Abstract
Background
In children with uncontrolled asthma prescribed low-dose inhaled corticosteroids (ICSs), various step-up options are available: fixed-dose combination ICS/long-acting β2-agonist (FDC), increasing ICS dose, or adding leukotriene receptor antagonist (LTRA). However, evidence of their relative effectiveness is limited.
Objective
To compare the effectiveness of step-up treatment to FDC in children with asthma versus increased ICS dose, or LTRA.
Methods
This matched cohort study used UK primary-care databases to study children prescribed their first step-up treatment to FDC, increased ICS dose, or LTRA. A year of baseline data was used for matching and identifying confounders. Outcomes over the following year were examined. The primary outcome was severe exacerbation rate; secondary outcomes included overall asthma control, derived from databases (no asthma-related admissions/hospital attendances/oral corticosteroids or antibiotics prescribed with a respiratory review, and average prescribed salbutamol ≤200 μg/day).
Results
There were 971 matched pairs in the FDC and increased ICS dose cohorts (59% males; mean age, 9.4 years) and 785 in the FDC and LTRA cohorts (60% males; mean age, 9.0 years). Exacerbation rates in the outcome year were similar between FDC and increased ICS (adjusted incidence rate ratio [95% CI], 1.09 [0.75-1.59]) and FDC and LTRA (incidence rate ratio, 1.36 [0.93-2.01]). Increased ICS and LTRA significantly reduced the odds of achieving overall asthma control, compared with FDC (odds ratios [95% CI], 0.52 [0.42-0.64] and 0.53 [0.42-0.66], respectively)—this was driven by reduced short-acting beta-agonist use.
Conclusions
FDC is as effective as increased ICS or LTRA in reducing severe exacerbation rate, but more effective in achieving asthma control.
In children with uncontrolled asthma prescribed low-dose inhaled corticosteroids (ICSs), various step-up options are available: fixed-dose combination ICS/long-acting β2-agonist (FDC), increasing ICS dose, or adding leukotriene receptor antagonist (LTRA). However, evidence of their relative effectiveness is limited.
Objective
To compare the effectiveness of step-up treatment to FDC in children with asthma versus increased ICS dose, or LTRA.
Methods
This matched cohort study used UK primary-care databases to study children prescribed their first step-up treatment to FDC, increased ICS dose, or LTRA. A year of baseline data was used for matching and identifying confounders. Outcomes over the following year were examined. The primary outcome was severe exacerbation rate; secondary outcomes included overall asthma control, derived from databases (no asthma-related admissions/hospital attendances/oral corticosteroids or antibiotics prescribed with a respiratory review, and average prescribed salbutamol ≤200 μg/day).
Results
There were 971 matched pairs in the FDC and increased ICS dose cohorts (59% males; mean age, 9.4 years) and 785 in the FDC and LTRA cohorts (60% males; mean age, 9.0 years). Exacerbation rates in the outcome year were similar between FDC and increased ICS (adjusted incidence rate ratio [95% CI], 1.09 [0.75-1.59]) and FDC and LTRA (incidence rate ratio, 1.36 [0.93-2.01]). Increased ICS and LTRA significantly reduced the odds of achieving overall asthma control, compared with FDC (odds ratios [95% CI], 0.52 [0.42-0.64] and 0.53 [0.42-0.66], respectively)—this was driven by reduced short-acting beta-agonist use.
Conclusions
FDC is as effective as increased ICS or LTRA in reducing severe exacerbation rate, but more effective in achieving asthma control.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | The journal of allergy and clinical immunology. In practice |
| Early online date | 27 Mar 2017 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2017 |
