Table 6

Mortality, results of observational studies

Study ID	Registry	Type of ratio	Ref category	Exposure definition	Adjusted	RoB
del Rincón et al 2014 Arthritis Rheumatol53	Observational database	aHR	No GC use	Daily dose none	Ref	High
				Daily dose <5 mg/day	1.19 (0.74; 1.90)
				5–7 mg/day	1.21 (0.88; 1.66)
				8–15 mg/day	1.78 (1.22; 2.60)
				≥15 mg/day	2.83 (1.41; 5.66)
				Cumulative dose none	Ref
				Cumulative dose <9 mg	0.59 (0.36; 0.95)
				9–39.9 mg	1.12 (0.76; 1.64)
				≥40 mg	1.74 (1.25; 2.44)
				Dose/time no GCs	Ref
				<1.98 mg/year	0.48 (0.29; 0.80)
				1.98–5.08 mg/year	0.99 (0.67; 1.45)
				≥5.08 mg/year	2.11 (1.51; 2.94)
Movahedi et al 2016 Eur J Epidemiol51	CPRD	aHR	No GC use	Never GC use	Ref	Unclear
				Ever GC use	1.97 (1.81; 2.15)
				Current GC use	1.77 (1.62; 1.93)
				Current GC dose per 5 mg/day	1.33 (1.30; 1.35)
				Current dose >0–4.9 mg/day	1.02 (0.87; 1.20)
				5.0–7.4 mg/day	1.44 (1.26; 1.64)
				7.5–14.9 mg/day	2.24 (1.98; 2.54)
				15.0–24.9 mg/day	4.50 (3.61; 5.62)
				≥25 mg/day	11.0 (8.87; 13.6)
				Cumulative dose since cohort entry (1000 mg/day)	1.06 (1.05; 1.07)
				Cumulative dose >9–959.9 mg	1.60 (1.42; 1.81)
				960–3054.9 mg	1.83 (1.62; 2.07)
				3055–7299.9 mg	2.11 (1.87; 2.39)
				≥7300 mg	3.11 (2.74; 3.52)
Roubille et al 2020 Rheumatology30	ESPOIR	N patients with event	No GC use	No GC use	1 (0.5%)	Unclear
				GC use	9 (2.3%), p=0.103
				Cumulative GC dose >0–1842 mg	1 (1.1%)
				1842–8421.5 mg	4 (2.6%)
				≥8421.5 mg	4 (2.6%) p=0.248
Wilson et al 2019 Arthritis Care Res27	CPRD	aOR	No GC use	No GC use	Ref	High
				GC use	1.33 (1.19; 1.48)
				Past GC use	1.03 (0.97; 1.10)
				Current GC use	1.80 (1.59; 2.04)
				Cumulative GC dose <700 mg	0.90 (0.76; 1.07)
				700 to <3500 mg	1.27 (1.10; 1.48)
				3500 to <7000 mg	1.42 (1.18; 1.71)
				≥7000 mg	2.33 (1.95; 2.77)

aHR, adjusted HR; aOR, adjusted OR; GC, glucocorticoid; RoB, risk of bias.