Antiasthmatic prescriptions in children with and without congenital anomalies: a population-based study.

Objectives: To explore the risk of being prescribed/dispensed medications for respiratory symptoms and breathing difficulties in children with and without congenital anomalies.

Design: A EUROlinkCAT population-based data linkage cohort study. Data on children with and without congenital anomalies were linked to prescription databases to identify children who did/did not receive antiasthmatic prescriptions.

Creating a population-based cohort of children born with and without congenital anomalies using birth data matched to hospital discharge databases in 11 European regions: Assessment of linkage success and data quality.

Linking routinely collected healthcare administrative data is a valuable method for conducting research on morbidity outcomes, but linkage quality and accuracy needs to be assessed for bias as the data were not collected for research. The aim of this study was to describe the rates of linking data on children with and without congenital anomalies to regional or national hospital discharge databases and to evaluate the quality of the matched data. Eleven population-based EUROCAT registries participated in a EUROlinkCAT study linking data on children with a congenital anomaly and children without congenital anomalies (reference children) born between 1995 and 2014 to administrative databases including hospital discharge records.

Preterm birth and prescriptions for cardiovascular, antiseizure, antibiotics and antiasthmatic medication in children up to 10 years of age: a population-based data linkage cohort study across six European regions.

Objectives: Preterm children are exposed to many medications in neonatal intensive care units, but little is known about the effect of prematurity on medication use throughout infancy and childhood. We examined prescriptions of cardiovascular medication (CVM), antiseizure medication (ASM), antiasthmatic medication and antibiotics issued/dispensed in the first 10 years of life for very and moderately preterm children compared with term.

Design: Population-based data linkage cohort study linking information from birth records to prescription records.

Prescription of cardiovascular medication in children with congenital heart defects across six European Regions from 2000 to 2014: data from the EUROlinkCAT population-based cohort study.

Objectives: Advances in surgical management strategies have substantially reduced fatality from congenital heart defects (CHD). Decreased infant mortality might be expected, consequentially to result in greater morbidity in older children due to complications later in childhood and adolescence. This study aims to evaluate the use of cardiovascular medication (CVM) as an indicator of disease burden in children born with CHD in the first 10 years of life.

EUROlinkCAT protocol for a European population-based data linkage study investigating the survival, morbidity and education of children with congenital anomalies.

Introduction: Congenital anomalies (CAs) are a major cause of infant mortality, childhood morbidity and long-term disability. Over 130 000 children born in Europe every year will have a CA. This paper describes the EUROlinkCAT study, which is investigating the health and educational outcomes of children with CAs for the first 10 years of their lives.

Use of prescribed contraception in Northern Ireland 2010-2016.

The aim of this study was to describe the use of prescribed contraceptives in Northern Ireland (NI) and how this varies with a woman's age, the deprivation in the area in which she lives and characteristics of her general practice (GP). A population-based cohort study was conducted including 560,074 females, aged 12-49 registered with a GP (2010-2016) contributing 3,255,500 woman-years of follow-up. Dispensed contraceptive prescriptions were linked to demographic details.

Metformin exposure in first trimester of pregnancy and risk of all or specific congenital anomalies: exploratory case-control study.

Objective: To investigate whether exposure to metformin during the first trimester of pregnancy, for diabetes or other indications, increases the risk of all or specific congenital anomalies.

Design: Population based exploratory case-control study using malformed controls. Cases of 29 specific subgroups of non-genetic anomalies, and all non-genetic anomalies combined, were compared with controls (all other non-genetic anomalies or genetic syndromes).

Gastroschisis in Europe - A Case-malformed-Control Study of Medication and Maternal Illness during Pregnancy as Risk Factors.

Background: Gastroschisis, a congenital anomaly of the abdomen, is associated with young maternal age and has increased in prevalence in many countries. Maternal illness and medication exposure are among environmental risk factors implicated in its aetiology.

Methods: A population-based case-malformed control study was conducted using data from 18 European congenital anomaly registries, with information on first trimester medication use, covering 8 million births 1995-2012.

EUROmediCAT signal detection: an evaluation of selected congenital anomaly-medication associations.

Aims: To evaluate congenital anomaly (CA)-medication exposure associations produced by the new EUROmediCAT signal detection system and determine which require further investigation.

Methods: Data from 15 EUROCAT registries (1995-2011) with medication exposures at the chemical substance (5th level of Anatomic Therapeutic Chemical classification) and chemical subgroup (4th level) were analysed using a 50% false detection rate. After excluding antiepileptics, antidiabetics, antiasthmatics and SSRIs/psycholeptics already under investigation, 27 associations were evaluated.

Tele-Mum: A Feasibility Study for a Randomized Controlled Trial Exploring the Potential for Telemedicine in the Diabetes Care of Those with Gestational Diabetes.

Background: The incidence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM)--hyperglycemia with onset or first recognition during pregnancy--is increasing and will have a significant impact on diabetes services. This study aimed to determine the feasibility and acceptability of using telemedicine in the diabetes care of women with GDM and the possibility of replacing alternate (one in every two) diabetes review appointments with telemedicine.

Subjects And Methods: A feasibility study for a randomized controlled trial was conducted across two sites.