title: Drugs used in incident systemic lupus erythematosus - results from the Finnish nationwide register 2000-2007.
abstract: The objectives of the study were to examine the initial, first-year anti-rheumatic outpatient therapy in patients with incident SLE, as well as the concomitant use of drugs for certain comorbidities, compared to the use in the general population. The Finnish nationwide register data on special reimbursements for medication costs was screened to identify the inception cohort of 566 adult SLE patients (87% females, mean age 46.5 ± 15.9 years) over the years 2000-2007. The patients were linked to the national Drug Purchase Register. Of those, 90% had purchased at least once some disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) during the first year. Hydroxychloroquine was the most common (76%), followed by azathioprine (15%) and methotrexate (13%). With the exception of increase in mycophenolate mofetil, the proportions remained stable over the whole study period 2000-2007. Drugs for cardiovascular diseases, dyslipidemia, diabetes mellitus, hypothyroidism and obstructive pulmonary disease were more frequently purchased than in the sex- and age-adjusted population, with rate ratios ranging from 1.6 to 7.8. Over the years 2000-2007, almost all the patients with incident SLE in Finland started with a DMARD. Higher percentages of SLE patients were on medication for several common chronic diseases than in the population as a whole.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland pia.elfving@kuh.fi.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Elfving
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, South Karelia Central Hospital, Lappeenranta, Finland.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Puolakka
authors.affiliation: Unit of Primary Health Care, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland Department of General Practice, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland Unit of Primary Health Care, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kautiainen
authors.affiliation: Research Department, Social Insurance Institution, Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Virta
authors.affiliation: Rehabilitation Unit, Orton Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pohjolainen
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kaipiainen-Seppänen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001379:Azathioprine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D006801:Humans; D006886:Hydroxychloroquine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D012042:Registries
chemical_list: D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D006886:Hydroxychloroquine; D001379:Azathioprine; D008727:Methotrexate
keywords: Systemic lupus erythematosus; drug; medication; register