Gastroprotective agent underuse in high-risk older daily nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug users over time

Objectives: To examine whether older adults taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) decreased the underuse of gastroprotective agents over time.

Design: Before-and-after study.

Setting: Health, Aging and Body Composition Study.

Participants: Daily users of a NSAID (prescription and over the counter (OTC)) at visits in 2002-03 (preperiod; n = 404) and 2006-07 (postperiod; n = 172). The sample had a mean ± standard deviation age of 78.2 ± 2.7 at the preperiod visit and 81.9 ± 2.7 at the postperiod visit. The majority were white and female and had 12 or more years of education.

Measurements: Underusers were defined as persons taking nonselective NSAIDs who were at risk of peptic ulcer disease (PUD; because of current warfarin or glucocorticoid use or history of PUD) and not using a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) or persons taking cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) selective NSAIDs and aspirin who were at risk of PUD (having at least one risk factor) and not using a PPI.

Results: Daily NSAID use decreased from 17.6% to 11.3% (P < .001), and gastroprotective agent underuse decreased from 23.5% to 15.1% (P = .008). Controlling for important covariates, having prescription insurance was somewhat protective against underuse in the preperiod (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 0.78, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.46-1.34; P = .37), but more so and significantly in the postperiod (AOR = 0.41, 95% CI = 0.18-0.93; P = .03). Having prescription insurance was more protective in the post- than in the preperiod (less gastroprotective agent underuse; adjusted ratio of OR = 0.53, 95% CI = 0.22-1.29; P = .16), but this increased protection was not statistically significant.

Conclusion: In older daily NSAID users at high risk of PUD, having prescription insurance and adequate gastroprotective use was more common in the post- than in the preperiod.