Preferential prescribing of oral corticosteroids in Irish male asthmatic children.
OBJECTIVE
To determine if there is a gender difference in the prescription of oral corticosteroids in asthmatic children (< 15 years).


METHODS
8072 asthmatics were identified on the basis that they received a prescription for either an inhaled beta-adrenoceptor agonist, an inhaled corticosteroid, inhaled cromoglycate/nedocromil sodium, oral xanthines or leukotriene antagonist. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were determined for the different asthma treatments for males compared with females.


CONCLUSIONS
Male asthmatic children were more likely (OR = 1.37, 95% CI = 1.21,1.55, P < 0.001) to receive a prescription for an oral corticosteroid compared with their female counterparts suggesting a possible increased severity of their condition, rather than a different management of their disease. Male asthmatic children were less likely to be prescribed an antibiotic over the study period (OR = 0.85, 95% CI = 0.77, 0.93, P < 0.001).
Williams
D
D
Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Trinity Centre For Health Sciences, St James Hospital, Dublin 8, Ireland. williamd@tcd.ie
Kelly
A
A
Feely
J
J
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000293:Adolescent; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000367:Age Factors; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007494:Ireland; D008297:Male; D012737:Sex Factors
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones