Excessive lower oesophageal sphincter relaxation increases gastro-oesophageal acid reflux, an oesophageal adenocarcinoma risk factor. Medications that relax this sphincter (benzodiazepines, calcium channel blockers, nitrates, β2 agonists and xanthines) could promote cancer. These medications were investigated in two independent datasets. In the Scottish Primary Care Clinical Informatics Unit (PCCIU) database, a nested case-control study of oesophageal cancer was performed using GP prescription records. Conditional logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for medication use and oesophageal cancer. In UK Biobank, a cohort study was conducted using self-reported medication use. Cox regression was used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% CIs for medication use and oesophageal cancer, and by tumour subtype. Overall, 1,979 oesophageal cancer patients were matched to 9,543 controls in PCCIU, and 355 of 475,768 participants developed oesophageal cancer in UK Biobank. None of the medications investigated were significantly associated with oesophageal cancer risk apart from β2 agonists, which were associated with increased oesophageal cancer risk in PCCIU (adjusted OR 1.38, 95% CI 1.12, 1.70) but not in UK Biobank (adjusted HR 1.21, 95% CI 0.70, 2.08). Medications that relax the lower oesophageal sphincter were not associated with oesophageal cancer, apart from β2 agonists. This increased cancer risk in β2 agonist users merits further investigation. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutical Science
1
2%
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
1
2%
Other
3
6%
Unknown
31
62%
Attention Score in Context
Attention Score in Context
This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 3. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 11 November 2020.
All research outputs
#13,830,150
of 24,477,448 outputs
Outputs from International Journal of Cancer
#9,181
of 12,080 outputs
Outputs of similar age
#162,548
of 336,964 outputs
Outputs of similar age from International Journal of Cancer
#61
of 129 outputs
Altmetric has tracked 24,477,448 research outputs across all sources so far. This one is in the 43rd percentile – i.e., 43% of other outputs scored the same or lower than it.
So far Altmetric has tracked 12,080 research outputs from this source. They typically receive more attention than average, with a mean Attention Score of 8.8. This one is in the 23rd percentile – i.e., 23% of its peers scored the same or lower than it.
Older research outputs will score higher simply because they've had more time to accumulate mentions. To account for age we can compare this Altmetric Attention Score to the 336,964 tracked outputs that were published within six weeks on either side of this one in any source. This one has gotten more attention than average, scoring higher than 51% of its contemporaries.
We're also able to compare this research output to 129 others from the same source and published within six weeks on either side of this one. This one has gotten more attention than average, scoring higher than 51% of its contemporaries.
