Justin P Turner1, Sepehr Shakib, Nimit Singhal, Jonathon Hogan-Doran, Robert Prowse, Sally Johns, Tilenka Thynne, J Simon Bell. 1. Centre for Medicine Use and Safety, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia; Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To investigate statin use and pain in people with cancer aged 70 to 79 and 80 and older. DESIGN: Cross-sectional. SETTING: Medical oncology outpatient clinic at the Royal Adelaide Hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Individuals aged 70 and older who presented consecutively between January 2009 and June 2010 (n = 385), of whom 106 were aged 80 and older. MEASUREMENTS: Participants completed a structured data collection instrument, documenting medication use, comorbidities and a general pain assessment (10-point visual analogue scale (VAS)). Unadjusted and adjusted logistic regression was used to compute odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for factors associated with statin use. RESULTS: The prevalence of statin use was 35% (n = 97) in people aged 70 to 79 and 39% (n = 41) in those aged 80 and older. After adjusting for age, sex, Charlson Comorbidity Index, and analgesic use, statin use was associated with self-reported pain (VAS ≥ 5) (OR = 4.09, 95% CI = 1.32-12.68) in people aged 80 and older but not in those aged 70 to 79. Half of participants using statins (51% n = 70) had a palliative treatment approach. Of the 41 statin users aged 80 and older, 20 (49%) were using statins for primary prevention. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of statin use was similar in people aged 70 to 79 years and those aged 80 and older, with statin use associated with self-reported pain in people aged 80 and older. This highlights a potential benefit of "deprescribing" statins in older people with cancer, especially those aged 80 and older.
OBJECTIVES: To investigate statin use and pain in people with cancer aged 70 to 79 and 80 and older. DESIGN: Cross-sectional. SETTING: Medical oncology outpatient clinic at the Royal Adelaide Hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Individuals aged 70 and older who presented consecutively between January 2009 and June 2010 (n = 385), of whom 106 were aged 80 and older. MEASUREMENTS: Participants completed a structured data collection instrument, documenting medication use, comorbidities and a general pain assessment (10-point visual analogue scale (VAS)). Unadjusted and adjusted logistic regression was used to compute odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for factors associated with statin use. RESULTS: The prevalence of statin use was 35% (n = 97) in people aged 70 to 79 and 39% (n = 41) in those aged 80 and older. After adjusting for age, sex, Charlson Comorbidity Index, and analgesic use, statin use was associated with self-reported pain (VAS ≥ 5) (OR = 4.09, 95% CI = 1.32-12.68) in people aged 80 and older but not in those aged 70 to 79. Half of participants using statins (51% n = 70) had a palliative treatment approach. Of the 41 statin users aged 80 and older, 20 (49%) were using statins for primary prevention. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of statin use was similar in people aged 70 to 79 years and those aged 80 and older, with statin use associated with self-reported pain in people aged 80 and older. This highlights a potential benefit of "deprescribing" statins in older people with cancer, especially those aged 80 and older.
Authors: Richard Ofori-Asenso; Jenni Ilomäki; Mark Tacey; Si Si; Andrea J Curtis; Ella Zomer; J Simon Bell; Sophia Zoungas; Danny Liew Journal: Br J Clin Pharmacol Date: 2018-11-08 Impact factor: 4.335