Table 3.
Characterization of heavy users and non-heavy users of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
| Heavy Users of NSAID | Non-Heavy Users of NSAID | p-Value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of individuals | 115 | 2175 | |
| Gender, n (%) | |||
| Male | 111 | 2034 | |
| Female | 4 | 141 | |
| Age group, n (%) | |||
| <50 years | 6 (5.2) | 478 (22.0) | <0.001 |
| 50–54 years | 23 (20.0) | 468 (21.5) | |
| 55–59 years | 40 (34.8) | 767 (35.3) | |
| >59 years | 46 (40.0) | 462 (21.2) | |
| NSAID subgroup, n (% of total prescriptions) | |||
| M01AB Acetic acid derivatives and related substances | 249 (15.1) | 1102 (18.7) | <0.001 |
| M01AE Propionic acid derivatives | 511 (30.9) | 3342 (56.7) | <0.001 |
| M01AH Selective COX-2 inhibitors (coxibs) | 234 (14.2) | 396 (6.7) | <0.001 |
| M01AX Other anti-inflammatory and antirheumatic agents | 624 (37.8) | 968 (16.4) | <0.001 |
| Others (oxicams and fenamates) | 33 (2.0) | 82 (1.4) | <0.001 |
| Total prescriptions | 1651 | 5890 | |