Medication changes prior to hospitalization for obstructive lung disease: a case-crossover study.
BACKGROUND
Hospitalizations have always been seen as a solid outcome parameter in pharmacoepidemiology. However, the period leading to hospitalization and prehospital management of the patient are equally important.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate medication changes in the period prior to hospitalization for obstructive lung disease and to quantify the association between medication use and the risk of hospitalization.


METHODS
We conducted a case-crossover study using the PHARMO record linkage system, which contains drug dispensing data from community pharmacies and hospital admission data. Patients included in the study were adults hospitalized for obstructive lung disease between 2005 and 2007. The index date of the case period was the date of hospitalization, and control moments were set at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months before admission. For each patient, all prescriptions prior to the date of hospitalization were identified. Medication use was ascertained in a 90-day time window prior to each case or control moment.


RESULTS
We identified 1481 patients who were hospitalized for obstructive lung disease. It appeared that respiratory medication use increased in the 90 days prior to hospitalization. Hospitalization was associated with the use of 3 or more respiratory drugs (OR 2.2; 95% CI 1.8 to 2.8), systemic glucocorticoids (OR 4.5; 95% CI 3.8 to 5.4), and antibiotics (OR 3.1; 95% CI 2.7 to 3.6).


CONCLUSIONS
The use of systemic glucocorticoids, antibiotics, and other respiratory drugs increased prior to hospitalization for obstructive lung disease. These results could be indicative of the development and/or treatment of an exacerbation. There is a need for markers to detect exacerbations in an early phase in order to start treatment as early as possible and possibly prevent hospitalizations for obstructive lung disease.
Velthove
Karin J
KJ
Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacotherapy, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, The Netherlands.
Leufkens
Hubert Gm
HG
Schweizer
René C
RC
van Solinge
Wouter W
WW
Souverein
Patrick C
PC
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D016208:Databases, Factual; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008173:Lung Diseases, Obstructive / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands; D055815:Young Adult
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D005938:Glucocorticoids