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Table 3 Changes in reported consumption of pharmaceutical agents among coeliac disease patients (pills per month on average) between the year prior to and following the diagnosis of coeliac disease

From: Use of health care services and pharmaceutical agents in coeliac disease: a prospective nationwide study

 

All

Female

Male

n = 700

n = 534

n = 166

All on-demand medicines*

  

  Year prior to diagnosis

12.0

12.2

11.4

  Year after diagnosis on a GFD

9.3

9.1

10.0

  Mean change (95% CI)

−2.7 (−4.3 to −1.2)

−3.1 (−4.9 to −1.4)

−1.4 (−4.8 to 2.0)

  P value

<0.001

<0.001

0.011

Painkillers

   

  Year prior to diagnosis

6.8

7.2

5.6

  Year after diagnosis on a  GFD

5.5

5.2

6.4

  Mean change (95% CI)

−1.3 (−2.6 to −0.1)

−2.0 (−3.4 to −0.5)

0.8 (−2.1 to 3.7)

  P value

<0.001

<0.001

0.432

Medicines for dyspepsia

   

  Year prior to diagnosis

3.7

3.5

4.4

  Year after diagnosis on a GFD

2.5

2.4

2.6

  Mean change (95% CI)

−1.27 (−2.10 to −0.44)

−1.1 (−2.0 to −1.2)

−1.8 (−3.7 to 0.1)

  P value

<0.001

<0.001

0.015

Antibiotic treatment

   

  Year prior to diagnosis

0.6

0.7

0.4

  Year after diagnosis on a GFD

0.5

0.5

0.3

  Mean change (95% CI)

−0.1 (−0.2 to −0.1)

−0.2 (−0.3 to −0.1)

−0.1 (−0.3 to 0.1)

  P value

0.001

0.001

0.302

Vitamins, micronutrients, herbal products

  

  Year prior to diagnosis

18.4

20.7

10.8

  Year after diagnosis on a  GFD

22.6

24.6

16.2

  Mean change (95% CI)

4.2 (1.8 to 6.7)

3.9 (0.9 to 6.8)

5.5 (1.8 to 9.1)

  P value

<0.001

0.003

0.002

  1. CI confidence interval.
  2. GFD gluten-free diet.
  3. * Painkillers, medicines for dyspepsia, sleeping pills.
  4. Not reported as pills per month but as number of courses per year.