Table 2.
Inhaler prescriptions by comorbidity as recorded on electronic medical records, or as identified on radiology
| Clinical parameters | SAMA/SABA | LAMA/LABA | +ICS | P value |
| Electronic medical record of airway disease (n=334) | ||||
| Any COPD (n=307) | 32/45 (71%) | 28/31 (90%) | 247/270 (92%) | 0.001* |
| Any bronchiectasis (n=106) | 11/45 (24%) | 7/31 (23%) | 88/270 (33%) | 0.364 |
| Any asthma (n=54) | 7/45 (16%) | 1/31 (3%) | 46/270 (17%) | 0.122 |
| Comorbidity breakdown | ||||
| COPD (alone) (n=181) | 23/45 (51%) | 22/31 (71%) | 136/270 (50%) | 0.008* |
| COPD+bronchiectasis (n=87) | 6/45 (13%) | 5/31 (16%) | 76/270 (28%) | |
| COPD+asthma (n=34) | 3/45 (7%) | 1/31 (3%) | 30/270 (11%) | |
| Bronchiectasis (alone) (n=12) | 4/45 (9%) | 2/31 (7%) | 6/270 (2%) | |
| Bronchiectasis+asthma (n=2) | 1/45 (2%) | 0/31 (0%) | 1/270 (0%) | |
| Asthma (alone) (n=13) | 3/45 (7%) | 0/31 (0%) | 10/270 (4%) | |
| COPD+bronchiectasis+asthma (n=5) | 0/45 (0%) | 0/31 (0%) | 5/270 (2%) | |
| Clinical comorbidities not recorded (n=12) | 5/45 (11%) | 1/31 (3%) | 6/270 (2%) | |
| Radiology (n=335) | ||||
| Any bronchiectasis (n=90) | 11/38 (29%) | 10/30 (33%) | 69/267 (26%) | 0.587 |
| Any COPD (n=142) | 12/38 (32%) | 12/30 (40%) | 118/267 (44%) | 0.328 |
| Bronchiectasis (alone) (n=44) | 6/38 (16%) | 5/30 (17%) | 33/267 (12%) | 0.693 |
| COPD (alone) (n=96) | 7/38 (18%) | 7/30 (23%) | 82/267 (31%) | |
| COPD+Bronchiectasis (n=46) | 5/38 (13%) | 5/30 (17%) | 36/267 (14%) | |
| No COPD or Bronchiectasis (n=149) | 20/38 (53%) | 13/30 (43%) | 116/267 (44%) | |
P value obtained via χ2 or Fisher’s exact test (cases where cells values were <10).
*p<0.05.
COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; ICS, inhaled corticosteroids; LABA, long-acting β-agonists; LAMA, long-acting muscarinic antagonists; SABA, short-acting bronchodilator; SAMA, short-acting muscarinic antagonists.