Research results from Henry Ford Hospital update knowledge of asthma
December 22nd, 2008
2008 DEC 22 -- According to recent research published in the journal Annals of Allergy Asthma & Immunology, "US national guidelines recommend assessing short-actin- beta-agonist (SABA) medication use as a marker of asthma severity and control. However, the relationship between recent SABA use and asthma exacerbations is not currently known."
"To evaluate the proximal relationship between the type and frequency of SABA use and asthma-related outcomes. We evaluated SABA use among patients with asthma ages 5 to 56 years who were members of a large health maintenance organization in southeast Michigan. Frequency of use was estimated from pharmacy data assessing the timing and amount of SABA fills. Cox proportional hazards models were used to examine the prospective relationship between average daily SABA use for 3 months and outcomes associated with poor asthma control (ie, oral corticosteroids use, asthma-related emergency department visits, and asthma-related hospitalizations). We separately accounted for SABA metered-dose inhaler (MDI) and SABA nebulizer use. Of the 2,056 patients who met study criteria, 1,569 (76.3%) had used a SABA medication in their baseline year. After adjusting for potential confounders, SABA nebulizer use was associated with asthma-related emergency department visits (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 6.32; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.38 to 16.80) and asthma-related hospitalizations (aHR, 21.62; 95% CI. 3.17 to 147.57). In contrast, frequency of SABA MDI use wits not associated with these outcomes. Frequency of SABA use during a 3-month period was associated with poor asthma outcomes," wrote J. Paris and colleagues, Henry Ford Hospital.
The researchers concluded: "The relationship with poor asthma outcomes was strongest for SABA nebulizer use, suggesting that the type of SABA used is also of prognostic importance."
Paris and colleagues published their study in Annals of Allergy Asthma & Immunology (Relationship between recent short-acting beta-agonist use and subsequent asthma exacerbations. Annals of Allergy Asthma & Immunology, 2008;101(5):482-487).
For additional information, contact L.K. Williams, Henry Ford Hospital, Center Health Service Research, 1 Ford Pl, 3A CHSR, Detroit, MI 48202, USA.
The publisher's contact information for the journal Annals of Allergy Asthma & Immunology is: American College Allergy Asthma Immunology, 85 West Algonquin Rd. Suite 550, Arlington HTS, IL 60005, USA.
Keywords: United States, Detroit, Allergies, Allergy Medicine, Asthma, Corticosteroid, HMO, Health Insurance, Health Maintenance Organizations, Immunology, Pharmaceuticals, Henry Ford Hospital.
This article was prepared by Biotech Business Week editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2008, Biotech Business Week via NewsRx.com.
