Table 2

 Baseline characteristics in cases (all gastrointestinal cancers) and all matched controls by database (QResearch or CPRD). Values are percentages and numbers unless stated otherwise

QResearchCPRD
Cases (n=28 625)Controls (n=133 770)Cases (n=27 324)Controls (n=127 850)
Body mass index (BMI):
 15-24*35.0 (7729)36.2 (35 826)36.4 (8242)37.7 (39 188)
 25-29*42.0 (9290)42.1 (41 650)41.4 (9363)41.6 (43 319)
 30-49*23.0 (5088)21.7 (21 424)22.2 (5029)20.7 (21 535)
 Not recorded22.8 (6518)26.1 (34 870)17.2 (4690)18.6 (23 808)
 Years since recorded†2.6 (1.5-5.6)2.7 (1.5-5.9)2.6 (1.5-5.9)2.8 (1.5-6.2)
Smoking status:
 Non-smoker*43.1 (11230)47.3 (55 708)50.1 (12 904)54.4 (63 608)
 Ex-smoker*39.4 (10 268)37.2 (43 894)33.5 (8621)30.8 (35 979)
 Current light*6.1 (1591)5.5 (6485)3.8 (985)3.6 (4200)
 Current moderate*7.5 (1958)6.7 (7870)8.7 (2233)7.9 (9217)
 Current heavy*3.9 (1010)3.3 (3919)3.9 (997)3.4 (3927)
 Not recorded9.0 (2568)11.9 (15 894)5.8 (1584)8.5 (10 919)
 Years since recorded†0.9 (0.3-3.0)1.1 (0.4-3.6)1.0 (0.3-3.2)1.2 (0.4-3.8)
Use of alcohol:
 No use*30.5 (6925)30.8 (31 788)26.4 (6114)27.0 (28 540)
 Ex-user*2.6 (601)2.4 (2489)
 Light*57.8 (13140)59.8 (61 764)55.7 (12 924)57.3 (60 633)
 Moderate and more*11.7 (2653)9.4 (9731)15.4 (3564)13.4 (14 192)
 Not recorded20.6 (5907)22.8 (30 487)15.1 (4121)17.2 (21 996)
 Years since recorded†2.1 (0.6-5.5)2.4 (0.7-6.0)3.0 (0.9-7.0)3.3 (1.0-7.4)

*Proportion only within recorded data.

‡Median (interquartile range) time in years between recorded value and index date.