Table 1 Baseline characteristics
Characteristic | Non-Adherent* (n = 4,112) | Adherent (n = 4,939) | Total (n = 9,051) | p-value£ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
n (%) | n (%) | n (%) | |||
Age | mean (SD) | 64.2 (12.6) | 65.4 (12.0) | 64.8 (12.3) | 0.01£ |
<55 | 1050 (25.5%) | 1071 (21.7%) | 2121 (23.4%) | 0.30 | |
55–65 | 1036 (25.2%) | 1311 (26.5%) | 2347 (25.9%) | ||
66–73 | 849 (20.6%) | 1062 (21.5%) | 1911 (21.1%) | ||
≥74 | 1177 (28.6%) | 1495 (30.3%) | 2672 (29.5%) | ||
Male gender | 2854 (69.4%) | 3406 (69.0%) | 6260 (69.2%) | 0.91 | |
Index year | 1994–1997 | 329 (8.0%) | 218 (4.3%) | 547 (6.0%) | <0.01 |
1998–2001 | 1141 (27.7%) | 922 (18.7%) | 2466 (22.8%) | ||
2002–2005 | 1777 (43.2%) | 2018 (41.0%) | 4202 (41.9%) | ||
2006–2007 | 865 (21.0%) | 1781 (36%) | 2135 (30.0%) | ||
Type of index diagnosis | ACS+ revascularization procedure | 2098 (51.0%) | 3149 (64.7%) | 5292 (58.5%) | <0.01 |
ACS only | 2014 (49.0%) | 1745 (35.3%) | 3759 (41.5%) | ||
Duration (in days) of index hospitalization | mean (SD) | 9.2 (8.5) | 8.2 (9.9) | 8.9 (9.0) | <0.01 |
≥10 days | 935 (22.7%) | 1378 (27.9%) | 2313 (25.6%) | <0.01 | |
Time (in days) from index to statin prescription | mean (SD) | 10.3 (21.4) | 7.7 (18.7) | 8.5 (19.6) | <0.01 |
>1Â day | 1011 (24.6%) | 894 (18.1%) | 1905 (21.0%) | <0.01 | |
At least one prescription in post-index year | BB | 3449 (83.9%) | 4262 (86.3%) | 7711 (85.2%) | <0.01 |
ACEI/ARB | 3199 (77.8%) | 7282 (86.7%) | 7481 (82.7%) | <0.01 | |
CCB | 890 (21.6%) | 1078 (21.8%) | 1968 (21.7%) | 0.96 | |
diuretic | 1389 (33.8%) | 1865 (37.8%) | 3254 (36.0%) | <0.01 | |
anticoagulants | 586 (14.3%) | 870 (17.6%) | 1456 (16.1%) | <0.01 | |
antiplatelet | 2228 (54.2%) | 3108 (64.4%) | 5408 (59.8%) | <0.01 | |
nitrates | 2916 (70.9%) | 3529 (71.5%) | 6445 (71.2%) | 0.92 | |
other lipid drugs | 213 (5.2%) | 187 (3.8%) | 400 (4.4%) | <0.01 | |
At least a statin prescription with 28 days’ supply (as an evidence of unit-of-use packaging) | 174 (4.2%) | 510 (10.3%) | 684 (7.6%) | <0.01 | |
High statin dose on first prescription post index€ | 2141 (52.1%) | 3166 (64.1%) | 5307 (58.6%) | <0.01 | |
Atorvastatin on first prescription post index | 2933 (59.4%) | 2388 (58.1%) | 5321 (58.8%) | 0.17 | |
>4 distinct non-statin medications received in post-index year | 2397 (58.3%) | 3302 (66.9%) | 5699 (63.0%) | <0.01 | |
Chronic disease score ≥4 | 404 (8.2%) | 325 (7.9%) | 729 (8.1%) | 0.63 | |
Diagnosis in pre-index year | DM | 532 (12.9%) | 700 (14.2%) | 1232 (13.6%) | 0.62 |
HTN | 1406 (34.2%) | 1919 (38.9%) | 3325 (36.7%) | 0.01 | |
Specialty of prescribing physician of the first statin prescription | GP | 633 (15.4%) | 579 (11.7%) | 1212 (13.4%) | <0.01 |
cardiologist | 1937 (47.1%) | 2673 (54.1%) | 4610 (50.9%) | ||
internist | 984 (23.9%) | 998 (20.2%) | 1982 (21.9%) | ||
cardiac surgeon | 239 (5.8%) | 384 (7.8%) | 623 (6.9%) | ||
other | 319 (7.8%) | 305 (6.2%) | 624 (6.9%) | ||
≥5 physician’s visits in the first 3 months | 3030 (73.7%) | 3849 (77.9%) | 6879 (76.0%) | <0.01 | |
Any hospitalization in pre-index year | 1011 (24.6%) | 1109 (22.5%) | 2120 (23.4%) | <0.01 | |
Deprivation index quintile | missing | 168 (4.1%) | 161 (3.3%) | 329 (3.6%) | - |
1 (most deprived) | 871 (21.2%) | 947 (19.2%) | 1818 (20.1%) | 0.01 | |
2 | 680 (16.5%) | 789 (16.0%) | 1469 (16.2%) | ||
3 | 881 (21.4%) | 1109 (22.5%) | 1990 (22.0%) | ||
4 | 779 (18.9%) | 1006 (20.4%) | 1785 (19.7%) | ||
5 (least deprived) | 733 (17.8%) | 927 (18.8%) | 1660 (18.3%) | ||