Table 1.
Demographic and clinical characteristics (in prior 12 months) of new users of mepolizumab (N=3496)
| Characteristic | Mean (N) |
| Age in years (mean) | 54.2 (SD 12.5) |
| Age category | |
| 18–34 years | 8% (262) |
| 35–64 years | 77% (2699) |
| 65+ years | 15% (535) |
| Sex (female) | 63% (2193) |
| Year | |
| 2015 | 0.5% (17) |
| 2016 | 24% (839) |
| 2017 | 39% (1366) |
| 2018 | 29% (1016) |
| 2019 | 7% (258) |
| Prior combined comorbidity score | 1.9 (SD 1.8) |
| Comorbid illnesses in prior 12 months | |
| Allergic rhinitis | 70% (2428) |
| Atopic dermatitis | 3% (115) |
| COPD | 32% (1117) |
| Chronic idiopathic urticaria | 2% (56) |
| Eosinophilia* | 17% (605) |
| Eosinophilic oesophagitis | 2% (61) |
| Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis† | 3% (118) |
| Nasal polyps | 21% (727) |
| Respiratory infections | 66% (2294) |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 3% (118) |
| Sinusitis (acute/chronic) | 56% (1964) |
| Asthma medications used in prior 12 months | |
| Inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) | 22% (754) |
| High-dose ICS and LTRA | 17% (582) |
| ICS/LABA | 46% (1597) |
| LTRA | 73% (2539) |
| Long-acting muscarinic antagonist | 38% (1338) |
| Oral corticosteroid (any days) | 91% (3164) |
| Omalizumab | 18% (612) |
| Reslizumab | 0.2% (8) |
| Benralizumab | 1% (32) |
| Dupilumab | 0.1% (3) |
| Short-acting beta2-agonist | 84% (2928) |
| Severe asthma exacerbations in the prior 12 months (combined metric)‡ | |
| None | 14% (489) |
| 1 | 18% (646) |
| 2 or more | 68% (1136) |
| Hospitalisation with asthma as primary diagnosis | |
| None | 93% (3236) |
| 1 | 6% (196) |
| 2 or more | 2% (3433) |
| Asthma-related hospitalisation | |
| None | 85% (2978) |
| 1 | 10% (359) |
| 2 or more | 5% (3338) |
| Asthma-related outpatient visit | |
| None | 44% (1539) |
| 1 | 22% (757) |
| 2 or more | 34% (2297) |
| Asthma-related ED visit | |
| None | 90% (3153) |
| 1 | 7% (248) |
| 2 or more | 3% (3402) |
| Exacerbation requiring oral corticosteroid (OCS) (days supply between 3 and 27) | |
| None | 27% (959) |
| 1 | 20% (693) |
| 2 or more | 53% (1653) |
*Overlap with other categories was possible.
†Mepolizumab dose for was not available.
‡Overall combined metric was defined as any of the individual exacerbations below.
COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; ED, emergency department; LABA, long-acting beta agonists; LTRA, leukotriene receptor antagonists.