Abstract
Context
In 2006, we published a study that indicated that the new transdermal contraceptive
patch containing ethinyl estradiol (EE) and the progestin norelgestromin did not increase
the risk for venous thromboembolism (VTE) compared to oral contraceptive containing
norgestimate and 35 ��g of EE.
Objective
This report updates information on the risk of nonfatal VTE in women using the contraceptive
patch in comparison to women using oral contraceptives containing norgestimate (either
monophasic or triphasic) and 35 ��g of EE (norgestimate-35) using an additional 17months
of data.
Design, Setting and Participants
Nested case-control design based on information from PharMetrics, a US-based company
that collects and organizes information on claims paid by managed care plans. The
study was nested among all women, aged 15 to 44 years, who started either the contraceptive
patch or norgestimate-35 after April 1, 2002. Cases were women with current use of
one of these two study drugs and a documented diagnosis of VTE in the absence of identifiable
clinical risk factors (idiopathic VTE) who were not in the earlier study. Up to four
controls were matched to each case by age and calendar time.
Main Outcome Measures
Odds ratios (ORs) comparing the risk of nonfatal VTE in new users of the two contraceptives.
Results
We identified 56 new cases of newly diagnosed, idiopathic VTE in the updated study
population. The OR comparing the contraceptive patch to norgestimate-35 was 1.1 (95%
CI 0.6���2.1).
Conclusions
After evaluating an additional 17 months of data, the results indicate that the risk
of nonfatal VTE for the contraceptive patch is closely similar to the risk for oral
contraceptives containing 35 ��g of EE and norgestimate.
Keywords
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References
- Risk of non-fatal venous thromboembolism in women using a contraceptive transdermal patch and oral contraceptives containing norgestimate and 35 ��g of ethinyl estradiol.Contraception. 2006; 73: 223-228
- Venous thromboembolism, myocardial infarction, and stroke among transdermal contraceptive system users.Obstet Gynecol. 2007; 109: 339-346
Article info
Publication history
Published online: May 11, 2007
Accepted:
March 10,
2007
Received in revised form:
March 7,
2007
Received:
January 30,
2007
Identification
Copyright
© 2007 Published by Elsevier Inc.
