Samantha S R Crossfield1,2, Maya H Buch1,3, Paul Baxter4, Sarah R Kingsbury1,5, Mar Pujades-Rodriguez6, Philip G Conaghan1,5. 1. Leeds Institute of Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK. 2. Leeds Institute for Data Analytics, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK. 3. Centre for Musculoskeletal Research, School of Biological Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK. 4. Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK. 5. NIHR Leeds Biomedical Research Centre, Leeds, UK. 6. Leeds Institute of Health Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To assess whether modern management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has reduced the prescription of oral corticosteroids and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and to evaluate use of pharmacological prophylaxis strategies. METHODS: Using the Clinical Practice Research Datalink, we explored long-term (≥3/12 months; ≥6/12 in sub-analyses) disease modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD), corticosteroid and NSAID prescribing (annually, in the year post-diagnosis and across the patient's life-course to 15 years post-diagnosis), annual proportion with co-prescribing for prophylaxis of associated bone (corticosteroids, women only) and gastrointestinal (NSAIDs) comorbidity. RESULTS: Reported incidence of RA was 5.98 (±0.37) per 10 000 person-years and prevalence was 0.91% (±0.014) in 2017. In 71 411 RA patients, long-term DMARD prescribing initially rose post-diagnosis from 41.6% in 1998-67.9% in 2009. Corticosteroid prescribing changed little, overall (22.2% in 1998, 19.1% in 2016; incident risk ratio (IRR) 0.92, 95% CI 0.82-1.03) and across the life-course from the first to fifteenth year (22.2% to 16.9%). NSAID prescribing declined from 57.7% in 1998, and significantly so from 2008, to 27.1% in 2016 (IRR 0.50, 95% CI 0.44-0.56). This continued across the life-course (41.2% to 28.4%). Bone prophylaxis increased to 68.1% in 2008 before declining to 56.4% in 2017; gastrointestinal prophylaxis increased from 11.5% in 1998-62.6% in 2017. Sub-analyses showed consistent patterns. CONCLUSION: Despite modern treatment strategies, corticosteroid prescribing in RA patients remains substantial and persists beyond 6 months once initiated. Rheumatologists need to determine causes and develop strategies to reduce corticosteroid use to minimise adverse event occurrence.
OBJECTIVES: To assess whether modern management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has reduced the prescription of oral corticosteroids and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and to evaluate use of pharmacological prophylaxis strategies. METHODS: Using the Clinical Practice Research Datalink, we explored long-term (≥3/12 months; ≥6/12 in sub-analyses) disease modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD), corticosteroid and NSAID prescribing (annually, in the year post-diagnosis and across the patient's life-course to 15 years post-diagnosis), annual proportion with co-prescribing for prophylaxis of associated bone (corticosteroids, women only) and gastrointestinal (NSAIDs) comorbidity. RESULTS: Reported incidence of RA was 5.98 (±0.37) per 10 000 person-years and prevalence was 0.91% (±0.014) in 2017. In 71 411 RApatients, long-term DMARD prescribing initially rose post-diagnosis from 41.6% in 1998-67.9% in 2009. Corticosteroid prescribing changed little, overall (22.2% in 1998, 19.1% in 2016; incident risk ratio (IRR) 0.92, 95% CI 0.82-1.03) and across the life-course from the first to fifteenth year (22.2% to 16.9%). NSAID prescribing declined from 57.7% in 1998, and significantly so from 2008, to 27.1% in 2016 (IRR 0.50, 95% CI 0.44-0.56). This continued across the life-course (41.2% to 28.4%). Bone prophylaxis increased to 68.1% in 2008 before declining to 56.4% in 2017; gastrointestinal prophylaxis increased from 11.5% in 1998-62.6% in 2017. Sub-analyses showed consistent patterns. CONCLUSION: Despite modern treatment strategies, corticosteroid prescribing in RApatients remains substantial and persists beyond 6 months once initiated. Rheumatologists need to determine causes and develop strategies to reduce corticosteroid use to minimise adverse event occurrence.