Table 3.
Effect of current glucocorticoid therapy upon non-serious infection (billing code or anti-infective prescription), stratified by mode of administration (oral only, injection only, oral or injection) and dose
| Cases (n=13 634) | Controls (n=68 170) | Crude RR (95% CI) | RR, adjusted for age and sex only (95% CI) | RR, adjusted for age and sex and DMARD (95% CI) | Adjusted RR* (95% CI) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oral glucocorticoid exposure within past 45 days | 37.9 | 32.5 | 1.28 (1.23 to 1.33) | 1.28 (1.23 to 1.33) | 1.28 (1.23 to 1.34) | 1.20 (1.15 to 1.25) |
| Average daily dose of glucocorticoid therapy | ||||||
| <5 mg PEQ | 3.2 | 3.1 | 1.13 (1.01 to 1.25) | 1.13 (1.01 to 1.25) | 1.13 (1.02 to 1.26) | 1.10 (0.99 to 1.22) |
| 5–9.9 mg | 17.8 | 17.1 | 1.15 (1.09 to 1.20) | 1.15 (1.09 to 1.20) | 1.15 (1.10 to 1.21) | 1.10 (1.04 to 1.16) |
| 10–14.9 mg | 9.5 | 7.9 | 1.33 (1.25 to 1.42) | 1.33 (1.25 to 1.42) | 1.34 (1.26 to 1.44) | 1.25 (1.17 to 1.34) |
| 15–19.9 mg | 2.7 | 2.1 | 1.41 (1.25 to 1.58) | 1.41 (1.25 to 1.58) | 1.40 (1.25 to 1.58) | 1.26 (1.12 to 1.42) |
| ≥20 mg | 4.7 | 2.3 | 2.33 (2.11 to 2.56) | 2.33 (2.11 to 2.56) | 2.27 (2.06 to 2.50) | 1.85 (1.68 to 2.05) |
| Systemic glucocorticoid injection within past 45 days | 2.2 | 1.8 | 1.18 (1.04 to 1.34) | 1.18 (1.04 to 1.34) | 1.18 (1.04 to 1.34) | 1.07 (0.94 to 1.22) |
| Any glucocorticoid: oral or injection | 39.2 | 33.7 | 1.28 (1.23 to 1.33) | 1.28 (1.23 to 1.33) | 1.29 (1.24 to 1.34) | 1.19 (1.14 to 1.24) |
Numbers are percentages unless otherwise stated.
*
Adjusted for all a priori confounders listed in table 2.
DMARD, disease-modifying antirheumatic drug; PEQ, prednisolone equivalent dose.