Atopic eczema and cancer: parallel cohort studies in England and Denmark

IMPORTANCE: Associations between atopic eczema and cancer are unclear, with competing theories: that increased immune surveillance reduces cancer risk; and that immune stimulation increases risk. Establishing baseline cancer risk in people with atopic eczema is important prior to exploring the impact of new biologic drugs (for eczema) on cancer risk. OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether atopic eczema is associated with cancer. DESIGN: Matched cohort studies (England: 1998-2016; Denmark: 1982-2016). SETTING: English primary care, and nationwide Danish data. PARTICIPANTS: Individuals with atopic eczema (England: adults only; Denmark: any age) matched on age, sex, calendar period, and (in England only) primary care practice, to people without eczema. EXPOSURE: Atopic eczema MAIN OUTCOMES: We compared overall risk of cancer, and of 11 specific cancers, in people with and without eczema. RESULTS: We included 471,970 and 2,239,775 individuals with and without atopic eczema respectively in England; and 44,945 and 445,673 respectively in Denmark. We found little evidence of associations between atopic eczema and cancer overall (adjusted hazard ratios [HRs] [99%CI]: England 1.04 [1.02-1.06]; Denmark 1.05 [0.95-1.16]), or for most specific cancers. However, non-cutaneous lymphoma risk was raised in people with atopic eczema in England (adjusted HR [99%CI] 1.20 [1.07-1.34] for non-Hodgkin’s [NHL] and 1.48 [1.07-2.04] for Hodgkin’s). Lymphoma risk increased with greater eczema severity (NHL adjusted HR [99%CI] compared to without eczema: mild 1.06 [0.90-1.25], moderate 1.24 [1.04-1.48], severe 2.08 [1.42-3.04]). Danish point estimates also showed increased lymphoma in moderate-to-severe eczema compared to without (adjusted HR [99%CI]: NHL 1.31 [0.76-2.26]; Hodgkin’s 1.35 [0.65-2.28]), but confidence intervals were wide. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Our findings, from two large population-based studies in different settings, are largely reassuring as they do not support associations between eczema and most cancers. However, we observed an association between eczema and lymphoma that increased with eczema severity, which warrants further study with the introduction of new therapeutics that may impact cancer risk

Association Between Atopic Dermatitis and Educational Attainment in Denmark.

IMPORTANCE: Atopic dermatitis (AD) may affect academic performance through multiple pathways, including poor concentration associated with itching, sleep deprivation, or adverse effects of medications. Because educational attainment is associated with health and well-being, any association with a prevalent condition such as AD is of major importance. OBJECTIVE: To examine whether a childhood diagnosis of AD is associated with lower educational attainment. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This population-based cohort study used linked routine health care data from January 1, 1977, to June 30, 2017 (end of registry follow-up), in Denmark. The study population included all children born in Denmark on June 30, 1987, or earlier with an inpatient or outpatient hospital clinic diagnosis of AD recorded before their 13th birthday (baseline) and a comparison cohort of children from the general population matched by birth year and sex. A secondary analysis included exposure-discordant full siblings as a comparison cohort to account for familial factors. Data were analyzed from September 11, 2019, to January 21, 2021. EXPOSURES: Hospital-diagnosed AD. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Estimated probability or risk of not attaining specific educational levels (lower secondary, upper secondary, and higher) by 30 years of age among children with AD compared with children in the matched general population cohort. Corresponding risk ratios (RRs) were computed using Poisson regression that was conditioned on matched sets and adjusted for age. The sibling analysis was conditioned on family and adjusted for sex and age. RESULTS: The study included a total of 61 153 children, 5927 in the AD cohort (3341 male [56.4%]) and 55 226 from the general population (31 182 male [56.5%]). Compared with matched children from the general population, children with AD were at increased risk of not attaining lower secondary education (150 of 5927 [2.5%] vs 924 of 55 226 [1.7%]; adjusted RR, 1.50; 95% CI, 1.26-1.78) and upper secondary education (1141 of 5777 [19.8%] vs 8690 of 52 899 [16.4%]; RR, 1.16; 95% CI, 1.09-1.24), but not higher education (2406 of 4636 [51.9%] vs 18 785 of 35 408 [53.1%]; RR, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.91-1.00). The absolute differences in probability were less than 3.5%. The comparison of 3259 children with AD and 4046 of their full siblings yielded estimates that were less pronounced than those in the main analysis (adjusted RR for lower secondary education, 1.29 [95% CI, 0.92-1.82]; adjusted RR for upper secondary education, 1.05 [95% CI, 0.93-1.18]; adjusted RR for higher education, 0.94 [95% CI, 0.87-1.02]). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: This population-based cohort study found that hospital-diagnosed AD was associated with reduced educational attainment, but the clinical importance was uncertain owing to small absolute differences and possible confounding by familial factors in this study. Future studies should examine for replicability in other populations and variation by AD phenotype

Association Between Atopic Eczema and Cancer in England and Denmark.

Importance: Associations between atopic eczema and cancer are unclear, with competing theories that increased immune surveillance decreases cancer risk and that immune stimulation increases cancer risk. Establishing baseline cancer risk in people with atopic eczema is important before exploring the association between new biologic drugs for atopic eczema and cancer risk. Objective: To investigate whether atopic eczema is associated with cancer. Design, Setting, and Participants: Matched cohort studies were conducted from January 2, 1998, to March 31, 2016, in England and from January 1, 1982, to June 30, 2016, in Denmark. We conducted our analyses between July 2018 and July 2019. The setting was English primary care and nationwide Danish data. Participants with atopic eczema (adults only in England and any age in Denmark) were matched on age, sex, and calendar period (as well as primary care practice in England only) to those without atopic eczema. Exposure: Atopic eczema. Main Outcomes and Measures: Overall cancer risk and risk of specific cancers were compared in people with and without atopic eczema. Results: In England, matched cohorts included 471 970 individuals with atopic eczema (median [IQR] age, 41.1 [24.9-60.7] years; 276 510 [58.6%] female) and 2 239 775 individuals without atopic eczema (median [IQR] age, 39.8 [25.9-58.4] years; 1 301 074 [58.1%] female). In Denmark, matched cohorts included 44 945 individuals with atopic eczema (median [IQR] age, 13.7 [1.7-21.1] years; 22 826 [50.8%] female) and 445 673 individuals without atopic eczema (median [IQR] age, 13.5 [1.7-20.8] years; 226 323 [50.8%] female). Little evidence was found of associations between atopic eczema and overall cancer (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 1.04; 99% CI, 1.02-1.06 in England and 1.05; 99% CI, 0.95-1.16 in Denmark) or for most specific cancers. However, noncutaneous lymphoma risk was increased in people with atopic eczema in England (adjusted HR, 1.19; 99% CI, 1.07-1.34 for non-Hodgkin lymphoma [NHL] and 1.48; 99% CI, 1.07-2.04 for Hodgkin lymphoma). Lymphoma risk was increased in people with greater eczema severity vs those without atopic eczema (NHL adjusted HR, 1.06; 99% CI, 0.90-1.25 for mild eczema; 1.24; 99% CI, 1.04-1.48 for moderate eczema; and 2.08; 99% CI, 1.42-3.04 for severe eczema). Danish point estimates also showed increased lymphoma risk in people with moderate to severe eczema compared with those without atopic eczema (minimally adjusted HR, 1.31; 99% CI, 0.76-2.26 for NHL and 1.35; 99% CI, 0.65-2.82 for Hodgkin lymphoma), but the 99% CIs were wide. Conclusions and Relevance: The findings from 2 large population-based studies performed in different settings do not support associations between atopic eczema and most cancers. However, an association was observed between atopic eczema and lymphoma, particularly NHL, that increased with eczema severity. This finding warrants further study as new immunomodulatory systemic therapeutics are brought to market that may alter cancer risk

Metformin use and long-term risk of benign prostatic hyperplasia: a population-based cohort study

Objective To assess whether metformin use affects risk of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) by comparing the risk of BPH in men with type 2 diabetes who initiated first-line treatment with either metformin or sulfonylurea monotherapy between 2000 or 2006 in Northern Denmark. In this period, sulfonylurea and metformin were both frequently used as first-line glucose-lowering drug (GLD) treatment.Design A population-based cohort study.Setting Northern Denmark.Participants All men who filled at least two prescriptions for metformin or for sulfonylurea, respectively, during their first 6 months of GLD treatment. Follow-up started 6 months after treatment start.Primary outcome measures Rates of subsequent BPH, identified based on community prescriptions for BPH-related treatment or hospital BPH diagnoses, and rates of transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP). Rates in metformin and sulfonylurea users were compared overall and stratified by 6-month haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) using Cox regression and an intention-to-treat (ITT) approach and an as-treated analysis.Results During follow-up, less than five persons were lost to follow-up due to emigration. In 3953 metformin initiators with a median follow-up of 10 years, the 10-year cumulative BPH incidence was 25.7% (95% CI 24.2 to 27.1). Compared with 5958 sulfonylurea users (median follow-up 8 years, 10-year cumulative incidence 27.4% (95% CI 26.2 to 28.6)), the crude HR for BPH was 0.83 (95% CI 0.77 to 0.89) and adjusted HR in the ITT analyses was 0.97 (95% CI 0.88 to 1.06). For TURP, the adjusted HR was 0.96 (95% CI 0.63 to 1.46). In the as-treated analysis, adjusted HR for BPH was 0.91 (95% CI 0.81 to 1.02).Conclusions Compared with sulfonylurea, metformin did not substantially reduce the incidence of BPH in men with diabetes

Risk of Arterial Thromboembolism, Venous Thromboembolism, and Bleeding in Patients with Nephrotic Syndrome: A Population-Based Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Although venous thromboembolism is a well-known complication of nephrotic syndrome, the long-term absolute and relative risks of arterial thromboembolism, venous thromboembolism, and bleeding in adults with nephrotic syndrome remain unclarified. METHODS: In this matched cohort study, we identified every adult with first-time recorded nephrotic syndrome from admissions, outpatient clinics, or emergency department visits in Denmark during 1995-2018. Each patient was matched by age and sex with 10 individuals from the general population. We estimated the 10-year cumulative risks of recorded arterial thromboembolism, venous thromboembolism, and bleeding accounting for the competing risk of death. Using Cox models, we computed crude and adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) of the outcomes in patients with nephrotic syndrome versus comparators. RESULTS: Among 3967 adults with first-time nephrotic syndrome, the 1-year risk of arterial thromboembolism was 4.2% (95% confidence interval [CI] 3.6-4.8), of venous thromboembolism was 2.8% (95% CI 2.3-3.3), and of bleeding was 5.2% (95% CI 4.5-5.9). The 10-year risk of arterial thromboembolism was 14.0% (95% CI 12.8-15.2), of venous thromboembolism 7.7% (95% CI 6.8-8.6), and of bleeding 17.0% (95% CI 15.7-18.3), with highest risks of ischemic stroke (8.1%), myocardial infarction (6.0%), and gastrointestinal bleeding (8.2%). During the first year, patients with nephrotic syndrome had increased rates of both arterial thromboembolism (adjusted HR [HRadj] = 3.11 [95% CI 2.60-3.73]), venous thromboembolism (HRadj = 7.11 [5.49-9.19]), and bleeding (HRadj = 4.02 [3.40-4.75]) compared with the general population comparators after adjusting for confounders. CONCLUSION: Adults with nephrotic syndrome have a high risk of arterial thromboembolism, venous thromboembolism, and bleeding compared with the general population. The mechanisms and consequences of this needs to be clarified

Clinical Codelist - Harmful Alcohol Drinking - Read Codes

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Clinical Codelist - OPCS Codes - Procedures Associated with Immunosuppression

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Clinical Codelist - Diabetes Mellitus Diagnostic - Read Codes

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Clinical Codelist - Asthma Diagnostic - ICD-10 Codes

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