Background
Methods
Data sources
Country | Breast cancer | Medication data | Mortality data | Additionala confounders | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
source | Diagnosis years | source | source | End f-up | Mean f-up (years) | Max f-up (years) | BC specific | Grade | Surg | Radio | Chemo | Tam | AI | Asp/statin | HRT | Comorbidity | |
Belgium | Belgian Cancer Registry | 2007–2009 | Intermutualistic Agency (health insurance records) | Kruispuntbank van de Sociale Zekerheid (social security records) | 2014 | 6 | 8 | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Denmark | Danish Cancer Registryb
| 2000–2012 | Danish National Prescription Registry | Danish Civil Registration System | 2012 | 6 | 13 | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yesc
|
England (UK) | National Cancer Data Repository | 1998–2007 | CPRD (GP records) | Office of National Statistics | 2011 | 6 | 12 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yesd
|
The Netherlands | Eindhoven Cancer Registry | 1999–2011 | PHARMO (pharmacy records) | Central Bureau of Genealogy | 2012 | 6 | 13 | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yesg
|
Northern Ireland (UK) | Northern Ireland Cancer Registry | 2009–2010 | NIEPD (electronic dispensing database) | General Register Office for Northern Ireland | 2013 | 4 | 5 | Yes | No | Yes | N | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Republic of Ireland | National Cancer Registry Ireland | 2001–2010 | GMSe (electronic prescribing database) | Central Statistics Office (Death Certificates) | 2012 | 5 | 11 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yesf
|
Scotland (UK) | Scottish Cancer Registry | 2009–2012 | Prescribing Information System (electronic dispensing database) | National Records of Scotland Death Records | 2015 | 4 | 6 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yesc
|
Sweden | Regional cancer registries in Norra, Uppsala/Örebro Stockholm/Gotland | 2007–2012 | The Prescribed Drug Register | Cause of death registry | 2012 | 4 | 6 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yesc
|
Inclusion criteria
Exposure
Outcome
Covariates
Statistical analysis
Results
Patient cohorts
Patient characteristics
Propranolol in year after diagnosisa
| Non-selective beta-blocker in year after diagnosisa
| |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Characteristic | Users | Non-usersb
| Users | Non-usersc
| ||||
n
| % |
n
| % |
n
| % |
n
| % | |
Country | ||||||||
Belgium | 984 | 35.7 | 25,021 | 19.2 | 2131 | 42.1 | 23,874 | 18.6 |
Denmark | 615 | 22.3 | 44,049 | 33.8 | 1198 | 23.6 | 43,466 | 33.9 |
England | 212 | 7.7 | 9602 | 7.4 | 299 | 5.9 | 9515 | 7.4 |
The Netherlands | 78 | 2.8 | 7252 | 5.6 | 203 | 4.0 | 7130 | 5.6 |
Northern Ireland | 70 | 2.5 | 2106 | 1.6 | 82 | 1.6 | 2094 | 1.6 |
Republic of Ireland | 142 | 5.2 | 9720 | 7.4 | 250 | 4.9 | 9612 | 7.5 |
Scotland | 400 | 14.5 | 14,740 | 11.3 | 468 | 9.2 | 14,672 | 11.4 |
Sweden | 255 | 9.3 | 18,005 | 13.8 | 436 | 8.6 | 17,824 | 13.9 |
Year of cancer diagnosis | ||||||||
1995–1999 | 61 | 2.2 | 2495 | 1.9 | 84 | 1.7 | 2472 | 1.9 |
2000–2004 | 480 | 17.4 | 27,621 | 21.2 | 832 | 16.4 | 27,269 | 21.3 |
2005–2009 | 1 572 | 57.0 | 66,186 | 50.7 | 3219 | 63.5 | 64,542 | 50.3 |
2010–2014 | 643 | 23.3 | 34,193 | 26.2 | 932 | 18.4 | 33,904 | 26.4 |
Age at cancer diagnosis | ||||||||
<40 | 97 | 3.5 | 5591 | 4.3 | 110 | 2.2 | 5578 | 4.4 |
40–49 | 444 | 16.1 | 19,688 | 15.1 | 540 | 10.7 | 19,592 | 15.3 |
50–59 | 730 | 26.5 | 31,297 | 24.0 | 1031 | 20.3 | 30,996 | 24.2 |
60–69 | 768 | 27.9 | 35,528 | 27.2 | 1419 | 28.0 | 34,877 | 27.2 |
70–79 | 491 | 17.8 | 23,488 | 18.0 | 1235 | 24.4 | 22,744 | 17.7 |
80–89 | 200 | 7.3 | 12,974 | 9.9 | 647 | 12.8 | 12,527 | 9.8 |
≥90 | 26 | 0.9 | 1929 | 1.5 | 82 | 1.6 | 1873 | 1.5 |
Stage | ||||||||
1 | 965 | 35.0 | 49,458 | 37.9 | 1735 | 34.2 | 48,669 | 38.0 |
2 | 927 | 33.6 | 41,797 | 32.0 | 1718 | 33.9 | 41,006 | 32.0 |
3 | 284 | 10.3 | 9073 | 7.0 | 510 | 10.1 | 8847 | 6.9 |
4 | 138 | 5.0 | 5086 | 3.9 | 258 | 5.1 | 4966 | 3.9 |
Missing | 442 | 16.0 | 25,081 | 19.2 | 843 | 16.6 | 24,699 | 19.3 |
Grade | ||||||||
Well differentiated | 365 | 17.2 | 16,827 | 19.7 | 662 | 17.2 | 16,530 | 19.7 |
Moderately differentiated | 885 | 41.6 | 34,600 | 40.5 | 1543 | 40.2 | 33,942 | 40.5 |
Poorly differentiated | 639 | 30.0 | 22,964 | 26.9 | 1109 | 28.9 | 22,494 | 26.8 |
Missing | 239 | 11.2 | 11,115 | 13.0 | 529 | 13.8 | 10,825 | 12.9 |
Cancer treatment within 6 months of cancer diagnosis | ||||||||
Surgery | 2 425 | 88.0 | 114,271 | 87.6 | 4387 | 86.6 | 112,309 | 87.7 |
Chemotherapy | 1 034 | 37.6 | 46,018 | 35.3 | 1608 | 31.8 | 45,444 | 35.5 |
Radiotherapyd
| 1 463 | 54.6 | 68,817 | 53.7 | 2649 | 53.2 | 67,631 | 53.7 |
Medication use in year after diagnosis | ||||||||
Aromatase inhibitore
| 724 | 33.8 | 29,176 | 33.8 | 1459 | 37.7 | 28,441 | 33.6 |
Tamoxifene
| 1 064 | 49.7 | 39,087 | 45.2 | 1765 | 45.6 | 38,386 | 45.3 |
Statin | 532 | 19.3 | 22,245 | 17.0 | 1353 | 26.7 | 21,424 | 16.7 |
Low-dose aspirin | 368 | 13.4 | 17,545 | 13.4 | 1097 | 21.6 | 16,816 | 13.1 |
Association between propranolol use after diagnosis and breast cancer-specific and all-cause mortality
Medication usage | Cancer-specific/all-cause mortality | All patients | Person-years | Unadjusted | Adjusted for age and year | Fully adjusteda
| ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
HR (95% CI) |
P
| Hetero I
2 (P) | HR (95% CI) |
P
| Hetero I
2 (P) | HR (95% CI) |
P
| Hetero I
2 (P) | ||||
Breast cancer-specific mortality | ||||||||||||
Propranolol non-user | 5291 | 53,482 | 176,723 | 1.00 (ref. cat.) | 1.00 (ref. cat.) | 1.00 (ref. cat.) | ||||||
Propranolol userb
| 128 | 1770 | 4989 | 0.92 (0.77, 1.10) | 0.36 | 0% (0.75) | 0.97 (0.82, 1.16) | 0.77 | 0% (0.84) | 0.94 (0.77, 1.16) | 0.56 | 0% (0.56) |
Propranolol prescriptions | ||||||||||||
<1 year of prescriptionsc
| 88 | 1217 | 3703 | 1.00 (0.79, 1.26) | 0.98 | 22% (0.27) | 1.09 (0.88, 1.35) | 0.42 | 9% (0.35) | 1.01 (0.80, 1.27) | 0.96 | 0% (0.62) |
≥1 year of prescriptionsc
| 40 | 553 | 1286 | 0.82 (0.56, 1.21) | 0.32 | 3% (0.38) | 0.80 (0.54, 1.17) | 0.25 | 2% (0.38) | 0.93 (0.46, 1.90) | 0.84 | 63% (0.04) |
Non-selective bb non-user | 5215 | 52,903 | 175,007 | 1.00 (ref. cat.) | 1.00 (ref. cat.) | 1.00 (ref. cat.) | ||||||
Non-selective bb userb
| 204 | 2349 | 6706 | 1.08 (0.94, 1.24) | 0.31 | 0% (0.51) | 1.07 (0.93, 1.23) | 0.37 | 0% (0.92) | 1.01 (0.85, 1.20) | 0.90 | 0% (0.47) |
Non-selective bb prescriptions | ||||||||||||
<1 year of prescriptionsc
| 145 | 1466 | 4555 | 1.13 (0.93, 1.37) | 0.22 | 22% (0.27) | 1.16 (0.99, 1.37) | 0.07 | 0% (0.55) | 1.10 (0.90, 1.34) | 0.36 | 0% (0.70) |
≥1 year of prescriptionsc
| 59 | 883 | 2149 | 1.02 (0.78, 1.31) | 0.91 | 0% (0.72) | 0.92 (0.71, 1.19) | 0.53 | 0% (0.83) | 0.97 (0.63, 1.48) | 0.88 | 46% (0.14) |
All-cause mortality | ||||||||||||
Propranolol non-user | 24,654 | 128,505 | 554,765 | 1.00 (ref. cat.) | 1.00 (ref. cat.) | 1.00 (ref. cat.) | ||||||
Propranolol userb
| 818 | 4746 | 16,202 | 1.04 (0.86, 1.27) | 0.68 | 82% (<0.01) | 1.13 (0.93, 1.37) | 0.21 | 81% (<0.01) | 1.09 (0.93, 1.28) | 0.27 | 65% (0.006) |
Propranolol prescriptions | ||||||||||||
<1 year of prescriptionsc
| 548 | 3099 | 10,977 | 1.01 (0.78, 1.32) | 0.92 | 85% (<0.01) | 1.20 (0.93, 1.53) | 0.16 | 83% (<0.01) | 1.15 (0.95, 1.39) | 0.16 | 62% (0.01) |
≥1 year of prescriptionsc
| 270 | 1647 | 5225 | 1.18 (0.97, 1.44) | 0.10 | 45% (0.09) | 1.10 (0.96, 1.26) | 0.17 | 10% (0.35) | 1.09 (0.85, 1.40) | 0.48 | 55% (0.04) |
Non-selective bb non-user | 23,740 | 125,320 | 543,344 | 1.00 (ref. cat.) | 1.00 (ref. cat.) | 1.00 (ref. cat.) | ||||||
Non-selective bb userb
| 1732 | 7931 | 27,624 | 1.34 (1.14, 1.58) | 0.001 | 87% (<0.01) | 1.22 (1.09, 1.36) | 0.001 | 70% (<0.01) | 1.16 (1.02, 1.32) | 0.02 | 71% (<0.01) |
Non-selective bb prescriptions | ||||||||||||
<1 year of prescriptionsc
| 1012 | 4512 | 17,074 | 1.23 (0.98, 1.55) | 0.08 | 89% (<0.01) | 1.22 (1.04, 1.43) | 0.02 | 75% (<0.01) | 1.19 (1.04, 1.36) | 0.01 | 54% (0.03) |
≥1 year of prescriptionsc
| 720 | 3419 | 10,549 | 1.67 (1.49, 1.87) | <0.001 | 39% (0.13) | 1.30 (1.21, 1.40) | <0.001 | 0% (0.61) | 1.23 (1.04, 1.45) | 0.02 | 62% (0.02) |
Secondary and sensitivity analyses
Medication usage | Deaths | Patients | Person-years | Unadjusted | Fully adjusted | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
HR (95% CI) |
P
| Hetero I
2 (P) | Adjusted HR (95% CI) |
P
| Hetero I
2 (P) | ||||
Breast cancer-specific mortality | |||||||||
Medication use after diagnosis | |||||||||
Main time-varying covariate analysis in stage 1–3 breast cancer patients | |||||||||
Propranolol in stages 1–3 | 3389 | 44,376 | 112,450 | 1.02 (0.82, 1.26) | 0.88 | 0% (0.84) | 1.06 (0.85, 1.33) | 0.62 | 0% (0.60) |
Main time-varying covariate analysis in all breast cancer patients | |||||||||
Any beta-blocker | 5419 | 55,252 | 181,714 | 1.25 (1.11, 1.40) | <0.001 | 63% (0.03) | 1.07 (0.99, 1.16) | 0.10 | 0% (0.82) |
Analysis based upon use in year after diagnosisa
| |||||||||
Propranolol | 5426 | 55,252 | 181,959 | 0.94 (0.72, 1.21) | 0.61 | 35% (0.19) | 1.07 (0.72, 1.60) | 0.72 | 65% (0.02) |
Non-selective beta-blocker | 5426 | 55,252 | 181,959 | 1.10 (0.87, 1.39) | 0.43 | 51% (0.09) | 1.15 (0.85, 1.56) | 0.35 | 60% (0.04) |
Medication use before diagnosisb
| |||||||||
Propranolol | 6883 | 53,870 | 215,978 | 0.97 (0.82, 1.15) | 0.73 | 0% (0.51) | 1.03 (0.86, 1.22) | 0.78 | 3% (0.39) |
Non-selective beta-blocker | 6883 | 53,870 | 215,978 | 1.09 (0.95, 1.25) | 0.22 | 0% (0.47) | 1.05 (0.92, 1.21) | 0.45 | 0% (0.68) |
All-cause mortality | |||||||||
Medication use after diagnosis | |||||||||
Main time-varying covariate analysis in stage 1–3 breast cancer patients | |||||||||
Propranolol in stages 1–3c
| 17,219 | 96,097 | 382,1512 | 1.07 (0.93, 1.24) | 0.32 | 29% (0.21) | 1.13 (1.02, 1.24) | 0.02 | 0% (0.46) |
Main time-varying covariate analysis in all breast cancer patients | |||||||||
Any beta-blocker | 25,472 | 133,251 | 570,968 | 1.57 (1.41, 1.75) | <0.001 | 92% (<0.001) | 1.12 (1.05, 1.20) | <0.001 | 65% (0.006) |
Analysis based upon use in year after diagnosisa
| |||||||||
Propranolol | 25,487 | 133,251 | 571,213 | 1.02 (0.89, 1.16) | 0.82 | 48% (0.06) | 1.04 (0.89, 1.21) | 0.62 | 48% (0.06) |
Non-selective beta-blocker | 25,487 | 133,251 | 571,213 | 1.35 (1.17, 1.55) | <0.001 | 78% (<0.001) | 1.14 (0.99, 1.30) | 0.06 | 68% (0.003) |
Medication use before diagnosisb
| |||||||||
Propranolol | 31,556 | 139,760 | 664,448 | 0.97 (0.86, 1.09) | 0.60 | 44% (0.09) | 1.02 (0.94, 1.10) | 0.68 | 0% (0.54) |
Non-selective beta-blocker | 31,556 | 139,760 | 664,448 | 1.30 (1.14, 1.49) | <0.001 | 80% (<0.001) | 1.13 (1.06, 1.21) | <0.001 | 27% (0.21) |