Table 3.

Asthma symptoms and indicators of exacerbations by treatment types

	Reliever inhaler only (n=415)	Controller inhaler only (n=74)	Reliever and controller inhalers only (n=246)	Oral pills plus inhaler(s) (n=538)
Asthma control and symptoms (past 7 days)
GINA-defined control level, n (%)
Controlled	60 (14.5)	12 (16.2)	24 (9.8)	43 (8.0)
Partially controlled	148 (35.7)	23 (31.1)	79 (32.1)	164 (30.5)
Uncontrolled	207 (49.9)	39 (52.7)	143 (58.1)	331 (61.5)
Daytime asthma symptoms, n (%)
None	79 (19.0)	15 (20.3)	33 (13.4)	52 (9.7)
≥1 day	202 (48.7)	33 (44.6)	106 (43.1)	252 (46.8)
≥3 days	134 (32.3)	26 (35.1)	107 (43.5)	234 (43.5)
Activity limitation due to asthma, n (%)
None	143 (34.5)	27 (36.5)	68 (27.6)	140 (26.0)
2 days or less	177 (42.7)	26 (35.1)	118 (48.0)	250 (46.5)
>2 days	95 (22.9)	21 (28.4)	60 (24.4)	148 (27.5)
Night waking, n (%)
None	118 (28.4)	19 (25.7)	60 (24.4)	93 (17.3)
≥1 day	297 (71.6)	55 (74.3)	186 (75.6)	445 (82.7)
Reliever needed for symptoms, n (%)
Not used	85 (20.5)	26 (35.1)	41 (16.7)	78 (14.5)
Two times or less	176 (42.4)	17 (23.0)	82 (33.3)	217 (40.3)
>2 times	154 (37.1)	31 (41.9)	123 (50.0)	243 (45.2)
Acute exacerbations (past 12 months)
Oral steroid use for worsening asthma, n (%)
None	142 (34.2)	20 (27.0)	78 (31.7)	56 (10.4)
≥1 course	273 (65.8)	54 (73.0)	168 (68.3)	482 (89.6)
Antibiotic use for an asthma-associated condition, n (%)
Not used	105 (25.3)	25 (33.8)	59 (24.0)	59 (11.0)
≥1 course	310 (74.7)	49 (66.2)	187 (76.0)	479 (89.0)
Emergency department visit due to asthma, n (%)
None	274 (66.0)	52 (70.3)	136 (55.3)	270 (50.2)
≥1 visit	141 (34.0)	22 (29.7)	110 (44.7)	268 (49.8)
Overnight hospitalization due to asthma, n (%)
None	283 (68.2)	55 (74.3)	159 (64.6)	279 (51.9)
≥1 stay	132 (31.8)	19 (25.7)	87 (35.4)	259 (48.1)

Abbreviation: GINA, Global Initiative for Asthma.