Co-prescription of gastro-protectants in hospitalized patients: an analysis of what we do and what we think we do

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, gastroprotection, and benefit-risk

Background

Gastroprotective agents (GPA) substantially reduce morbidity and mortality with long-term nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and aspirin.

Objective

To evaluate efficacy of NSAIDs, protection against NSAID-induced gastrointestinal harm, and balance of benefit and risk.

Methods

Free text searches of PubMed (December 2012) supplemented with “related citation” and “cited by” facilities on PubMed and Google Scholar for patient requirements, NSAID effectiveness, pain relief benefits, gastroprotective strategies, adherence to gastroprotection prescribing, and serious harm with NSAIDs and GPA.

Results

Patients want 50% reduction in pain intensity and improved fatigue, distress, and quality of life. Meta-analyses of NSAID trials in musculoskeletal conditions had bimodal responses with good pain relief or little. Number needed to treat (NNTs) for good pain relief were 3 to 9. Proton pump inhibitors (PPI) and high-dose histamine-2 receptor antagonists (H₂RA) provided similar gastroprotection, with no conclusive evidence of greater PPI efficacy compared with high-dose H₂RA. Prescriber adherence to guidance on use of GPA with NSAIDS was 49% in studies published since 2005; patient adherence was less than 100%. PPI use at higher doses over longer periods is associated with increased risk of serious adverse events, including fracture; no such evidence was found for H₂RA. Patients with chronic conditions are more willing to accept risk of harm for successful treatment than their physicians.

Conclusion

Guidance on NSAIDs use should ensure that patients have a good level of pain relief and that gastroprotection is guaranteed for the NSAID delivering good pain relief. Fixed-dose combinations of NSAID plus GPA offer one solution.

Failure to renew prescriptions for gastroprotective agents to patients on continuous nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs increases rate of upper gastrointestinal injury

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Patients with risk factors for gastrointestinal (GI) disorders who continuously use nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) also should take gastroprotective agents (GPAs), such as proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). However, it is not clear how many physicians continue to prescribe GPAs to these patients, and whether stopping the GPA prescription increases GI complications.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective, observational, longitudinal study using a validated electronic database of representative general practitioners in France. We analyzed data for 1856 patients at risk for GI events (>65 y, past history of GI ulcer, or receiving antiplatelet agents) who received prescriptions for an NSAID and PPI from 2007 to 2009. Kaplan-Meier curves were used to determine the probability of still being prescribed a GPA at 12 and 24 months after the first prescription. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with nonpersistence. GI complication rates were compared using the Student t test.

RESULTS

The probability of still being prescribed a PPI along with an NSAID 1 year after the study began was 77.5% (95% confidence interval [CI], 75.6%-79.4%) and 68.3% after 2 years (95% CI, 66.1%-70.4%). Risk factors for no longer receiving a prescription for a PPI included switching to a cyclooxygenase-2-selective inhibitor (hazard ratio [HR], 2.50; 95% CI, 1.91-3.28; P < .001) or to a nonselective NSAID (HR, 1.63; 95% CI, 1.33-1.99; P < .001), and female sex (HR, 1.25; 95% CI, 1.05-1.45; P < .05). In 50% of these cases, the PPI was reintroduced within 6 months, without a specific reason in 70% of the cases. The risk for upper GI injury was higher among patients with discontinued prescriptions for PPIs (odds ratio, 1.45; 95% CI, 1.06-2.09; P = .02).

CONCLUSIONS

Within 2 years after prescribing a PPI, physicians do not renew this prescription for approximately 33% of patients receiving continuous NSAIDs. This increases the risk for GI adverse events among these patients.

Epidemiological study on the incidence of gastroesophageal reflux disease symptoms in patients in acute treatment with NSAIDs

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is one of the most common disorders in medical practice. The prevalence of GERD in Spain has been reported to be 15%. GERD is associated with esophageal and extra-esophageal complications and with a negative impact on the patients' related quality of life. Several risk factors have been related with the development of GERD, including smoking, coffee intake, alcohol consumption and use of medication, such as NSAIDs. If untreated, GERD symptoms can lead to a decrease of patients' related quality of life and to treatment discontinuation. From this study, it was confirmed that the relationship between GERD and some behavioral risk factors, such as alcohol intake, smoking and coffee consumption, and concomitant treatment with NSAID drugs. Among the protective factors for GERD, antisecretory agents and antacids have shown to be essential for the control of GERD, the use of proton pump inhibitors being the predominant protective factor.