Seasonal trends in colchicine prescriptions in England 2014-2019

Abstract

AbstractObjectivesTo examine seasonal trends in the prescription of colchicineMethodsA retrospective cohort study using a population level dataset of all community prescriptions for colchicine dispensed in England between December 2014 and November 2019.ResultsSignificant seasonal variation exists in colchicine prescriptions (p<0.0001). Colchicine prescriptions were maximal in the summer months (June, July) in each of the years studied and lowest in the winter. Significant variation in colchicine prescriptions was observed between the summer and the winter(p<0.001), spring (p=0.0177) and autumn(p<0.001) months.ConclusionSeasonal trends in colchicine prescribing closely mirror previously observed seasonal trends in acute gout incidence providing further evidence that acute gout demonstrates seasonality and, in England, is more common in the summer.