Actively using clopidogrel correlates with an increased risk of acute pancreatitis in Taiwan.
The aim of this study is to assess whether there is an association between clopidogrel use and risk of acute pancreatitis in Taiwan. We conducted a case-control study using the database of the Taiwan National Health Insurance Program from 2000 to 2011. There were 5644 subjects aged 20-84 years with a first-time attack of acute pancreatitis as the case group and 22,576 randomly selected sex-matched and age-matched subjects without acute pancreatitis as the control group. We defined clopidogrel use as "actively using" if the final clopidogrel prescription was filled between 0 and 7 days before the date of diagnosing acute pancreatitis, or "not actively using" if the final clopidogrel prescription was filled ≧ 8 days before the date of diagnosing acute pancreatitis. Subjects who never used clopidogrel were defined as never used. The multivariable logistic regression model was used to calculate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of acute pancreatitis associated with clopidogrel use. Comparing the subjects actively using clopidogrel to those who never used clopidogrel, the adjusted OR of acute pancreatitis was 8.46 (95%CI 5.25, 13.7). The adjusted OR decreased to 1.16 among subjects not actively using clopidogrel (95%CI 0.95, 1.43). Persons actively using clopidogrel are at an increased risk of acute pancreatitis. Further studies are necessary to prove the causal relationship.
College of Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan; Department of Family Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
Shih-Wei
SW
Lai
College of Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan; Management Office for Health Data, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
Cheng-Li
CL
Lin
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.
Kuan-Fu
KF
Liao
D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D000077144:Clopidogrel; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D012306:Risk; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology; D013988:Ticlopidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D055815:Young Adult
D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; D000077144:Clopidogrel; D013988:Ticlopidine
Acute pancreatitis; Alcoholism; Biliary stone; Clopidogrel; Diabetes