Table 1.

Characteristics of the study population (n = 32,787)

Patient characteristics
Sex, male, n (%)	13,348 (40.7)
Age at 01-01-2012 (years); mean (SD; range)	46.3 (17.7; 16–110)
Age group, years, n (%)
16–29	6824 (20.8)
30–44	8259 (25.2)
45–59	9514 (29.0)
60–74	6110 (18.6)
75+	2080 (6.3)
Lost to follow-up before 1-1-2014, n (%)	2704 (8.2)
Deceased, n (% of lost to follow-up)	166 (6.1)
Moved, n (% of lost to follow-up)	644 (23.8)
Nursing home, n (% of lost to follow-up)	9 (0.3)
General practice stopped providing data, n (% of lost to follow-up)	396 (14.6)
Unknown, n (% of lost to follow-up)	1489 (55.1)
Entering cohort after 1-1-2012, n (%)	3964 (12.1)
Use of inhaled corticosteroids 2012–2013a, n (%)	20,395 (62.2)

SD standard deviation, ICS inhaled corticosteroid

^aAt least one prescription ICS in the period 2012–2013