365Disease burden of mumps in Japan: descriptive epidemiology based on the health insurance reimbursement database

Background In Japan, mumps vaccination coverage is low, since it is a voluntary vaccination. In this situation, the number of mumps cases as reported by pediatric sentinel hospitals suggests the occurrence of periodical mumps outbreaks. Methods To examine the annual incidences of mumps and mumps-related complications, we analyzed data from the health insurance reimbursement database for subscribers aged 0-64 years between 2005 and 2017. Cases with mumps and mumps-related complications including meningitis, orchitis, deafness, were extracted according to ICD-10 codes entered into the disease section for health insurance reimbursement. Results During the 13 year period, 68,307 of 5,209,660 subjects were reimbursed for mumps, with an incidence of 325 per 100,000 person-years (95% confidence interval (CI): 323-328). Among the 68,307 mumps cases, 787 were reimbursed for mumps-related complications, with an incidence of 11.5 per 1,000 mumps cases (95% CI: 10.7-12.4). Incidence of mumps-related complications (per 1,000 mumps cases) was highest for orchitis (6.6), followed by meningitis (5.8), deafness (1.3), pancreatitis (0.5), and encephalitis (0.3). Mumps incidence was highest among children aged 0-5 years, while incidence of mumps-related complications was highest among adults aged 26-35 years. Conclusions In Japan, the disease burden of mumps remains high among adults, as well as children. Key messages To reduce the disease burden of mumps among all ages in Japan, immunization in childhood is required. A national immunization program for children would result in high vaccination coverage and lower disease burden.

Impact of COVID-19 on ischemic stroke care in Hungary

Data about the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic’s collateral damage on ischemic stroke (IS) care during the second epidemic wave in Central Europe are limited. We sought to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on Hungarian IS care during the two epidemic waves. This retrospective observational study was based on a nationwide reimbursement database that encompasses all IS admissions and all reperfusion interventions, i.e., intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) and endovascular therapy (EVT) from 2 January 2017 to 31 December 2020 in Hungary. COVID-19 pandemic’s effect on the number of IS admissions and reperfusion interventions were analyzed using different statistics: means, medians, trends, relative rates, and linear relationships. The mean and median values of IS admissions and reperfusion interventions decreased only in some measure during the COVID-periods. However, trend analysis demonstrated a significant decline from the trends. The decline’s dynamic and amplitude have differed for each variable. In contrast to IVT, the number of IS admissions and EVTs negatively correlated with the epidemic waves’ amplitude. Besides, the decrease in the number of IS admissions was more pronounced than the decrease in the number of reperfusion interventions. Our study demonstrated a significant disruption in IS care during the COVID-19 epidemic in Hungary, in which multiple different factors might play a role. The disproportionate reduction of IS admission numbers could partially be explained by the effect of health emergency operative measures and changes in patients’ social behavior. Further studies are needed to evaluate the causes of our observations.

Use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and breast cancer risk in a prospective cohort of postmenopausal women

Background Although anti-inflammatory agents could theoretically have anticancer properties, results from cohort studies on nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and breast cancer (BC) risk are inconsistent. Methods We investigated the association between NSAID use and BC incidence in the French E3N prospective cohort, which includes 98,995 women born between 1925 and 1950 and insured by a health insurance plan that covers mostly teachers. Self-reported information on lifestyle and medical history has been collected biennially by questionnaires and matched with data from a drug reimbursement database covering the period 2004–2014. Women who self-reported current NSAID use in the 2000 or 2002 questionnaires or with at least two reimbursements in any previous 3-month period were defined as exposed to NSAIDs. Multivariable Cox regression models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) for the association of NSAID use with BC risk. Results In the current analysis, 62,512 postmenopausal women were followed between 2004 and 2014 (9 years on average, starting at a mean age of 63 years; 2864 incident BC). In multivariable models, there was no statistically significant association between NSAID use and BC risk [HR = 1.00 (0.92–1.08), compared with non-exposed women]. The NSAID-BC associations did not differ by NSAID types, BC subtypes, risk factors, and comorbidities, nor by duration and dose of use. However, a statistically significant interaction was observed by proton pump inhibitor (PPI) drug use (Pinteraction = 0.01) whereby a decreased risk of BC with NSAID use was only observed among women who also used PPI before. Conclusion Only women who used NSAIDs after having used PPI had a lower risk of BC. This result is novel and requires replication in other studies.

Proxy indicators to estimate the appropriateness of medications prescribed by paediatricians in infectious diseases: a cross-sectional observational study based on reimbursement data

Background We previously developed proxy indicators (PIs) that can be used to estimate the appropriateness of medications used for infectious diseases (in particular antibiotics) in primary care, based on routine reimbursement data that do not include clinical indications. Objectives To: (i) select the PIs that are relevant for children and estimate current appropriateness of medications used for infectious diseases by French paediatricians and its variability while using these PIs; (ii) assess the clinimetric properties of these PIs using a large regional reimbursement database; and (iii) compare performance scores for each PI between paediatricians and GPs in the paediatric population. Methods For all individuals living in north-eastern France, a cross-sectional observational study was performed analysing National Health Insurance data (available at prescriber and patient levels) regarding antibiotics prescribed by their paediatricians in 2017. We measured performance scores of the PIs, and we tested their clinimetric properties, i.e. measurability, applicability and room for improvement. Results We included 116 paediatricians who prescribed a total of 44 146 antibiotic treatments in 2017. For all four selected PIs (seasonal variation of total antibiotic use, amoxicillin/second-line antibiotics ratio, co-prescription of anti-inflammatory drugs and antibiotics), we found large variations between paediatricians. Regarding clinimetric properties, all PIs were measurable and applicable, and showed high improvement potential. Performance scores did not differ between these 116 paediatricians and 3087 GPs. Conclusions This set of four proxy indicators might be used to estimate appropriateness of prescribing in children in an automated way within antibiotic stewardship programmes.

Dietary inflammatory index, risk of incident hypertension, and effect modification from BMI

Introduction: Previous studies have identified a positive association between the inflammatory potential of the diet and hypertension. It is not known if BMI is an effect modifier for this association, nor if the association is dose-respondent. This study aimed to assess the association between the dietary inflammatory index (DII) and the risk of hypertension, and assess any effect modification from BMI.Methods: Data from the E3N cohort study, a French prospective population-based study initiated in 1990 was used. From the women in the study, we included those who completed a detailed diet history questionnaire, and who did not have prevalent hypertension or cardiovascular disease at baseline, resulting in 46,652 women. The adapted DII was assessed with data from the dietary questionnaire. Hypertension cases were self-reported and verified through a drug-reimbursement database. Cox proportional hazard models were used to calculate hazard ratios. Spline regression was used to determine any dose-respondent relationship.Results: During 884,267 person-years, 13,183 cases of incident hypertension were identified. The median DII in the population was slightly pro-inflammatory (DII = + 0.44). A highly pro-inflammatory diet (DII > 3.0) was associated with a slight increase in hypertension risk (HRQ1-Q5 = 1.07 [1.02: 1.13]). Evidence was observed for effect modification from BMI, with associations strongest amongst women in the 18.5 - 21.0 BMI range (HRQ1-Q5 = 1.17 [1.06: 1.29]). A weak dose-respondent relationship was observed.Conclusion: Evidence for a weak association between DII and hypertension was observed. Associations were stronger amongst healthy-lean women.

Incidence and Prevalence of Crohn’s Disease and Ulerative Colitis (2013–2017) Based on the Latvian Nationwide Medicines Reimbursement Database

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic, relapsing–remitting, inflammatory condition of the gastrointestinal tract which consists of Crohn’s disease (CD), ulcerative colitis (UC) and undifferentiated IBD. Epidemiology of IBD is changing worldwide, but a significant gap remains in the description of the IBD population in Latvia. The aim of the study was to determine the incidence and prevalence rates of IBD in Latvia in the period between 2013 and 2017. Retrospective analysis of reimbursed medicines claims for IBD diagnoses from the Latvian National Health Service database (NHS) was conducted for the period of 2012 to 2017. From CD patients, 53.7% were female and the area of residency strongly favoured urban areas vs rural districts of Latvia, 59.1% vs 40.9%, respectively. A similar demographic pattern was observed in UC patients, where 56.2% were female and 55.1% of the total UC population lived in urban areas. The overall age- and sex-adjusted incidence rates for CD and UC were 16.45 (CI95% [14.68, 18.21]) and 70.53 (CI95% [66.88, 74.19]) per 100 000 population, respectively, for the entire 2013–2017 period. The prevalence of CD and UC in 2012 was 12.4 and 54.8 cases per 100 000 persons, respectively, compared to 15.5 and 79.5 cases per 100 000 persons in CD and UC in 2017, resulting in a 25% increase in prevalence of CD and 41% increase in UC over the 5-year period. For the first time temporal trends in IBD incidence and prevalence as well as differences across age groups and gender over a five-year period are reported for Latvia.

Dietary inflammatory index, risk of incident hypertension, and effect modification from BMI

Introduction Previous studies have identified a positive association between the inflammatory potential of the diet and hypertension. It is not known if BMI is an effect modifier for this association, nor if the association is dose-respondent. This study aimed to assess the association between the dietary inflammatory index (DII) and the risk of hypertension, and assess any effect modification from BMI. Methods Data from the E3N cohort study, a French prospective population-based study initiated in 1990 was used. From the women in the study, we included those who completed a detailed diet history questionnaire, and who did not have prevalent hypertension or cardiovascular disease at baseline, resulting in 46,652 women. The adapted DII was assessed with data from the dietary questionnaire. Hypertension cases were self-reported and verified through a drug-reimbursement database. Cox proportional hazard models were used to calculate hazard ratios. Spline regression was used to determine any dose-respondent relationship. Results During 884,267 person-years, 13,183 cases of incident hypertension were identified. The median DII in the population was slightly pro-inflammatory (DII = + 0.44). A highly pro-inflammatory diet (DII > 3.0) was associated with a slight increase in hypertension risk (HR Q1-Q5 = 1.07 [1.02: 1.13]). Evidence was observed for effect modification from BMI, with associations strongest amongst women in the 18.5 - 21.0 BMI range (HR Q1-Q5 = 1.17 [1.06: 1.29]). A weak dose-respondent relationship was observed. Conclusion Evidence for a weak association between DII and hypertension was observed. Associations were stronger amongst leaner women.

Improving accuracy of self-reported diagnoses of rheumatoid arthritis in the French prospective E3N-EPIC cohort: a validation study

ObjectivesThe French E3N-EPIC (Etude Epidémiologique auprès des femmes de la Mutuelle générale de l’Education Nationale-European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition) cohort enrolled 98 995 women aged 40 to 65 years at inclusion since 1990 to study the main risk factors for cancer and severe chronic conditions in women. They were prospectively followed with biennially self-administered questionnaires collecting self-reported medical, environmental and lifestyle data. Our objective was to assess the accuracy of self-reported diagnoses of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and to devise algorithms to improve the ascertainment of RA cases in our cohort.DesignA validation study.ParticipantsWomen who self-reported an inflammatory rheumatic disease (IRD) were asked to provide access to their medical record, and to answer an IRD questionnaire. Medical records were independently reviewed.Primary and secondary outcome measuresPositive predictive values (PPV) of self-reported RA alone, then coupled with the IRD questionnaire, and with a medication reimbursement database were assessed. These algorithms were then applied to the whole cohort to ascertain RA cases.ResultsOf the 98 995 participants, 2692 self-reported RA. Medical records were available for a sample of 399 participants, including 305 who self-reported RA. Self-reported RA was accurate only for 42% participants. Combining self-reported diagnoses to answers to a specific IRD questionnaire or to the medication reimbursement database improved the PPV (75.6% and 90.1%, respectively). Using the devised algorithms, we could identify 964 RA cases in our cohort.ConclusionAccuracy of self-reported RA is poor but adding answers to a specific questionnaire or data from a medication reimbursement database performed satisfactorily to identify RA cases in our cohort. It will subsequently allow investigating many potential risk factors of RA in women.

P5006Metformin reduces the risk of hospitalization for heart failure in type 2 diabetes patients: a retrospective cohort analysis

Background A beneficial effect of metformin on heart failure requires confirmation. Purpose To investigate whether metformin might affect the risk of heart failure hospitalization in type 2 diabetes patients. Methods Patients with new-onset type 2 diabetes during 1999–2005 were enrolled from the reimbursement database of Taiwan's National Health Insurance and followed until December 31, 2011. Analyses were conducted in a propensity score (PS) matched-pair cohort (42,367 ever users and 42,367 never users) and hazard ratios were estimated by Cox's hazard regression analysis incorporated with the inverse probability of treatment weighting using the PS. Results A total of 1,592 never users and 987 ever users were hospitalized for heart failure for the first time during follow-up, with a respective incidence of 843.34 and 499.18 per 100,000 person-years. The overall hazard ratio was 0.588 (95% confidence interval: 0.543–0.637), and the hazard ratios for the first (<29.13 months), second (29.13–61.63 months), and third (>61.63 months) tertiles of cumulative duration were 1.018 (0.914–1.135), 0.575 (0.511–0.647), and 0.340 (0.297–0.390), respectively. Sensitivity analyses conducted in an unmatched cohort before and after excluding patients who received an irregular refill of metformin or who were treated with incretin-based therapies during follow-up consistently supported such a protective effect of metformin on heart failure. Conclusion Metformin use is associated with a lower risk of hospitalization for heart failure. Acknowledgement/Funding The study was partly supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST 107-2221-E-002-129-MY3) of Taiwan.

Antibacterial prescription in Italian preschool children: analysis of 7 years of data from the Emilia-Romagna region reimbursement database

Objectives To describe antibacterial prescribing patterns in outpatients aged 0–5 years from 2007 to 2013 in the Emilia-Romagna region, assessing sex- and age-specific consumption over time. Methods All children aged 0–5 years resident in the Emilia-Romagna region who received at least one prescription of a systemic antibacterial in the period 2007–13 were enrolled. The prescriptions of systemic antibacterials to children were collected from the regional prescription database. Data were stratified by year, sex and age, and analysed in terms of periodic prevalence and of annual prescription rate per 1000 person-years. Results The prevalence of children receiving at least one prescription per year varied from 68.0% in 2007 to 59.0% in 2013, while the average prevalence of children receiving five or more prescriptions per year was 6.96%. The annual prescription rate varied from 1621.26 in 2007 to 1372.27 in 2013. Penicillins + β-lactamase inhibitors accounted for 35.3% of total prescriptions, followed by extended-spectrum penicillins (28.6%), macrolides (17.0%) and third-generation cephalosporins (13.9%). Conclusions Despite recommendations, a significant overprescription of antibacterials to children still exists, showing no satisfactory improvements over the years. In contrast to Northern European countries, adherence to evidence-based guidelines was poor, with frequent prescribing of broad-spectrum agents for the treatment of mostly viral childhood infectious disease.