Table 1.
Baseline characterization of study participants and first prescription
| Variable | Male, n (%) | Female, n (%) | Total, n (%) | P -value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 867 (40.6) | 1271 (59.4) | 2138 (100.0) | - |
| Age group (years) | 0.201 | |||
| 18–44 | 35 (4.0) | 38 (3.0) | 73 (3.4) | |
| 45–64 | 200 (23.1) | 268 (21.1) | 468 (21.9) | |
| ≥65 | 632 (72.9) | 965 (75.9) | 1597 (74.7) | |
| First prescription, number of drugs | 0.032 | |||
| 1 | 495 (57.1) | 788 (62.0) | 1283 (60.0) | |
| 2 | 199 (23.0) | 280 (22.0) | 479 (22.4) | |
| 3 or more | 173 (20.0) | 203 (16.0) | 376 (17.6) | |
| Initial drug class | 0.067 | |||
| S01EA | 8 (0.9) | 25 (2.0) | 33 (1.5) | |
| S01EC | 28 (3.2) | 48 (3.8) | 76 (3.6) | |
| S01ED | 278 (32.1) | 417 (32.8) | 695 (32.5) | |
| S01EE | 181 (20.9) | 298 (23.4) | 479 (22.4) | |
| Fixed Combinations | 372 (42.9) | 483 (38.0) | 855 (40.0) | |
| Drug classification a | 0.495 | |||
| Generic | 8 (1.6) | 17 (2.2) | 25 (1.9) | |
| Brand name | 487 (98.4) | 771 (97.8) | 1258 (98.1) | |
| Pharmaceutical form a | 0.736 | |||
| Dropper bottle | 457 (92.3) | 736 (93.4) | 1193 (93.0) | |
| Single-dose container | 28 (5.7) | 37 (4.7) | 65 (5.1) | |
| Per os | 10 (2.0) | 15 (1.9) | 25 (1.9) | |
Note: a , analysis of only patients who received one drug in the first prescription; P-value obtained using the chi-square test; S01EA, sympathomimetics in glaucoma therapy; S01EC, carbonic anhydrase inhibitors; S01ED, beta-blocking agents; S01EE, prostaglandin analogues; per os, oral medication.