Table 2.
Baseline characteristics of the two study cohorts
| Cohort | ||
|---|---|---|
| LDA | NSAID | |
| n = 37 578 | n = 352 025 | |
| n (%) | n (%) | |
| Age, years (mean ± sd) | 66.2 (± 14.1) | 46.1 (± 17.9) |
| Gender (% male) | 20 758 (55.2) | 156 122 (44.3) |
| Type of index-prescription | ||
| Non-selective NSAID | NA | 312 179 (88.7) |
| Diclofenac–misoprostol | NA | 25 288 (7.2) |
| Coxib | NA | 14 558 (4.1) |
| Individual UGIE risk factors | ||
| Age 60–69 years | 10 163( 27.0) | 44 988 (12.8) |
| Age 70–79 years | 9107 (24.2) | 24 914 (7.1) |
| Age ≥ 80 years | 6529 (17.4) | 10 691 (3.0) |
| History of UGIE | 1757 (4.7) | 7750 (2.2) |
| History of DM | 7575 (20.2) | 25 378 (7.2) |
| History of HF | 7763 (20.7) | 21 746 (6.2) |
| History of severe RA | 134 (0.4) | 923 (0.3) |
| Use of VKA | 1361 (3.6) | 3106 (0.9) |
| Use of clopidogrel | 2815 (7.5) | 557 (0.2) |
| Use of corticosteroids | 558 (1.5) | 1324 (0.4) |
| Use of an SSRI | 1220 (3.2) | 9322 (2.6) |
| Use of spironolactone | 802 (2.1) | 687 (0.2) |
| Use of LDA | NA | 14 916 (4.2) |
| High-dose NSAID | NA | 190 662 (54.2) |
| UGIE risk group* | ||
| Low risk | 17 565 (46.7) | 111 462 (31.7) |
| Moderate risk | 10 709 (28.5) | 151 570 (43.1) |
| High risk | 9304 (24.8) | 88 993 (25.3) |
| Gastroprotective agent | ||
| PPI | 5309 (14.1) | 61 733 (17.5) |
| H2RA double dose | 7 (0.0) | 26 (0.0) |
| Gastroprotective strategy† | 5316 (14.1) | 72 240 (20.5) |
DM, diabetes mellitus; HF, heart failure; H2RA, histamine-2 receptor antagonist; LDA, low-dose aspirin; NA, not applicable; NSAID, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug; PPI, proton pump inhibitor; RA, rheumatoid arthritis; SSRI, selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitor; UGIE, upper gastrointestinal event; VKA, vitamin K antagonist.
*
As defined separately for each cohort.
†
Gastroprotective strategy: concomitant PPI or double-dose H2RA; in NSAID cohort also coxib (provided that concomitant LDA was not prescribed).