title: Patterns of inhaled antiinflammatory medication use in young underserved children with asthma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Asthma guidelines advocate inhaled corticosteroids as the cornerstone treatment of persistent asthma, yet several studies report underuse of inhaled corticosteroids in children with persistent asthma. Moreover, few studies use objective pharmacy data as a measure of drug availability of asthma medications. We examined factors associated with the use of inhaled corticosteroids in young underserved children with persistent asthma using pharmacy records as their source of asthma medications.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a cross-sectional analysis of questionnaire and pharmacy record data over a 12-month period from participants enrolled in a randomized clinical trial of a nebulizer educational intervention.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Although exposure to > or = 1 inhaled corticosteroids refill was high at 72%, 1 of 5 children with persistent asthma had either no medication or only short-acting beta agonist fills for 12 months. Only 20% of children obtained > or = 6 inhaled corticosteroids fills over 12 months. Obtaining > or = 3 inhaled corticosteroids fills over 12 months was significantly associated with an increase in short-acting beta agonist fills and receiving specialty care in the regression models while controlling for child age, asthma severity, number of emergency department visits, having an asthma action plan, and seeking preventive care for the child's asthma.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Overreliance on short-acting beta agonist and underuse of inhaled corticosteroid medications was common in this group of young children with persistent asthma. Only one fifth of children obtained sufficient controller medication fills.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 200 N Wolfe St, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA. abutz@jhmi.edu
authors.forename: Arlene M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Butz
authors.forename: Mona
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tsoukleris
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Donithan
authors.forename: Van Doren
authors.initials: VD
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: Kim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mudd
authors.forename: Ilene H
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: Zuckerman
authors.forename: Mary E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Bollinger
mesh_terms: D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008507:Medically Underserved Area; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents