A case-control study of antimicrobials and glioma risk

Tareq M.
Haedenkamp et al.
of the Department of Neurology at the University Hospital Regensburg, Germany, conducted a case-control study based on a large and validated database to explore the relationship
between antimicrobial use and glioma risk.

The results were published online in the August 2022 issue of Cancer Medicine
.

- Excerpted from the article chapter

【Ref: Haedenkamp TM, et al.
Cancer Med.
2022;00:1-12.
doi: 10.
1002/cam4.
5222.
】

Research background

Gliomas are primary brain tumors
with malignant phenotypes.

Antimicrobials are commonly prescribed drugs, and about 30% of patients receive antimicrobial therapy
once or more per year.

Antibiotics may directly or indirectly affect the occurrence and progression of gliomas, but no one has ever been involved in research
on the association between antimicrobials and the risk of glioma development.

Tareq M.
Haedenkamp et al.
of the Department of Neurology at the University Hospital Regensburg, Germany, conducted a case-control study based on a large and validated database to explore the relationship
between antimicrobial use and glioma risk.

The results were published online in the August 2022 issue of Cancer Medicine
.

Research methods

The study is based on a large case-control study
conducted by Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) GOLD.

The researchers included a total of 4423 glioma patients between 1995 and 2020 and matched
them 1:10 with cases in the database.

Matching variables, including index date, age, sex, GP and medical history
.

Conditional logistic regression analysis was used to calculate the odds ratio (OR)
of the 95% confidence interval (CI).

Patients in the exposure group were those on antimicrobials, including antimicrobials, antivirals, antifungals, antiprotozoals, and anthelmintic drugs with specific subclasses
.

Study results

The mean age of 4423 glioma patients and 44,230 matched controls was 54±19.
54 years, with slightly more men (55.
1%) than women (44.
9%)
.

The risk was not significantly increased with antimicrobials (OR = 1.
13; 95% CI, 1.
03 to 1.
24).


The risk of glioma did not increase
with the number of prescriptions or the time from time to first application to cancer diagnosis.

Polyene use was associated with a modest reduction in glioma risk (OR = 0.
81; 95% CI, 0.
67 to 0.
96).

Conclusion of the study

In summary, the study concluded that there was no substantial association
between the use of antimicrobials and the risk of developing glioma.