β-blocker prescription is associated with lower cumulative risk of knee osteoarthritis and knee pain consultations in primary care: a propensity score–matched cohort study

• Published in: Rheumatology (Oxford, England) England), 2021-12, Vol.60 (12), p.5686-5696
• Main Authors: Nakafero, Georgina, Grainge, Matthew J, Valdes, Ana M, Townsend, Nick, D. Mallen, Christian , Zhang, Weiya, Doherty, Michael, Mamas, Mamas, Abhishek, Abhishek
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adrenergic beta-Antagonists - pharmacology; Adult; Arthralgia - drug therapy; Arthralgia - epidemiology; Arthralgia - etiology; Clinical Science; Drug Prescriptions - statistics & numerical data; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Incidence; Male; Osteoarthritis, Knee - complications; Osteoarthritis, Knee - drug therapy; Osteoarthritis, Knee - epidemiology; Primary Health Care - methods; Propensity Score; Referral and Consultation; Retrospective Studies; United Kingdom - epidemiology
• ISSN: 1462-0324; 1462-0332
• DOI: 10.1093/rheumatology/keab234

Abstract Objectives To examine the association between β-blocker prescription and first primary-care consultation for knee OA, hip OA, knee pain and hip pain. Methods Data source: Clinical Practice Research Datalink. Participants aged ≥40 years in receipt of new oral β-blocker prescriptions were propensity score (PS) matched to an unexposed control. Cox proportional hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% CIs were calculated, and adjusted for non-osteoporotic fractures, number of primary-care consultations for knee or hip injury, and, the number of primary-care consultations, out-patient referrals and hospitalizations in the 12 months preceding cohort entry. Analysis was stratified according to β-blocker class and for commonly prescribed drugs. P