title: Amiodarone use and risk of acute pancreatitis: A population-based case-control study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is still lack of strong evidence, based on systematic studies, that support the relationship between amiodarone use and the risk of acute pancreatitis.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between amiodarone use and the risk of acute pancreatitis in Taiwan.
  
  
  METHODS
  This case-control study was based on the analysis of the claim data from Taiwan's national health insurance program from 2000 to 2011. There were 4986 subjects aged 20-84 years with a first episode of acute pancreatitis as the case group and 19,944 randomly selected subjects without acute pancreatitis matched for sex, age, and index year as the control group. Amiodarone use was defined as "current," "recent," or "past" if the most recent amiodarone prescription was filled within 3 months, between 3 and 6 months, or >6 months before the date of acute pancreatitis diagnosis, respectively. The relative risk of acute pancreatitis associated with amiodarone use was measured by the odds ratio with 95% confidence interval using the multivariable unconditional logistic regression model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After adjustment for confounding factors, current use of amiodarone was positively associated with acute pancreatitis (adjusted odds ratio 5.21; 95% confidence interval 3.22-8.43). There was no significant association between recent or past amiodarone use and acute pancreatitis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  People with current use of amiodarone are at an increased risk of acute pancreatitis. Physicians should be more cautious about acute pancreatitis risk when prescribing amiodarone.
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan; Department of Family Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Shih-Wei
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan; Management Office for Health Data, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Cheng-Li
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Integrated Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan,; Department of Internal Medicine, Taichung Tzu Chi General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan. Electronic address: kuanfuliao@yahoo.com.tw.
authors.forename: Kuan-Fu
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Taichung Tzu Chi General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chung-Yi
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000638:Amiodarone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; D000638:Amiodarone
keywords: Acute pancreatitis; Alcoholism; Amiodarone; Biliary stone; Diabetes