In: PLOS ONE
10(2), e0117628
[PDF, 518kB]
Abstract
Background Inhaled, long-acting beta-2-adrenoceptor agonists (LABA) have well-established roles in asthma and/or COPD treatment. Drug utilisation patterns for LABA have been described, but few studies have directly compared LABA use in different countries. We aimed to compare the prevalence of LABA-containing prescriptions in five European countries using a standardised methodology. Methods A common study protocol was applied to seven European healthcare record databases (Denmark, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands (2), and the UK (2)) to calculate crude and age-and sex-standardised annual period prevalence rates (PPRs) of LABA-containing prescriptions from 2002-2009. Annual PPRs were stratified by sex, age, and indication (asthma, COPD, asthma and COPD). Results From 2002-2009, age-and sex-standardised PPRs of patients with LABA-containing medications increased in all databases (58.2%-185.1%). Highest PPRs were found in men >= 80 years old and women 70-79 years old. Regarding the three indications, the highest age-and sex-standardised PPRs in all databases were found in patients with "asthma and COPD" but with large inter-country variation. In those with asthma or COPD, lower PPRs and smaller inter-country variations were found. For all three indications, PPRs for LABA-containing prescriptions increased with age. Conclusions Using a standardised protocol that allowed direct inter-country comparisons, we found highest rates of LABA-containing prescriptions in elderly patients and distinct differences in the increased utilisation of LABA-containing prescriptions within the study period throughout the five European countries.
Item Type: | Journal article |
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Faculties: | Medicine > Institute for Medical Information Processing, Biometry and Epidemiology |
Subjects: | 600 Technology > 610 Medicine and health |
URN: | urn:nbn:de:bvb:19-epub-34411-8 |
ISSN: | 1932-6203 |
Language: | English |
Item ID: | 34411 |
Date Deposited: | 15. Feb 2017, 16:04 |
Last Modified: | 04. Nov 2020, 13:12 |