Table 3.
Adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for venous thromboembolism in subcohorts (numbers in bold indicate significant results)
| Cases n (%) | Controls n (%) | aOR (95% CI)# | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Excluding CKD patients *, † | 2755 (100) | 22 983 (100) | ‐ |
| Epoetins | 71 (2.6) | 549 (2.4) | 1.38 (1.04, 1.84) |
| Transfusions | 962 (34.9) | 6483 (28.2) | 2.46 (2.11, 2.86) |
| Epoetins and transfusions | 19 (0.7) | 79 (0.3) | 2.46 (1.40, 4.34) |
| Only patients additionally suffering from CKD *, † | 556 (100) | 5214 (100 | ‐ |
| Epoetins | 25 (4.5) | 266 (5.1) | 1.56 (0.84, 2.90) |
| Transfusions | 203 (36.5) | 1439 (27.6) | 1.74 (1.06, 2.86) |
| Epoetins and transfusions | 3 (0.5) | 16 (0.3) | 1.72 (0.17, 17.67) |
| Only patients with lung cancer **, † | 333 (100) | 1511 (100) | ‐ |
| Epoetins | 9 (2.7) | 39 (2.6) | 1.65 (0.72, 3.76) |
| Transfusions | 157 (47.2) | 644 (42.6) | 1.84 (1.21, 2.80) |
| Epoetins and transfusions | 5 (1.5) | 12 (0.8) | 3.80 (1.08, 13.42) |
| Only patients with lung or pancreatic cancer **, † | 571 (100) | 2685 (100) | ‐ |
| Epoetins | 16 (2.8) | 83 (3.1) | 1.33 (0.74, 2.41) |
| Transfusions | 266 (46.6) | 1126 (41.9) | 1.85 (1.34, 2.56) |
| Epoetins and transfusions | 6 (1.1) | 16 (0.6) | 2.47 (0.86, 7.06) |
| Only patients with prostate or breast cancer **, † | 411 (100) | 1976 (100) | ‐ |
| Epoetins | 24 (5.8) | 113 (5.7) | 1.05 (0.59, 1.88) |
| Transfusions | 139 (33.8) | 540 (27.3) | 2.60 (1.58, 4.28) |
| Epoetins and transfusions | 2 (0.5) | 11 (0.6) | 0.67 (0.11, 4.06) |
| Start of anaemia treatment until June 2008 *, † | 2500 (100) | 19 402 (100) | ‐ |
| Epoetins | 78 (3.1) | 522 (2.7) | 1.33 (1.02, 1.72) |
| Transfusions | 773 (30.9) | 4229 (21.8) | 2.34 (1.99, 2.76) |
| Epoetins and transfusions | 15 (0.6) | 52 (0.3) | 2.34 (1.23, 4.45) |
| Start of anaemia treatment after June 2008 *, † | 780 (100) | 2280 (100) | ‐ |
| Epoetins | 16 (2.1) | 56 (2.5) | 0.83 (0.40, 1.75) |
| Transfusions | 380 (48.7) | 1025 (45.0) | 2.52 (1.76, 3.60) |
| Epoetins and transfusions | 7 (0.9) | 10 (0.4) | 1.52 (0.47, 4.89) |
Matching was performed for age, gender and SHI.
Matching was performed for age, gender, SHI and metastatic disease.
It was adjusted for history of VTE, obesity, metastatic solid tumour, surgery, chemotherapy, other medication associated with increased VTE risk (Table S3), antithrombotic medication (Table S4) coronary artery disease/chronic ischemic heart disease, arterial hypertension, dyslipidaemia, diabetes mellitus, myocardial infarction and angina pectoris.
Reference group: past users of epoetin and/or transfusion.
Past treatment with epoetin and/or transfusion means that the last dispensation of epoetin or administration of transfusion was longer than 28 days before the index date.
CKD chronic kidney disease; SHI statutory health insurance.