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Table 2 Associations of glucocorticoid recurrent use with invasive breast cancer risk, according to the characteristics of use.

From: Use of systemic glucocorticoids and risk of breast cancer in a prospective cohort of postmenopausal women

Characteristics of exposure

No. of cases

HR1 (95% CI)

Route of administration2

 Oral

198

0.82 (0.70–0.95)

 Parenteral

130

0.90 (0.75–1.08)

 Phomogeneity

 

0.40

Type of glucocorticoid3

 Betamethasone

56

0.88 (0.66–1.14)

 Prednisolone

128

0.90 (0.75–1.08)

 Prednisone

47

0.80 (0.59–1.07)

 Cortivazol

57

0.94 (0.72–1.23)

 Others4

10

0.47 (0.25–0.87)

 Phomogeneity

 

0.98

Cumulative number of reimbursements

 Occasional/never use

2001

1.00 (ref)

 ≤ 5

179

0.88 (0.75–1.03)

 > 5 to ≤ 10

84

0.84 (0.67–1.05)

 > 10 to ≤ 15

18

0.68 (0.42–1.08)

 > 15

21

0.53 (0.34–0.81)

 Unknown

50

1.16 (0.87–1.53)

 Ptrend5

 

0.02

Time since the first use (years)

 Occasional/never use

2001

1.00 (ref)

 ≤ 2

112

0.88 (0.73–1.07)

 > 2 to ≤ 4

76

0.77 (0.61–0.98)

 > 4 to ≤ 6

61

0.86 (0.66–1.11)

 > 6

69

0.92 (0.72–1.18)

 Unknown

34

0.86 (0.61–1.21)

 Ptrend5

 

0.82

Time since the last use (years)

 Occasional/never use

2001

1.00 (ref)

 ≤ 1

255

0.84 (0.74–0.97)

 > 1 to ≤ 2

44

0.96 (0.71–1.29)

 > 2 to ≤ 3

25

0.94 (0.63–1.40)

 > 3 to ≤ 4

12

0.76 (0.43–1.35)

 > 4

16

0.78 (0.48–1.28)

 Ptrend5

 

0.81

Age at first use (years)

 Occasional/never use

2001

1.00 (ref)

 ≤ 60

79

0.96 (0.76–1.22)

 > 60 to ≤ 70

161

0.81 (0.69–0.96)

 > 70

67

0.73 (0.57–0.95)

 Unknown

45

1.09 (0.81–1.47)

 Ptrend5

 

0.29

  1. Abbreviations: CI confidence interval, HR hazard ratio
  2. 1HR adjusted for age (time scale), years of schooling (baseline), alcohol intake (time-varying), body mass index (time-varying), physical activity level (baseline), age at menarche (baseline), parity and age at first birth (baseline), lifetime use of oral contraceptives (baseline), age at menopause (baseline), history of breast cancer in first-degree relatives (baseline), personal history of benign breast disease (time-varying), lifetime use of menopausal hormone therapy (time-varying), self-report of a mammogram performed during the previous follow-up cycle (time-varying), number of medical consultations/visits during the preceding 6 months (time-varying), and recurrent use of proton pump inhibitors (time-varying). Categories used are those displayed in Table 1. HRs were obtained from separate models including one characteristic of exposure at a time
  3. 2Variables corresponding to the recurrent use (versus never/occasional use) of oral/parenteral glucocorticoids were introduced simultaneously in the model. A woman who had taken oral and parenteral glucocorticoids would contribute to both categories
  4. 3Variables corresponding to the recurrent use (versus never/occasional use) of each type of glucocorticoid displayed in the table were introduced simultaneously in the model. A woman who had taken different types of glucocorticoids would contribute to several categories
  5. 4Other molecules include dexamethasone, methylprednisolone, triamcinolone, and hydrocortisone
  6. 5Tests for linear trends were performed among recurrently exposed women with known characteristics of exposure, using an ordinal variable across categories. The corresponding variable was introduced in the models as continuous
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BMC Medicine

ISSN: 1741-7015

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