Patients with eosinophilic oesophagitis in Denmark have higher use of psychotropic drugs: A Danish nationwide study of psychotropic drug use in 3367 patients and 16,835 matched comparators

BACKGROUND: Eosinophilic oesophagitis (EoE) is a chronic, immune-mediated disease of the oesophagus. Eosinophilic oesophagitis is associated with a substantial disease burden affecting the quality of life and affecting mental health. There are limited data describing the incidence of psychiatric disorders and the use of psychotropic drugs (PDs) in EoE patients.

OBJECTIVES: The aim was to investigate whether EoE patients in Denmark have higher use of PDs, contacts with the department of psychiatry, and attempts of suicide or intentional self-harm compared with the general population after being diagnosed with EoE.

METHODS: This study was a nationwide, population-based register study including 3367 EoE patients and 16,835 age- and sex-matched comparators. A register-based EoE definition was used to identify cases. Incident PD use was extracted from the prescription register and information regarding psychiatric contacts was retrieved from the Danish Psychiatric Central Research Register.

RESULTS: The 5-year incidence of PD use in EoE patients was 13.8% compared to 7.1% of the matched comparators (Hazard ratio 1.83; confidence interval 1.6-2.0; p ≤ 0.001). Antidepressants were the most frequently prescribed PD, whereas antipsychotics were the least prescribed PD. Increasing age, lower educational level, and comorbidity (Charlson Comorbidity Index score ≥1) were associated with the prescription of PDs. The risk of PD use was lower in men than in women with EoE.

CONCLUSION: Treatment with PDs were more common in EoE patients after they were diagnosed than in the general Danish population, indicating that EoE patients have an increased risk of psychiatric disorders.