Changes in Multimorbidity and Polypharmacy Patterns in Young and Adult Population over a 4-Year Period: A 2011–2015 Comparison Using Real-World Data

Sara Mucherino, Antonio Gimeno-Miguel, Jonas Carmona-Pirez, Francisca Gonzalez-Rubio, Ignatios Ioakeim-Skoufa, Aida Moreno-Juste, Valentina Orlando, Mercedes Aza-Pascual-Salcedo, Beatriz Poblador-Plou, Enrica Menditto and Alexandra Prados-Torres
Additional contact information
Sara Mucherino: CIRFF, Center of Drug Utilization and Pharmacoeconomics, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy
Antonio Gimeno-Miguel: EpiChron Research Group, Aragon Health Sciences Institute (IACS), IIS Aragón, Miguel Servet University Hospital, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain
Jonas Carmona-Pirez: EpiChron Research Group, Aragon Health Sciences Institute (IACS), IIS Aragón, Miguel Servet University Hospital, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain
Francisca Gonzalez-Rubio: EpiChron Research Group, Aragon Health Sciences Institute (IACS), IIS Aragón, Miguel Servet University Hospital, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain
Ignatios Ioakeim-Skoufa: EpiChron Research Group, Aragon Health Sciences Institute (IACS), IIS Aragón, Miguel Servet University Hospital, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain
Aida Moreno-Juste: EpiChron Research Group, Aragon Health Sciences Institute (IACS), IIS Aragón, Miguel Servet University Hospital, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain
Valentina Orlando: CIRFF, Center of Drug Utilization and Pharmacoeconomics, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy
Mercedes Aza-Pascual-Salcedo: EpiChron Research Group, Aragon Health Sciences Institute (IACS), IIS Aragón, Miguel Servet University Hospital, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain
Beatriz Poblador-Plou: EpiChron Research Group, Aragon Health Sciences Institute (IACS), IIS Aragón, Miguel Servet University Hospital, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain
Enrica Menditto: CIRFF, Center of Drug Utilization and Pharmacoeconomics, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy
Alexandra Prados-Torres: EpiChron Research Group, Aragon Health Sciences Institute (IACS), IIS Aragón, Miguel Servet University Hospital, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 9, 1-20

Abstract: The pressing problem of multimorbidity and polypharmacy is aggravated by the lack of specific care models for this population. We aimed to investigate the evolution of multimorbidity and polypharmacy patterns in a given population over a 4-year period (2011–2015). A cross-sectional, observational study among the EpiChron Cohort, including anonymized demographic, clinical and drug dispensation information of all users of the public health system ?65 years in Aragon (Spain), was performed. An exploratory factor analysis, stratified by age and sex, using an open cohort was carried out based on the tetra-choric correlations among chronic diseases and dispensed drugs during 2011 and compared with 2015. Seven baseline patterns were identified during 2011 named as: mental health, respiratory, allergic, mechanical pain, cardiometabolic, osteometabolic, and allergic/derma. Of the epidemiological patterns identified in 2015, six were already present in 2011 but a new allergic/derma one appeared. Patterns identified in 2011 were more complex in terms of both disease and drugs. Results confirmed the existing association between age and clinical complexity. The systematic associations between diseases and drugs remain similar regarding their clinical nature over time, helping in early identification of potential interactions in multimorbid patients with a high risk of negative health outcomes due to polypharmacy.

Keywords: multimorbidity; polypharmacy; chronic diseases; real-world data; epidemiology (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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