Influence of initial glucocorticoid co-medication on mortality and hospitalization in early inflammatory arthritis: an investigation by record linkage of clinical and administrative databases

ABSTRACT:

Background

While low-dose oral glucocorticoids (GCs) are recommended in the management of early arthritis, their impact on mortality is unclear. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of GCs on mortality in patients with early arthritis, by linking clinical and administrative databases.

Methods

The study included patients with new-onset rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or undifferentiated arthritis (2005–2010), who received DMARDs (MTX in RA or UA with poor prognosis, hydroxychloroquine in UA) and were alive at the second year of follow-up. Low-dose GCs could be prescribed. Clinical and administrative data were linked from Administrative Health Databases (AHD) of the corresponding province, which provided us with information on drug delivery, comorbidities, hospitalizat

SUBMITTER: Sakellariou G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9204953 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature