Ryoko Sakai1,2, Suguru Honda1, Eiichi Tanaka1, Masako Majima1, Naoko Konda1, Hideto Takada1, Masayoshi Harigai1,2. 1. Department of Rheumatology, Tokyo Women's Medical University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan. 2. Division of Epidemiology and Pharmacoepidemiology of Rheumatic Diseases, Department of Rheumatology, Tokyo Women's Medical University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To compare the risk of hospitalized infection (HI) between users and non-users of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). METHODS: Using claims data, patients were defined as SLE cases by the following criteria: 1) they had at least one SLE diagnostic code; 2) they had a prescription for specific drugs, including corticosteroids, steroid pulse therapy, and immunosuppressive drugs; and 3) they were at least 16 years old between September 2015 and July 2017 (n = 17,483). The SLE cases with at least one prescription for HCQ were defined as the HCQ group (n = 1,431), while the others were defined as the non-HCQ group. Among the SLE cases, propensity score-matched cases were observed for 1 year (n = 1,095 in each group). RESULTS: The median age and proportion of female patients in both groups were about 42 years and 88%, respectively. The proportions of cases with HIs were similar (HCQ group, 4.5%; non-HCQ group, 5.6%; p = 0.240, McNemar test). The hazard ratio of the HCQ group for HIs after adjusting for patients' characteristics was not significant at 0.9 (0.6-1.3). CONCLUSION: The use of HCQ was not associated with a risk of HIs in patients with SLE.
OBJECTIVE: To compare the risk of hospitalized infection (HI) between users and non-users of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). METHODS: Using claims data, patients were defined as SLE cases by the following criteria: 1) they had at least one SLE diagnostic code; 2) they had a prescription for specific drugs, including corticosteroids, steroid pulse therapy, and immunosuppressive drugs; and 3) they were at least 16 years old between September 2015 and July 2017 (n = 17,483). The SLE cases with at least one prescription for HCQ were defined as the HCQ group (n = 1,431), while the others were defined as the non-HCQ group. Among the SLE cases, propensity score-matched cases were observed for 1 year (n = 1,095 in each group). RESULTS: The median age and proportion of female patients in both groups were about 42 years and 88%, respectively. The proportions of cases with HIs were similar (HCQ group, 4.5%; non-HCQ group, 5.6%; p = 0.240, McNemar test). The hazard ratio of the HCQ group for HIs after adjusting for patients' characteristics was not significant at 0.9 (0.6-1.3). CONCLUSION: The use of HCQ was not associated with a risk of HIs in patients with SLE.