TABLE 1.
Respiratory drug use in the 12 months preceding omalizumab initiation in asthma patients in Belgium 2010–2016 (n=2068)
| Asthma maintenance therapy | |
| Patients on ICSs (with or without LABAs) | 1943 (94%) |
| Patients on LABAs (with or without ICSs) | 1917 (93%) |
| Number of DDs of ICSs (with or without LABAs) per year | 240 (120–353) |
| Patients with at least one dispensing of a systemic corticosteroid | 1757 (85%) |
| Number of DDDs of systemic corticosteroids per year | 108 (58–256) |
| Patients on systemic corticosteroids as maintenance therapy (>180 DDDs per year) | 648 (31%) |
| Patients on xanthines | 340 (16%) |
| Patients on LTRAs | 1.450 (70%) |
| Rescue medication | |
| Number of DDDs SABAs+DDDs SAMAs (as rescue medication) | 83 (25–267) |
| Use of long-acting bronchodilators other than LABAs | |
| Patients on LAMAs | 442 (21%) |
| Asthma burden | |
| Patients being hospitalised in the past year with need of systemic corticosteroids | 496 (24%) |
| Patients visiting ED in the past year with need of systemic corticosteroids | 85 (4%) |
| Patients being hospitalised or visiting the ED in the past year with use of systemic corticosteroids | 502 (24%) |
Data are presented as n (%) or median (interquartile range). As no defined daily doses (DDDs) are provided by the World Health Organization for the fixed long-acting β2-agonist (LABA)+inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) combinations, the number of daily doses (DDs) as described in the scientific notice are provided. LTRA: leukotriene receptor antagonist; SABA: short-acting β2-agonist; SAMA: short-acting muscarinic antagonist; LAMA: long-acting muscarinic antagonist; ED: emergency department.