Table 3.
Baseline year characteristics of children included in the two controller therapy matched cohort comparisons: LTRA vs ICS and EF-particle ICS vs fine-particle ICS
| Characteristics | LTRA vs ICS
|
EF-particle ICS vs fine-particle ICS
|
||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LTRA (n=104) | ICS (n=104) | EF-particle ICS (n=275) | Fine-particle ICS (n=1,100) | |
|
| ||||
| Male sex, n (%)a | 63 (60.6) | 63 (60.6) | 186 (67.6) | 744 (67.6) |
| Age at index date (years), mean (SD)a | 2.6 (1.1) | 2.6 (1.1) | 3.2 (1.2) | 3.2 (1.2) |
| Comorbidity, n (%)b | ||||
| Eczemaa | 39 (37.5) | 39 (37.5) | 113 (41.1) | 452 (41.1) |
| Rhinitis | 6 (5.8) | 7 (6.7) | 10 (3.6) | 41 (3.7) |
| Total wheezing/asthma attacks, n (%)a | ||||
| 0 | 29 (27.9) | 29 (27.9) | 133 (48.4) | 532 (48.4) |
| ≥1 | 75 (72.1) | 75 (72.1) | 142 (51.6) | 568 (51.6) |
| OCS courses, n (%) | ||||
| 0 | 35 (33.7) | 32 (30.8) | 140 (50.9) | 565 (51.4) |
| 1 | 41 (39.4) | 41 (39.4) | 86 (31.3) | 340 (30.9) |
| 2 | 20 (19.2) | 20 (19.2) | 36 (13.1) | 128 (11.6) |
| ≥3 | 8 (7.7) | 11 (10.6) | 13 (4.7) | 67 (6.1) |
| ≥1 wheezing/asthma attack and ≥1 acute OCS course | 69 (66.3) | 72 (69.2) | 135 (49.1) | 535 (48.6) |
| Acute antibiotic prescriptions, n (%)a | ||||
| 0 | 30 (28.9) | 30 (28.9) | 123 (44.7) | 492 (44.7) |
| 1 | 33 (31.7) | 29 (27.9) | 72 (26.2) | 280 (25.5) |
| 2 | 20 (19.2) | 16 (15.4) | 49 (17.8) | 183 (16.6) |
| ≥3 | 21 (20.2) | 29 (27.9) | 31 (11.3) | 145 (13.2) |
| Mean (SD) daily no. of SABA dosesa,c | 0.47 (0.27) | 0.47 (0.27) | 0.63 (0.4) | 0.63 (0.4) |
| Median (IQR) daily no. of SABA dosesc | 0.55 (0.27–0.55) | 0.55 (0.27–0.55) | 0.55 (0.27–0.82) | 0.55 (0.27–0.82) |
| Hospital admission, ≥1, n (%) | 12 (11.5) | 7 (6.7) | 14 (5.1) | 47 (4.3) |
| ED attendance, ≥1, n (%) | 9 (8.7) | 2 (1.9)e | 5 (1.8) | 25 (2.2) |
| Acute respiratory event, ≥1, n (%)d | 89 (85.6) | 89 (85.6) | 142 (51.6) | 568 (51.6) |
| Risk-domain asthma control, n (%)d | 15 (14.4) | 15 (14.4) | 68 (24.5) | 272 (24.7) |
| Oral candidiasis, ≥1, n (%)d | 3 (2.9) | 0 | 2 (0.7) | 14 (1.3) |
| Pneumonia, yes, n (%)d | 4 (3.8) | 1 (1.0) | 2 (0.7) | 8 (0.7) |
Notes:
Matching variable.
Comorbidities were defined as follows: eczema as ever-recorded diagnostic Read code + topical steroid; and rhinitis as ever-recorded diagnosis and/or prescription for nasal steroids.
The daily SABA dose was calculated as the number of doses in issued prescriptions averaged over the baseline year. One SABA dose was two puffs (100 µg per puff).
An acute respiratory event was defined as occurrence of 1) an asthma-related hospital admission or ED attendance or 2) an acute course of OCSs coded for asthma or 3) antibiotics prescribed with a lower respiratory consultation. Risk-domain asthma control was defined as follows: 1) no asthma-related hospital admission, ED attendance, or outpatient department attendance; 2) no acute OCS prescription with a lower respiratory consultation; and 3) no antibiotics prescribed with a lower respiratory consultation. Oral candidiasis (thrush) was defined as a Read code for oral candidiasis or topical antifungal prescription definitely for treating oral candidiasis. Pneumonia was defined as a diagnostic Read code for pneumonia.
P=0.03 for comparison between LTRA and ICS cohorts. There were no significant differences between EF-particle ICS and fine-particle ICS cohorts or between LTRA and ICS cohorts for other variables.
Abbreviations: ED, emergency department; EF, extrafine; ICS, inhaled corticosteroid; IQR, interquartile range; LTRA, leukotriene receptor antagonist; OCS, oral corticosteroid; SABA, short-acting β-agonist.