Description
This measure shows the percentage of people with identified gout who were dispensed any of colchicine, prednisone or funded non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in a year. Acute gout flares are treated with colchicine, oral corticosteroids such as prednisone or NSAIDs. Gout management guidelines state that people experiencing frequent (two or more) acute gout flares per year should be offered long-term urate-lowering therapy. Although NSAIDs are effective at treating acute gout flares, these medicines have considerable side effects including kidney injury and peptic ulcer disease.
Measure set
Notes about this measure set
Numerator
People with identified gout aged 20 years and over dispensed any of colchicine, prednisone or funded non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in a year.
Denominator
Those aged 20 years and over identified with gout using the HealthTracker method (see gout prevalence numerator definition).
Denominator detail
- Patients enrolled with a PHO in each year.
- Patients with a discharge diagnosis of gout (ICD 9 274, ICD 10 M10).
- Public hospital admissions from 1 January 1988 to 31 December 2019.
- NSAIDs dispensed at community pharmacies, ie, not medicines given in hospital or purchased over the counter.
- NSAIDs: diclofenac sodium, ibuprofen, ketoprofen, mefenamic acid, meloxicam, naproxen, naproxen sodium, tenoxicam, celecoxib and sulindac.
Denominator exclusions
- Patients with a diagnosis of leukaemia or lymphoma (ICD 10 C81–C96).
- The year of dispensing is the same as or after the year of death.
- The patient category is either J or Y (juvenile or youth).
Responsible organisation(s)
Data sources
Resources
Measure Technical Document: Dispensed a prednisone colchicine or Non steroidal anti inflammatory diuretic NSAID (.pdf)
Resource Type
Description
This document contains a detailed definition of the measure.