title: Prescribing patterns of anti-asthma drugs in pediatric patients.
abstract: Guidelines from the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) mention several medications for the treatment of asthma. These medications include oral and inhaled beta-2 agonists, oral and inhaled corticosteroids, xanthines, leukotriene receptor antagonists, and their combinations. In addition to asthma, these drugs are commonly prescribed to treat other respiratory diseases, such as acute bronchitis, chronic cough, lower respiratory infection, or even bronchopneumonia. We analyzed differences in prescribing patterns between pediatric patients with and those without asthma, as coded in the claim records from the National Health Insurance Research Database. Oral beta-2 agonists were the most frequently monotherapy in both groups of patients (52.6-77.6% vs 62.8-84. 8%). Oral beta-2 agonists combined with xanthines or oral corticosteroids combined with an oral beta-2 agonist were the most frequent combination therapies in both groups. Inhaled corticosteroids were used in 3.1-11.0% of patients with asthma; the rate varied by patient age. In conclusion, prescribing patterns were similar in pediatric patients with and those without asthma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hai-Lun
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Ko-Huang
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Lue
authors.forename: Yea-Huei
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Kao
mesh_terms: D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000293:Adolescent; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000367:Age Factors; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007344:Insurance Claim Reporting / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends; D020024:Leukotriene Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D013624:Taiwan; D014970:Xanthines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents; D020024:Leukotriene Antagonists; D014970:Xanthines