The effect of montelukast versus usual care on health care resource utilization in children aged 2 to 5 years with asthma.
BACKGROUND
Limited clinical data are available on the long-term effects of asthma controller therapy on the utilization of health care resources in pediatric patients with asthma.


OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to compare the effects of long-term treatment with montelukast and usual care on health care resource use in children with asthma.


METHODS
Pediatric patients aged 2 to 5 years with asthma who had completed a 3-month, double-blind, double-dummy clinical trial comparing montelukast 4 mg and placebo were asked to participate in an open-label, controlled extension study comparing montelukast 4 mg and usual care. Usual care was defined as cromolyn or inhaled corticosteroid therapy Health care resource utilization was measured in terms of oral corticosteroid use and numbers of physician visits, emergency department visits, and hospitalizations.


RESULTS
Of 618 patients who completed the primary phase of the study, 516 (83.5%) participated in the extension study Data from 506 patients (302 without previous asthma maintenance therapy, 204 with) were included in the analysis. During the extension phase, patients who received montelukast and had not used previous asthma maintenance therapy were followed for a mean of 329.5 days; those who received usual care and


CONCLUSIONS
In this open-label study, pediatric patients aged 2 to 5 years with mild to moderate persistent asthma receiving long-term therapy with montelukast had similar rates of asthma-related health care resource utilization compared with those receiving usual care with cromolyn or inhaled corticosteroids.
Davies
Glenn M
GM
Merck Research Laboratories, Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, PO Box 4, BL2-3, West Point, PA 19486, USA. glenn_davies@merck.com
Dasbach
Erik J
EJ
Santanello
Nancy C
NC
Knorr
Barbara A
BA
Bratton
Donna L
DL
D000085:Acetates / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004205:Cromolyn Sodium / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003521:Cyclopropanes; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006295:Health Resources / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011804:Quinolines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013440:Sulfides
D000085:Acetates; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents; D003521:Cyclopropanes; D011804:Quinolines; D013440:Sulfides; C093875:montelukast; D004205:Cromolyn Sodium