Venous thromboembolic disease and combined oral contraceptives: A re-analysis of the MediPlus database.
In October 1995 the Committee on Safety of Medicines advised UK doctors and pharmacists that oral contraceptives containing desogestrel and gestodene were associated with double the risk of venous thromboembolic events (VTE) compared to pills containing other progestogens. In 1997 data was analysed from the MediPlus database of UK general practitioner records, which reported odds ratios for desogestrel and gestodene lower than that for levonorgestrel. Here the results of a more stringent nested case control analysis on the MediPlus database are reported. The study was larger and cases were verified. A crude incidence of idiopathic VTE was found amongst users of combined oral contraceptives of 4.6 per 10 000 exposed women years. Using levonorgestrel 150 microg + ethinyloestradiol 30 microg as reference, non-significant odds ratios of 1.1 (0.5-2.6) for desogestrel 150 microg + ethinyloestradiol 30 microg and 1.1 (0.5-2.4) for gestodene 75 microg + ethinyloestradiol 30 microg were found. The results of this study show no significant difference in risk between different formulations of combined oral contraceptive.
Todd
J
J
European Institute of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Surrey Research Park, Guildford GU2 5RF, UK.
Lawrenson
R
R
Farmer
R D
RD
Williams
T J
TJ
Leydon
G M
GM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003277:Contraceptives, Oral, Combined / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003280:Contraceptives, Oral, Synthetic / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016208:Databases, Factual; D017135:Desogestrel / Q000009:adverse effects; D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016912:Levonorgestrel / Q000009:adverse effects; D008875:Middle Aged; D009652:Norpregnenes / Q000009:adverse effects; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology; D020246:Venous Thrombosis / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology
D003277:Contraceptives, Oral, Combined; D003280:Contraceptives, Oral, Synthetic; D009652:Norpregnenes; C033273:Gestodene; D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol; D016912:Levonorgestrel; D017135:Desogestrel