Table 2.
Utilization of anti-asthmatic medications and health service use in the case and control groups.
| Case (n = 267) |
Control (n = 1035) |
p values | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class of anti-asthmatic medicationa | |||
| SABA | 248 (92.9) | 733 (70.8) | <0.0001 |
| OCS | 180 (67.4) | 514 (50.0) | <0.0001 |
| XAN | 140 (52.4) | 509 (49.2) | 0.3428 |
| ICS/LABA fixed dose | 38 (14.2) | 179 (17.3) | 0.2312 |
| LABA alone | 2 (0.7) | 10 (1.0) | 0.7406 |
| ICS alone | 16 (6.0) | 67 (6.5) | 0.7743 |
| LTRA | 10 (3.7) | 31 (3.0) | 0.5315 |
| No prescribed drugs for asthma | 16 (6.0) | 154 (14.9) | 0.0001 |
| Asthma-associated HSU | |||
| ED visit | 0.51 ± 1.26 | 0.26 ± 1.22 | 0.0034 |
| 0 | 201 (75.3) | 872 (84.3) | 0.0004 |
| 1 | 38 (14.2) | 125 (12.1) | |
| ≥2 | 28 (10.5) | 38 (3.7) | |
| Hospitalization | 1.09 ± 1.25 | 0.2 ± 0.65 | <0.0001 |
| 0 | 106 (39.7) | 881 (85.1) | <0.0001 |
| 1 | 87 (32.6) | 125 (12.1) | |
| ≥2 | 74 (27.7) | 29 (2.8) | |
| OPD visit | 4.68 ± 7.33 | 3.02 ± 5.82 | 0.0007 |
| 0 | 123 (46.1) | 526 (50.8) | 0.0046 |
| 1–2 | 34 (12.7) | 186 (18.0) | |
| >3 | 110 (41.2) | 323 (31.2) | |
| HSU 1 year before index date | |||
| ED visit | 2.28 ± 3.08 | 1.38 ± 1.98 | 0.0002 |
| 0 | 84 (31.5) | 466 (45.0) | <0.0001 |
| 1–2 | 86 (32.2) | 376 (36.3) | |
| ≥3 | 97 (36.3) | 193 (18.6) | |
| Hospitalization | 3.85 ± 2.62 | 1.18 ± 2.07 | <0.0001 |
| 0 | 10 (3.7) | 522 (50.4) | <0.0001 |
| 1–2 | 77 (28.8) | 367 (35.5) | |
| ≥3 | 180 (67.4) | 146 (14.1) | |
| OPD visit | 18.59 ± 12.38 | 20.56 ± 10.90 | 0.4456 |
| 0 | 18 (6.7) | 12 (1.2) | <0.0001 |
| 1–12 | 27 (10.1) | 110 (10.6) | |
| 13–24 | 46 (17.2) | 213 (20.6) | |
| >24 | 176 (66.0) | 700 (67.6) | |
Data are reported as mean ± S.D. or number (%).
COPD chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, ED emergency department, GERD gastroesophageal reflux disease, HSU health service use, ICS inhaled corticosteroid, LABA long-acting beta2-agonist, LTRA leukotriene receptor antagonist, OCS oral corticosteroid, OPD outpatient department, SABA short-acting beta2-agonist, XAN xanthine derivatives.
aHistory of asthma drug use in the year prior to index admission.