Dominick Kelli L, Ahern Frank M, Gold Carol H, Heller Debra A
Health Services Research and Development, Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27705-3897, USA.
Ann Pharmacother. 2003 Nov;37(11):1566-71. doi: 10.1345/aph.1C418.
Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are the most commonly prescribed medications for the treatment of osteoarthritis (OA). Little is known about whether there are important gender differences in NSAID use among patients with OA.
To examine gender differences in patterns of NSAID use among older adults (>or=65 y) with OA.
Subjects (n = 11298) were members of a statewide prescription drug plan who responded to a health-related quality-of-life (HRQOL) survey in 1997 and had a physician diagnosis of OA. Gender differences in patterns of NSAID use were examined over a 2-year period.
Approximately one-third of the participants filled at least 1 NSAID prescription during the study. Women were significantly more likely to be prescribed an NSAID than men (37% vs. 30%), had a greater total days' supply of NSAIDs, and were more frequently prescribed NSAIDs with greater degrees of cyclooxygenase-2 selectivity. These gender differences persisted in statistical analyses controlling for demographic factors, HRQOL, and gastrointestinal (GI) risk factors.
Results of this study showed significant gender differences in patterns of NSAID use, and these differences were independent of the risk for GI adverse effects and self-reported symptoms. Further research is needed to examine reasons for these gender variations, as well as their impact on the quality of symptom management.
非甾体抗炎药（NSAIDs）是治疗骨关节炎（OA）最常用的处方药。对于OA患者在使用NSAIDs方面是否存在重要的性别差异，人们知之甚少。
研究年龄≥65岁的OA老年患者在使用NSAIDs模式上的性别差异。
研究对象（n = 11298）是参加全州处方药计划的成员，他们在1997年对一项与健康相关的生活质量（HRQOL）调查做出了回应，并且经医生诊断患有OA。在两年期间内研究了NSAIDs使用模式的性别差异。
在研究期间，约三分之一的参与者至少开具了1张NSAIDs处方。女性被开具NSAIDs处方的可能性显著高于男性（37%对30%），NSAIDs的总供应天数更多，并且更频繁地被开具具有更高环氧化酶-2选择性的NSAIDs。在对人口统计学因素、HRQOL和胃肠道（GI）危险因素进行控制的统计分析中，这些性别差异依然存在。
本研究结果显示在NSAIDs使用模式上存在显著的性别差异，并且这些差异与胃肠道不良反应风险和自我报告的症状无关。需要进一步研究以探讨这些性别差异的原因及其对症状管理质量的影响。
