Table 2.
Differences in use of corticosteroid use among TCM users and nonusers of pediatric atopic dermatitis
| Utilization patterns of corticosteroid | TCM users n = 13,646 (%) | TCM nonusers n = 28,457 (%) | p-value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exposure to steroids | |||
| Any steroids | 4886 (35.8) | 19,334 (67.9) | <0.001 |
| Topical steroids | 4763 (34.9) | 18,062 (63.5) | <0.001 |
| Systemic steroids | 1235 (9.1) | 2807 (9.9) | 0.004 |
| Prescribed duration of steroids | |||
| Topical steroids | <0.001 | ||
| Never used | 8883 (65.1) | 10,397 (36.5) | |
| Short term (<14 days) | 3315 (24.3) | 17,492 (61.5) | |
| Long term (≥14 days) | 1448 (10.6) | 568 (2.0) | |
| Systemic steroids | <0.001 | ||
| Never used | 12,411 (90.9) | 25,650 (90.1) | |
| Short term (<14 days) | 906 (6.6) | 2730 (9.6) | |
| Long term (≥14 days) | 329 (2.4) | 77 (.3) | |
| Frequency of visits for steroids | |||
| Topical steroids | <0.001 | ||
| 0 | 8883 (65.1) | 10,395 (36.5) | |
| 1–3 | 3807 (27.9) | 18,060 (63.5) | |
| ≥ 4 | 956 (7.0) | 2 (.0) | |
| Systemic steroids | <0.001 | ||
| 0 | 12,411 (90.9) | 25,650 (90.1) | |
| 1–3 | 1068 (7.8) | 2807 (9.9) | |
| ≥ 4 | 167 (1.2) | - (.0) |