Table 4

 Bisphosphonate use in oesophageal cancer cases and controls, numbers and odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) compared with non-use by database

QResearchCPRDCombined analysis
Cases/controlsAdjusted* odds ratio (95% CI)P valueCases/controlsAdjusted* odds ratio (95% CI)P valuePooled
odds ratio (95% CI)
P value
Total 5364/25 1015132/24 053
Overall use
None5112/24 0304870/23 110
At least 1 prescription252/10710.97 (0.79 to 1.18)0.7262/9431.18 (0.97 to 1.43)0.091.07 (0.93 to 1.23)0.3
Regimen of use
Daily103/3871.09 (0.84 to 1.40)0.596/3371.16 (0.89 to 1.51)0.31.12 (0.93 to 1.35)0.2
Weekly or monthly149/6840.88 (0.70 to 1.12)0.3166/6061.20 (0.95 to 1.50)0.11.03 (0.88 to 1.22)0.7
Duration of use
Short term (<1 year)94/3671.03 (0.80 to 1.34)0.889/3611.05 (0.81 to 1.37)0.71.04 (0.87 to 1.25)0.7
Long term (≥1 year) 158/7040.92 (0.73 to 1.16)0.5173/5821.28 (1.02 to 1.60)0.031.09 (0.93 to 1.28)0.3
1-6 months55/2261.00 (0.72 to 1.38)1.058/2221.12 (0.82 to 1.54)0.51.06 (0.84 to 1.33)0.6
7-36 months122/5120.97 (0.76 to 1.23)0.8112/4281.10 (0.86 to 1.41)0.41.03 (0.87 to 1.22)0.7
37-72 months49/2340.90 (0.63 to 1.28)0.663/2111.31 (0.94 to 1.81)0.11.10 (0.87 to 1.40)0.4
>72 months26/991.02 (0.63 to 1.64)0.929/821.63 (1.03 to 2.59)0.041.30 (0.93 to 1.81)0.1
Trend for months of use1.00.070.2
Alendronate
Any use163/7210.91 (0.73 to 1.14)0.4167/6501.03 (0.83 to 1.28)0.80.97 (0.83 to 1.13)0.7
<1 year81/3091.03 (0.78 to 1.37)0.872/2970.97 (0.73 to 1.30)0.81.00 (0.82 to 1.23)1.0
≥1 year82/4120.82 (0.62 to 1.08)0.295/3531.10 (0.84 to 1.44)0.50.95 (0.78 to 1.16)0.6
Trend for months of use0.20.10.8
Etidronate
Any use99/3631.17 (0.91 to 1.50)0.289/3061.11 (0.85 to 1.45)0.41.14 (0.95 to 1.37)0.2
<1 year35/1411.02 (0.69 to 1.51)0.934/1261.06 (0.71 to 1.58)0.81.04 (0.79 to 1.37)0.8
≥1 year64/2221.24 (0.91 to 1.69)0.255/1801.15 (0.82 to 1.60)0.41.20 (0.96 to 1.50)0.1
Trend for months of use0.040.60.06
Risedronate
Any use50/2360.82 (0.59 to 1.16)0.360/2071.14 (0.83 to 1.57)0.40.98 (0.78 to 1.24)0.9
<1 year22/1070.79 (0.48 to 1.29)0.324/1030.91 (0.57 to 1.45)0.70.85 (0.60 to 1.19)0.3
≥1 year28/1290.81 (0.52 to 1.26)0.436/1041.39 (0.93 to 2.09)0.11.09 (0.80 to 1.46)0.6
Trend for months of use0.10.30.9

†Adjusted for BMI, smoking status, alcohol consumption, ethnicity, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis and fractures, use of other osteoporosis drugs, vitamin D, NSAIDs, corticosteroids, acid lowering drugs, years of data, and family history of gastrointestinal cancer.