(59) Drug Utilization and Characteristics of COVID-19 Positive Pre- and Postmenopausal Women Diagnosed with Breast Cancer: A Cross-Sectional SCIFI-PEARL Study

Friday, August 26, 2022

8:00 AM – 6:00 PM CEST

Location: Hall C

Publication Number: 390

Presenting Author(s)

Mohammadhossein Hajiebrahimi
– Uppsala University, Uppsala, Uppsala l�n, Sweden

Co-Author(s)

Hussam Shihan
– Uppsala University, Farmaci department, Uppsala Lan, Sweden
Björn Wettermark, MscPharm, PhD
– Professor, Uppsala university, Uppsala, Sweden
Fredrik Nyberg, MD, PhD, FISPE
– Prof. of Register Epidemiology, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, M�lndal, V�stra G�talands l�n, Sweden

Background:
The COVID-19 pandemic has influenced people's lives in different dimensions, especially patients with high mortality risk. Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women, with significant mortality, and its impact as a potential risk factor for COVID-19 should be assessed as well.

Objectives:
To study characteristics of COVID-19 positive test patients among pre- and postmenopausal breast cancer women, focusing on drug utilization.

Methods:
A Swedish register-based study using the SCIFI-PEARL database, including all Covid-19-positive patients in the country with data from multiple linked registers on healthcare consumption, diagnoses, drugs, and socioeconomy. Patient characteristics and medication data between March 2020 and Nov 2021 were analyzed among women who had been diagnosed with breast cancer between 2015 and 2019 and who were COVID-positive or not by Nov 2021. Logistic regression analysis was used.

Results:
Out of 9,868 premenopausal and 41,197 postmenopausal breast cancer patients 15.95% and 6.13%, respectively, had tested positive for COVID-19 by Nov 2021. Women born in low-income countries had a higher risk of COVID-19 positive test compared to women born in Sweden, in both pre- (OR: 1.80, 95%CI 1.35-2.41) and postmenopausal women (OR: 3.10, 95%CI 2.24-4.29). Married women showed a higher risk of positive COVID-19 test in the postmenopausal breast cancer group (OR: 1.09, 95%CI 1.00-1.18), while the risk was lower for employed women in both menopausal subgroups: premenopausal (OR: 0.59, 95%CI 0.48-0.73), and postmenopausal women: (OR: 0.70, 95%CI 0.63-0.77). Analgesics were the most frequently dispensed drugs to both COVID-19 test-positive and not test-positive women regardless of their menopausal status (premenopausal: COVID+: 63.81%, COVID-:61.41%, Postmenopausal: COVID+:70.03%, COVID-:61.19%). Antibiotics were second most commonly dispensed to both pre- and postmenopausal women for both test groups(premenopausal: COVID+:63.75%, COVID-:61.32%, Postmenopausal: COVID+: 66.24%, COVID-:57.90%).

Conclusion:
The socio-economic disparity in place of birth, marital status, and occupational status was found for COVID-19 among the patients with pre- and postmenopausal breast cancer. Drug utilization patterns were similar irrespective of COVID-19 status among women who were diagnosed with pre- or postmenopausal breast cancer.