients due to reduced liver and renal function, comorbid medical problems, and polypharmacy. This review will assess the evidence basis for medications used for spine-related pain in older adults, with a focus on drug metabolism and adverse drug reactions. A PubMed/OVID search crossing common spine, neck, and back pain terms with key words for older adults and geriatrics was combined with common drug classes and common drug names and limited to clinical trials and age over 65years. The results were then reviewed with identification of commonly used drugs and drug categories: nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs), acetaminophen, corticosteroids, gabapentin and pregabalin, antispastic and antispasmodic muscle relaxants, tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), tramadol, and opioids. Collectively, 138 double-blind, placebo-controlled trials were the focus of the review. The review found a variable contribution of high-quality studies examining the efficacy of medications for spine pain primarily in the geriatric population. There was strong evidence for NSAID use with adjustments for gastrointestinal and renal risk factors. Gabapentin and pregabalin had mixed evidence for neuropathic pain. SNRIs had good evidence for neuropathic pain and a more favorable safety profile than TCAs. Tramadol had some evidence in older patients, but more so in persons aged <65years. Rational therapeutic choices based on geriatric spine pain diagnosis are helpful, such as NSAIDs and acetaminophen for arthritic and myofascial-based pain, gabapentinoids or duloxetine for neuropathic and radicular pain, antispastic agents for myofascial-based pain, and combination therapy for mixed etiologies. Tramadol can be well tolerated in older patients, but has risks of cognitive and classic opioid side effects. Otherwise, opioids are typically avoided in the treatment of spine-related pain in older adults due to their morbidity and mortality risk and are reserved for refractory severe pain. Whenever possible, beneficial geriatric spine pain pharmacotherapy should employ the lowest therapeutic doses with consideration of polypharmacy, potentially decreased renal and hepatic metabolism, and co-morbid medical disorders.

Assessment of Qatar community pharmacists’ competence and practices related to renal and gastrointestinal adverse effects of nonprescription NSAIDs

IntroductionNon-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are among the most frequently dispensed nonprescription drugs in community pharmacies. However, inappropriate use of NSAIDs by consumers has been associated with development of gastrointestinal (GI) injuries and renal injuries. Community pharmacists’ education of consumers on proper use of NSAIDs and their associated adverse effects has been shown to reduce the GI and renal injuries. In Qatar, no studies have been done to assess the community pharmacists’ knowledge, attitude, and practices related to renal and GI adverse effects of NSAIDs. Therefore, this study aimed to assess Qatar community pharmacists’ knowledge, attitude, and practices on the safe use of nonprescription NSAIDs to reduce the risk of kidney and GI injuries. MethodsA cross-sectional web-based survey was conducted among community pharmacists in Qatar. A pre-tested 28-item questionnaire that was developed through a multi-phase iterative process was administered to a convenient sample of community pharmacists in Qatar. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics with statistical significance set at p < 0.05. ResultsOverall, 114 community pharmacists responded to the online questionnaire (response rate 15.2%). Approximately 90% of the community pharmacists demonstrated from good to excellent knowledge on the renal and GI adverse effects of NSAIDs, with none of their sociodemographic and professional characteristics having a significant effect on their knowledge scores. More than half of the pharmacists reported that they always or usually educated patients on the dosage (98.6%), administration (95.8%), side effects and precautions (78%), and contraindications (71.2%) of NSAIDs during their routine practices. The majority of the pharmacists had positive attitude towards educating patients about adverse effects of NSAIDs, as well as identifying high-risk patients who should avoid nonprescription NSAIDs. However, 45.7% of the pharmacists strongly agreed or agreed that educating patients about NSAIDs can be time consuming. ConclusionCommunity pharmacists in Qatar demonstrated good knowledge of the renal and GI adverse effects of NSAIDs with some obvious areas of improvement, and this can be reinforced through continuing professional development. They also showed positive attitudes towards protecting patients against the renal and GI adverse effects of NSAID. However, a significant proportion of the pharmacists admitted that educating patients on NSAIDs was time consuming, which is a cause of concern warranting further investigation. Community pharmacy managers should provide community pharmacists adequate time and support to educate individuals at risk of renal and GI injuries who obtain NSAIDs from their pharmacies. Also, the Ministry of Public Health of Qatar should consider making counseling on high-risk medications (e.g., NSAIDs and insulin) by community pharmacists mandatory so that measures can be put in place in the pharmacies to free the pharmacist for education and counseling.

Symptoms associated with healthcare resource utilization in the setting of inflammatory bowel disease

Several symptoms have been connected to increased healthcare resource utilization (HRU) in the context of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including both Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). This study was designed to investigate the prevalence of IBD-associated symptoms and to determine whether any are independently associated with HRU. We undertook a retrospective analysis of data related to consecutive IBD patient encounters from a tertiary care referral center between 1/1/2015 and 8/31/2019. Demographics, clinical activity, endoscopic severity, IBD-related symptom scores, anxiety and depression scores, and other key clinical data were abstracted. Four hundred sixty-seven IBD patients [247f.: 220 m; 315 CD, 142 UC and 11 indeterminate colitis] were included in this study. The most common symptoms were fatigue (83.6%), fecal urgency (68.2%) and abdominal pain (63.5%). Fatigue, abdominal pain, anxiety or depression, corticosteroids, and opioids were each positively associated with HRU, while NSAID and mesalamine use were inversely associated on bivariate analysis. The only factor that demonstrated a statistically significant association with HRU in the whole cohort on multivariable analysis was abdominal pain. Abdominal pain is independently associated with HRU and should be specifically screened for in IBD patients to identify individuals at risk of undergoing expensive interventions. This study also reinforces the importance of optimizing diagnostic and therapeutic management of abdominal pain in IBD.

Prévenir les complications cardiovasculaires dans les rhumatismes inflammatoires chroniques

Cardiovascular disease is the main comorbidity of chronic inflammatory rheumatisms. This increase in prevalence is directly related to systemic inflammation, which increases athematosis processes, but also to the high prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors associated with chronic inflammatory rheumatisms. The rheumatologist has a central role in the management of patients with chronic inflammatory rheumatism and has to know how to assess the cardiovascular risk, to choose the most adapted disease modifying anti-rheumatic drug, to limit the use of long-term NSAIDs and to initiate corticosteroid withdrawal. He should be able to give lifestyle advices, adapted to the level of risk and the capacities of the patients and refer to the specialist high cardiovascular risk patients.

Is tapering or discontinuation of biologic treatment in patients with radiographic and nonradiographic axial spondyloarthritis reasonable? : Alocal cohort study.

We retrospectively determined factors predicting biologic treatment discontinuation or tapering in patients with axSpA. We included 63nonradiographic axSpA (nr-axSpA) and 138 radiographic axSpA (r-axSpA) patients on biologic treatments for at least 1year. The biologic dosing intervals were increased in patients who had been in remission for at least 6months. In patients whose biologic dosing intervals could be increased by 100% for at least 6months, the agents were stopped at the end of that time. In patients for whom the biologic agents were stopped or tapered, relapse was defined as aBath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease activity index score > 4 and aCRP level > 10 mg/L. The median duration of biologic treatment (all patients) was2 (1-11) years. Logistic regression analysis did not identify any independent predictor of treatment discontinuation. NSAID use was the only independent predictor of tapering (p = 0.001). The time to relapse after tapering was shorter in patients with r‑axSpA than nr-axSpA (25.97 vs. 39.53months; p = 0.05). The time to relapse in patients with r‑axSpA was considerably shorter than that in patients with nr-axSpA (5.14 vs. 13months; p = 0.001). All r‑axSpA patients relapsed over the follow-up period; only 2nr-axSpA patients did not relapse. The most significant independent predictor of relapse was NSAID use during treatment. For axSpA patients in remission, tapering of the biologic dosing intervals is more appropriate than discontinuation.

Drug utilization, clinical and economic outcomes of patients with osteoarthritis of the hip and/or knee treated with long-term use of traditional NSAIDs, topical NSAIDs, and COX-2 inhibitors

Objectives To describe and compare baseline characteristics, healthcare and drug utilization, and negative clinical outcomes of commercially-insured patients diagnosed with OA of the hip and/or knee who initiated treatment on traditional oral NSAIDs (tNSAIDs), topical NSAIDs, or cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors (COX-2s). Methods A commercial claims database (1/2012–3/2017) was used to identify patients ≥18 years old, with ≥2 diagnoses of hip and/or knee OA, and ≥90 days supply of NSAIDs. Patients were assigned to cohorts based on the type of NSAID initially prescribed and observed in the 6 months before (baseline) and 36 months after (follow-up) the date of their first NSAID prescription after the first OA diagnosis. Analyses estimated baseline demographic and clinical characteristics and follow-up period drug utilization. Logistic regressions assessed the risk of gastrointestinal (GI) and acute renal failure (ARF) events. Results tNSAIDs were the most frequently prescribed treatment. During the follow-up period, less than 15% of patients prescribed tNSAIDs switched to either COX-2s or topical NSAIDs and 37% of patients prescribed a COX-2 and 56% of patients prescribed a topical NSAID switched to tNSAIDs. GI and ARF events during the follow-up period ranged from 7.3–8.1% and 8.0–11.0%, respectively, across cohorts. The tNSAIDs and COX-2s cohorts had increased risk of both types of events relative to patients prescribed topical NSAIDs, controlling for other characteristics. Conclusions Analyses characterize the long-term real-world utilization of NSAIDs and associated outcomes for patients with OA of the hip and/or knee. Study results highlight the likelihood of switching and the risk of negative clinical outcomes associated with long-term use.

Review of gastrointestinal bleeding during use of SSRIs combined with use of NSAID

IntroductionIn recent years, more and more attention has been paid to the risks of using SSRIs. This group of antidepressants may be associated with an increased risk of gastrointestinal bleeding. This risk would be even further increased with concomitant use of NSAIDs. A number of studies have described this interaction, however they reported conflicting results.ObjectivesOur objective was to investigate the risk of gastrointestinal bleeding with SSRIs, with or without NSAID use.MethodsWe performed a literature search, using Pubmed, EMBASE, and Cochrane library, in order to investigate controlled trials, cohort, case-control and cross-sectional studies that reported the incidence of gastrointestinal bleeding s on SSRIs with or without concurrent NSAID use, compared to placebo or no treatment.Results15 case-control studies and 4 cohort studies were included in the analysis. There was an increased risk of gastrointestinal bleeding with SSRIs in the cohort studies and case-control studies. The risk of gastrointestinal bleeding was even further increased with the combined use of both SSRIs and NSAIDs.ConclusionsSSRIs are associated with a modest increase of gastrointestinal bleeding. However, this risk is significantly increased when SSRIs are used in combination with NSAIDs. Psychiatrists should be aware of the hazards in prescribing these medications together.DisclosureNo significant relationships.