Systematic review of cross-national drug utilization studies in Latin America: methods and comparability

Use of the French National Health Data System (SNDS) in pharmacoepidemiology: A systematic review in its maturation phase

AIM OF THE STUDY

The French National Health Data System (SNDS) comprises healthcare data that cover 99% of the population (over 67 million individuals) in France. The aim of this study was to present an overview of published pharmacoepidemiological studies using the SNDS in its maturation phase.

METHODS

We conducted a systematic literature review of original research articles in the Pubmed and EMBASE databases from January 2012 until August 2018.

RESULTS

A total of 316 full-text articles were included, with an annual increase over the study period. Only 16 records were excluded after screening because they did not involve the SNDS but other French healthcare databases. The study design was clearly reported in only 66% of studies of which 57% were retrospective cohorts and 22% cross-sectional studies. The reported study objectives were drug utilization (65%), safety (22%) and effectiveness (9%). Almost all ATC groups were studied but the most frequent ones concerned the nervous system in 149 studies (49%), cardiovascular system drugs in 104 studies (34%) and anti-infectives for systemic use in 50 studies (16%).

CONCLUSION

The SNDS is of growing interest for studies on drug use and safety, which could be conducted more in specific populations, including children, pregnant women and the elderly, as these populations are often not included in clinical trials.

Dental Pain Medication Prescriptions in Minas Gerais, Brazil (2011-2021): A Time-Series Analysis

To describe trends of dentist-prescribed non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and analgesics, from January 2011 to December 2021, as well as to examine the relationship between these trends and characteristics of public oral health services in Minas Gerais, Brazil. In this time-series analysis, all drugs were classified according to the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical classification system. Drugs categorized as NSAIDs (M01A), and other analgesics and antipyretics (N02B) were included for analysis. The outcome was the number of Defined Daily Doses (DDDs)/1000 inhabitants/year for NSAIDs and analgesics in each town. Covariates referred to characteristics of public oral health services, such as coverage, estimates of dental procedures, and frequency of toothache. Linear time-series regression models were used to determine the influence of covariates on the outcome. Overall, there were 58,482 prescriptions of NSAIDs recorded in thirty-eight towns, while 47,499 prescriptions of analgesics in forty-three towns. For each year, there was a 0.38 (p < 0.001), and 0.28 (p < 0.001) increase in the average log of DDD/1000 inhabitants/year for NSAIDs and analgesics, respectively. A positive association was detected between toothache (p < 0.001) and the prescription of NSAIDs. Over the eleven years, there was a general rising trend in the prescriptions. Toothache was the only characteristic of public oral health services associated with the prescription rates of NSAIDs, implying that as the frequency of toothaches increase, so do the prescriptions of NSAIDs in the studied towns.

Feasibility and validity of using healthcare databases to conduct cross-national comparative studies of opioid use, its determinants and consequences

PURPOSE

A cross-national comparative (CNC) study about opioid utilization would allow the identification of strategies to improve pain management and mitigate risk. However, little is known about the accessibility and validity of information in healthcare databases internationally. This study aimed to identify the feasibility of using healthcare databases to conduct a CNC study of opioid utilization and its associated consequences.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey was launched in March 2018, including experts interested in CNC studies comparing opioid utilization by purposeful sampling. An electronic survey was used to collect database characteristics, medicine information, and linkage information of each aggregate-level dataset (AD) and individual patient-level dataset (IPD).

RESULTS

Overall, participants from 21 geographical regions reported 18 ADs and 19 IPDs. Information on dispensed medications is available from 17 ADs and 17 IPDs. Of the 16 ADs that include primary care settings, only 9 ADs can obtain information from secondary care settings. Fourteen IPDs included patients' characteristics or could be retrieved from linkage databases. Although most ADs are publicly accessible (n = 13), only five IPDs can be accessed without extra cost.

CONCLUSION

Most ADs could be used to report opioid utilization in a primary care setting. IPDs with linkage databases should be applied to identify potential determinants, clinical outcomes, and policy impact. Data access restrictions and governance policies across jurisdictions can be challenging for timely analysis and require further collaboration.

Data Sources for Drug Utilization Research in Brazil-DUR-BRA Study

Background: In Brazil, studies that map electronic healthcare databases in order to assess their suitability for use in pharmacoepidemiologic research are lacking. We aimed to identify, catalogue, and characterize Brazilian data sources for Drug Utilization Research (DUR).

Methods: The present study is part of the project entitled, “Publicly Available Data Sources for Drug Utilization Research in Latin American (LatAm) Countries.” A network of Brazilian health experts was assembled to map secondary administrative data from healthcare organizations that might provide information related to medication use. A multi-phase approach including internet search of institutional government websites, traditional bibliographic databases, and experts’ input was used for mapping the data sources. The reviewers searched, screened and selected the data sources independently; disagreements were resolved by consensus. Data sources were grouped into the following categories: 1) automated databases; 2) Electronic Medical Records (EMR); 3) national surveys or datasets; 4) adverse event reporting systems; and 5) others. Each data source was characterized by accessibility, geographic granularity, setting, type of data (aggregate or individual-level), and years of coverage. We also searched for publications related to each data source.

Results: A total of 62 data sources were identified and screened; 38 met the eligibility criteria for inclusion and were fully characterized. We grouped 23 (60%) as automated databases, four (11%) as adverse event reporting systems, four (11%) as EMRs, three (8%) as national surveys or datasets, and four (11%) as other types. Eighteen (47%) were classified as publicly and conveniently accessible online; providing information at national level. Most of them offered more than 5 years of comprehensive data coverage, and presented data at both the individual and aggregated levels. No information about population coverage was found. Drug coding is not uniform; each data source has its own coding system, depending on the purpose of the data. At least one scientific publication was found for each publicly available data source.

Conclusions: There are several types of data sources for DUR in Brazil, but a uniform system for drug classification and data quality evaluation does not exist. The extent of population covered by year is unknown. Our comprehensive and structured inventory reveals a need for full characterization of these data sources.

Data transparency for building a stronger healthcare system: A case study from Argentinean administrative drug utilization data sources

In order to compile an inventory of national data sources for drug utilization research (DUR) in Argentina and to verify publicly available data sources, we performed a cross-sectional study that sought to identify national and provincial databases of drug use. In July 2020, we searched the websites of government institutions, carried out a systematic query of bibliographic databases for "drug utilization research" conducted in Argentina, and conducted a survey with local experts. Data collected included: the institution responsible for the database, population covered, accessibility, source of the data, healthcare setting, geographic information, and whether data were individual or aggregated. Descriptive analyses were then performed. We identified 31 data sources for DUR; only one was publicly and conveniently accessible. Five published aggregated data and provide more detailed access by formal request. Only seven sources (23%) reported national data, and most (n=29) included only data from the public healthcare sector. Although data sources for DUR have been found in Argentina, limited access by researchers and policymakers is still an significant obstacle. Increasing health data transparency by making data sources publicly available for the purpose of analyzing public health information is crucial for building a stronger health system.

Prescription, over-the-counter (OTC), herbal, and other treatments and preventive uses for COVID-19

The current COVID-19 pandemic has spread rapidly worldwide and has challenged fragile health care systems, vulnerable socioeconomic conditions, and population risk factors, and has led to an overwhelming tendency to misuse prescription drugs and self-medication with prescription drugs, over-the-counter (OTC) drugs, herbals products, and unproven chemicals as a desperate preventive or curative measure for COVID-19. In this chapter, we present the legislative differences between prescription drugs, OTC drugs, and herbals. Various approved and nonapproved prescription and OTC drugs as symptomatic treatment for COVID-19 are listed and evaluated based on their reported efficacy, safety, and toxicological profile. We also present the various herbal products that are currently studied and used as treatment and preventive for COVID-19. The efficacy, toxicology profile, safety, and legal issues of some speculative preventive and treatment options against COVID-19, such as Miracle Mineral Solution (MMS), chlorine dioxide solution (CDS), colloidal silver, and hydrogen peroxide is presented. The chapter also emphasizes the specific strategies that need to be implemented to guide the population in the effective and safe use of prescribed medications, such as the Medication Therapy Management or Pharmaceutical Care process. Finally, this chapter aims to provide a deeper insight into the lack of health literacy in the population and the effect that drug utilization research (DUR) has in the decision making of health authorities and general public. We aim to provide the current information about the various treatment and preventive options used for COVID-19.

Prescriptions of analgesics and anti-inflammatory drugs in municipalities from a Brazilian Southeast state

The objective of this study was to describe dental prescriptions of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID), opioids, and analgesics dispensed by the Brazilian National Health System (BNHS, SUS in Portuguese) of a Southeastern state from January to December 2017, and to analyze their association with socioeconomic and oral health care services' characteristics at municipal level. Data were collected from the Brazilian Integrated Pharmaceutical Care Management System. Medicines were grouped according to the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical Classification System. The total number of Defined Daily Doses (DDD) and DDD per 1,000 inhabitants (inhab.) per year were presented and compared between groups of municipalities. Data analysis used the Classification and Regression Tree model performed with IBM SPSS 25.0. The total number of NSAID, opioids, and analgesics prescriptions was 70,747 and accounted for 354,221.13 DDD. The most frequently prescribed medicine was ibuprofen (n = 24,676; 34.88%). The number of dental practitioners in the BNHS per 1,000 inhab. (p < 0.001), first dental appointment coverage (p = 0.010), oral health teams per 1,000 inhab. (p=0.022), and the proportion of rural population (p = 0.014) were variables positively associated with the number of DDD of NSAID per 1,000 inhab. per year. Bolsa Família program coverage per 1,000 inhab. (p = 0.022) was negatively associated with NSAID prescription. Regarding analgesics, first dental appointment coverage (p=0.002) and Bolsa Família program coverage per 1,000 inhab. (p = 0.012) were positively associated with DDD per 1,000 inhab. per year. In conclusion, dental prescriptions of analgesics and NSAID in the BNHS were associated with socioeconomic and oral health care services' characteristics.

Availability of secondary healthcare data for conducting pharmacoepidemiology studies in Colombia: A systematic review

Real-world evidence (RWE) is emerging as a fundamental component of the post-marketing evaluation of medicinal products. Even though the focus on RWE studies has increased in Colombia, the availability of secondary data sources to perform this type of research is not well documented. Thus, we aimed at identifying and characterizing secondary data sources available in Colombia. We performed a systematic literature review on PubMed, EMBASE, and VHL using a combination of controlled vocabulary and keywords for the concepts of electronic health records, epidemiologic studies and Colombia. A total of 323 publications were included. These comprised 123 identified secondary data sources including pharmacy dispensing databases, government datasets, disease registries, insurance databases, and electronic heath records, among others. These data sources were mostly used for cross-sectional studies focused on disease epidemiology in a specific population. Almost all databases (95%) contained demographic information, followed by pharmacological treatment (44%) and diagnostic tests (39%). Even though the database owner was identifiable in 94%, access information was only available in 44% of the articles. Only a pharmacy-dispensing database, local cancer registries, and government databases included a description regarding the quality of the information available. The diversity of databases identified shows that Colombia has a high potential to continue enhancing its RWE strategy. Greater efforts are required to improve data quality and accessibility. The linkage between databases will expand data pooling and integration to boost the translational potential of RWE.

Challenges facing drug utilization research in the Latin American region

PURPOSE

The International Society of Pharmacoepidemiology (ISPE) in collaboration with the Latin America Drug Utilization Research Group (LatAm DURG), the Medicines Utilization Research in Africa (MURIA) group, and the Uppsala Monitoring Center, is leading an initiative to understand challenges to drug utilization research (DUR) in the Latin American (LatAm) and African regions with the goal of communicating results and proposing solutions to these challenges in four scientific publications. The purpose of this first manuscript is to identify the main challenges associated with DUR in the LatAm region.

METHODS

Drug utilization (DU) researchers in the LatAm region voluntarily participated in multiple discussions, contributed with local data and reviewed successive drafts and the final manuscript. Additionally, we carried out a literature review to identify the most relevant publications related to DU studies from the LatAm region.

RESULTS

Multiple challenges were identified in the LatAm region for DUR including socioeconomic inequality, access to medical care, complexity of the healthcare system, limited investment in research and development, limited institutional and organization resources, language barriers, limited health education and literacy. Further, there is limited use of local DUR data by decision makers particularly in the identification of emerging health needs coming from social and demographic transitions.

CONCLUSIONS

The LatAm region faces challenges to DUR which are inherent in the healthcare and political systems, and potential solutions should target changes to the system.

What is happening with not recommended drugs for dementia in Argentina? Prescription patterns and direct costs analysis

OBJECTIVES

The only recommended pharmacological treatments for specific dementias are donepezil, galantamine, rivastigmine, and memantine (recommended drugs, RD). However, other drugs without recommendations (not recommended drugs, NRD) are often used to treat patients with cognitive impairment (CI) in Argentina. The INSSJyP is the largest health insurance in Argentina. The objective of this study is to analyze the prescription pattern, cost, and implications of NRD used for the treatment of CI in the INSSJyP.

MATERIALS

This is a retrospective, population-based study of the INSSJyP outpatients' prescriptions database for drugs usually prescribed for CI during 2015. These data were compared with the same database in 2009. The number of "prescriptions" always refers to dispensed packages.

RESULTS

A total of 3 255 438 packages of drugs usually indicated for CI were prescribed during 2015: 1 912 476 packages of RD (59%) and 1 342 962 packages of NRD (41%).Comparing the results with those obtained in 2009, there is a 148% gross increase in the prescription of both RD and NRD for CI, although the rates/1000 affiliates/year show a lesser rise for NRD (70.1%) compared to RD (103.9 %).The expenditure on CI drugs prescribed during 2015 was 77 million USD. NRD cost represented approximately 20 million USD.

CONCLUSION

Inappropriate drug use increases health costs in developing countries. We found a high number of patients with a probable diagnosis of CI treated with NRD. It is extremely relevant that all the healthcare professionals can update their knowledge and modify behavioral insights about appropriate prescription for specific dementias.

Potentially inappropriate prescriptions for elderly people taking antidepressant: comparative tools

Background

The use of psychotropic drugs by elderly people is widely spread around the world, given that prevalence of inappropriate medication is frequent. Strictly speaking, in Brazil, the vulnerable population of elderly people is more likely to use Potentially Inappropriate Psychotropic (PIP) due to the impact of social-economic characteristics, to the Brazilian Public Health System, and to the lack of patient monitoring. However, neither the use pattern nor the prevalence rate of PIP have been studied in Brazil so far. The objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence of PIP in elderly outpatients taking antidepressants, and to compare the performance of two different tools (Beers, STOPP).

Methods

This cross-sectional study involved all the aged outpatients (≥ 60 years of age) taking antidepressants attended by the public health system in a city of the State of São Paulo, Brazil. Data were obtained from a pharmacy database and medical records. All psychotropic drugs evaluated included: antidepressants, antipsychotics, anti-epileptics and benzodiazepines. STOPP and Beers criteria were applied to detect PIP.

Results

One thousand one hundred forty prescriptions from 174 outpatients were subjected to two different screening tools. The average patient age was 67 (interquartile range 63–74) and the median number of drugs used was 3.0 (interquartile 2–4) per patient. The overall prevalence of PIP was 121 (69.5%). The levels of PIP observed according to tools were 39.6% (STOPP) and 29.9% (Beers).The long-term use of benzodiazepines was the most common PIP recognized, and the one which contributed more significantly to higher levels of PIP than other medications.

Conclusions

The prevalence of PIP was high among the elderly. STOPP criteria identified more PIP than Beers criteria. Knowledge of PIP prevalence should gear efforts to reduce the level of inappropriate prescriptions and may provide the need for developing national criteria.