TY - JOUR
T1 - Total burden of disease in cancer patients at diagnosis-a Danish nationwide study of multimorbidity and redeemed medication
AU - Loeppenthin, Katrine
AU - Dalton, Susanne Oksbjerg
AU - Johansen, Christoffer
AU - Andersen, Elisabeth
AU - Christensen, Mikkel Bring
AU - Pappot, Helle
AU - Petersen, Lone Nørgaard
AU - Thisted, Lise Bjerrum
AU - Frølich, Anne
AU - Mortensen, Christiane Ehlers
AU - Lassen, Ulrik
AU - Ørsted, Jytte
AU - Bidstrup, Pernille Envold
PY - 2020/9/15
Y1 - 2020/9/15
N2 - BACKGROUND: Multimorbidity is a growing challenge worldwide. In this nationwide study, we investigated the prevalence of multimorbidity and polypharmacy at the time of diagnosis across 20 cancers.METHODS: We conducted a nationwide register-based cohort study of all Danish residents with a first primary cancer diagnosed between 1 January 2005 and 31 December 2015. Multimorbidity was defined as one or more of 20 conditions (131 specific diagnoses) registered in the Danish National Patient Registry < 5 years before the cancer diagnosis. Polypharmacy was defined as five or more medications registered in the Danish National Prescription Registry and redeemed twice 2-12 months before the cancer diagnosis.RESULTS: We included 261,745 patients with a first primary cancer, of whom 55% had at least one comorbid condition at diagnosis and 27% had two or more. The most prevalent conditions at the time of cancer diagnosis were cardiovascular disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, stroke and depression/anxiety disorder. Polypharmacy was present in one-third of the cancer patients with antihypertensives, anti-thrombotic agents, anti-hyperlipidaemic agents, analgesics and diuretics as the most prevalent redeemed medications.CONCLUSION: Among patients with a newly established cancer diagnosis, 55% had at least one comorbid condition and 32% were exposed to polypharmacy.
AB - BACKGROUND: Multimorbidity is a growing challenge worldwide. In this nationwide study, we investigated the prevalence of multimorbidity and polypharmacy at the time of diagnosis across 20 cancers.METHODS: We conducted a nationwide register-based cohort study of all Danish residents with a first primary cancer diagnosed between 1 January 2005 and 31 December 2015. Multimorbidity was defined as one or more of 20 conditions (131 specific diagnoses) registered in the Danish National Patient Registry < 5 years before the cancer diagnosis. Polypharmacy was defined as five or more medications registered in the Danish National Prescription Registry and redeemed twice 2-12 months before the cancer diagnosis.RESULTS: We included 261,745 patients with a first primary cancer, of whom 55% had at least one comorbid condition at diagnosis and 27% had two or more. The most prevalent conditions at the time of cancer diagnosis were cardiovascular disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, stroke and depression/anxiety disorder. Polypharmacy was present in one-third of the cancer patients with antihypertensives, anti-thrombotic agents, anti-hyperlipidaemic agents, analgesics and diuretics as the most prevalent redeemed medications.CONCLUSION: Among patients with a newly established cancer diagnosis, 55% had at least one comorbid condition and 32% were exposed to polypharmacy.
U2 - 10.1038/s41416-020-0950-3
DO - 10.1038/s41416-020-0950-3
M3 - Article
C2 - 32632149
SN - 0007-0920
VL - 123
SP - 1033
EP - 1040
JO - British Journal of Cancer
JF - British Journal of Cancer
IS - 6
ER -