Gastrointestinal risk of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and gastroprotective agents used in the treatment of osteoarthritis in elderly patients: A nationwide retrospective cohort study
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OBJECTIVE: Osteoarthritis is highly prevalent in older adults and often treated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). COX-2-selective NSAIDs have been shown to offer better gastrointestinal (GI) safety benefits than non-selective NSAIDs (ns-NSAIDs). However, most COX-2-selective NSAIDs have not been comprehensively evaluated for use in combination with gastroprotective agents (GPAs). This study compared the risk of adverse GI events in patients treated with COX-2-selective NSAIDs and ns-NSAIDs alone, or in combination with GPAs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We utilized National Health Insurance Claim Data collected from 2012 to 2015. Newly diagnosed patients with osteoarthritis (60 years or older) were included in this study. The study population was divided into two groups: 1) COX-2-selective NSAID treatment and 2) ns-NSAIDs treatment. Patients were followed-up for up to 6 months to determine whether GI events occurred. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to identify differences in risk. Subgroup analyses were conducted for monotherapies and combination treatments with GPAs. RESULTS: The number of subjects prescribed COX-2-selective NSAID and ns-NSAIDs were 20,868 (5.6%) and 353,494 (94.4%), respectively. After adjustment for confounding factors, COX-2-selective NSAID were safer than ns-NSAIDs (adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) = 0.80, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.77 - 0.82). Use of GPAs with COX-2-selective NSAID was associated with a lower risk of GI events than use of ns-NSAIDs (aHR = 0.92, 95% CI: 0.87 - 0.97). CONCLUSION: Use of COX-2-selective NSAID was associated with a lower risk of GI adverse events than use of ns-NSAIDs as a monotherapy. Furthermore, COX-2-selective NSAID were safer than ns-NSAIDs in combination with GPAs.
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Economic Burden of Hypoglycemia in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus from Korea.

BACKGROUND: Hypoglycemia is a very serious complication in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and affects the economic burden of treatment. This study aims to create models of the cost of treating hypoglycemia in patients with T2DM based upon physician estimates of medical resource usage. METHODS: Using a literature review and personal advice from endocrinologists and emergency physicians, we developed several models for managing patients with hypoglycemia. The final model was approved by the consulting experts. We also developed 3 unique surveys to allow endocrinologists, emergency room (ER) physicians, and primary care physicians to evaluate the resource usage of patients with hypoglycemia. Medical costs were calculated by multiplying the estimated medical resource usage by the corresponding health insurance medical care costs reported in 2014. RESULTS: In total, 40 endocrinologists, 20 ER physicians, and 30 primary care physicians completed the survey. We identified 12 types of standard medical models for secondary or tertiary hospitals and 4 for primary care clinics based on the use of ER, general ward, or intensive care unit (ICU) and patients' status of consciousness and self-respiration. Estimated medical costs per person per hypoglycemic event ranged from $17.28 to $1,857.09 for secondary and tertiary hospitals. These costs were higher for patients who were unconscious and for those requiring ICU admission. CONCLUSION: Hypoglycemia has a substantial impact on the medical costs and its prevention will result in economic benefits for T2DM patients and society.