SAN DIEGO, May 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Two recent retrospective claims analyses in a managed care setting included case records for 3,998 asthma patients and documented poor asthma control despite access to effective asthma medications. The findings from these studies were presented today at the 101st American Thoracic Society International Conference (ATS).
The first study assessed sub-acute lack of asthma control (SALAC) in the first year (as defined by excess use of short-acting beta agonists and clinic visits).
-- A subacute lack of asthma control in year 1 predicted SALAC in a subsequent year and a higher rate of subsequent asthma exacerbations. Patients who were uncontrolled during the first year were more likely to be uncontrolled in years two through four, compared to other patients (83% versus 47%, p<0.001). -- SALAC occurred in more than two thirds of patients at some point and occurred every year in almost one fifth. -- Even though all patients studied had health insurance, they spent close to one-third of the time in years 2-4 of the study with no maintenance medication.
The second study compared health outcomes for patients with severe or non- severe asthma. Severe asthma was defined as use of fluticasone propionate/salmeterol inhalation powder 500/50, omalizumab, chronic oral corticosteroids, or high dose inhaled steroids + other asthma controller.
-- For subjects with severe asthma, health resource utilization was significantly higher compared to those with non-severe asthma. Hospitalization rates were significantly higher in the severe asthma group (p<.001) -- Hospitalization rates in patients with severe asthma in the first year were twice as high in the rest of the study period as those with non-severe asthma (40 visits per 1,000 patients per year vs. 20 visits per 1,000 patients per year; P<.001). -- The number of outpatient clinic visits was significantly higher in the severe asthma group (P <.001). -- Patients with severe asthma in year 1 typically spent 16% of years 2 - 4 on no asthma maintenance medication, compared with 29% for those with non-severe asthma.
"Optimal asthma control involves the use of daily maintenance medications in combination with rescue medications, for all severities of persistent asthma," said Philip E. Silkoff, M.D., Director of Clinical Research at AstraZeneca. "True asthma control is sorely lacking today, perhaps because many people with asthma treat their asthma exclusively with rescue medications. A large proportion of the patients experienced poor control, yet did not consistently take controller medications."
"The health care resource utilization in severe asthma despite use of high dose combinations of therapies suggests that either adherence is suboptimal, or that newer therapeutic approaches are required for this subset of asthmatics."
About Asthma
Asthma is a reversible obstructive lung disease, caused by increased reaction of the airways to various stimuli. It is a chronic inflammatory condition with acute exacerbations.(1) Asthma is characterized by excessive sensitivity of the lungs to various stimuli and can be a life-threatening disease if not properly managed. Triggers range from viral infections and allergies to irritating gases and particles in the air.
Asthma is a serious chronic medical condition in the United States. In 2002, it was estimated that nearly 20 million Americans have asthma, nearly 12 million of whom had an asthma attack or episode in the past year.(2) Additionally, the annual direct healthcare cost of asthma is approximately $10.1 billion; indirect costs (e.g., lost productivity due to missed days at school or work) add another $8.2 billion, for a total of $18.3 billion.(3)
About AstraZeneca
AstraZeneca is a major international healthcare business engaged in the research, development, manufacture and marketing of prescription pharmaceuticals and the supply of healthcare services. It is one of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies, with healthcare sales of $23.95 billion and leading positions in sales of gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, neuroscience, respiratory, oncology, and infection products. In the United States, AstraZeneca is a $10.77 billion healthcare business with more than 12,000 employees. AstraZeneca is listed in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (Global) as well as the FTSE4Good Index.
For more information about AstraZeneca, please visit: http://www.astrazeneca-us.com
(1) Asthma in Adults Fact Sheet, American Lung Association, July 2005. Accessed January 15, 2006 at http://www.lungusa.org/site/pp.asp?c=dvLUK9O0E&b=22596 (2) National Center for Health Statistics, Asthma Prevalence, Health Care Use and Mortality, 2002. Accessed May 15, 2006 at http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/pubs/pubd/hestats/asthma/asthma.htm (3) "The Cost of Asthma," Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America. Accessed May 15, 2006 at http://aafa.org/display.cfm?id=6&sub=63
AstraZenecaCONTACT: Shannon Oates, +1-302-886-5854, Shannon.oates@astrazeneca.com, orCynthia Callaghan, +1-302-886-2959, Cynthia.Callaghan@astrazeneca.com, bothof AstraZeneca
Web site: http://www.astrazeneca-us.com//
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