Purpose
Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and corticosteroids are commonly prescribed drugs; however, each has been associated with fracture and community acquired pneumonia. How physicians select patients for co-therapy may have implications for potential additive or synergistic toxicities.
Methods
We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 13,749 incident corticosteroid users with no prior PPI exposure using the HealthCore Integrated Research DatabaseSM. We used logistic regression to evaluate the association between PPI initiation in the first 30 days of steroid therapy and corticosteroid dose, clinical risk factors including co-morbid diseases, and medication use including prescription nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
Results
1,050 (7.6%) patients filled a new PPI prescription within 30 days of starting corticosteroids. PPI use was associated with the number of baseline co-morbid conditions (OR 1.21 for each additional condition, CI 1.13–1.28), recent hospitalization (OR 4.71, CI 4.02–5.52), prednisone dose above 40mg/day (OR 1.87, CI1.45–2.41), history of gastroesophageal reflux or gastric ulcer disease (OR 1.54, CI 1.24– 1.91), renal insufficiency (OR 2.06, CI 1.73–2.46), and liver disease (OR 1.82, CI 1.45–2.28). Concomitant use of prescription NSAIDs was also associated with PPI use (OR 1.89, CI 1.32–2.70); however, the total use of PPIs in this group was low (6.3%, CI 4.4–8.2%).
Conclusions
Overall, PPI therapy among corticosteroid users was uncommon, even among those with risk factors for gastrointestinal toxicity. PPI use was significantly more common among patients who had recently been hospitalized, had a greater burden of co-morbid illness, or were receiving high daily doses of corticosteroids.