title: Economic burden of asthma: a systematic review.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Asthma is associated with enormous healthcare expenditures that include both direct and indirect costs. It is also associated with the loss of future potential earnings related to both morbidity and mortality. The objective of the study is to determine the burden of disease costs associated with asthma.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a systematic search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, CDSR, OHE-HEED, and Web of Science Databases between 1966 and 2008.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty-eight studies met the inclusion criteria. Hospitalization and medications were found to be the most important cost driver of direct costs. Work and school loss accounted for the greatest percentage of indirect costs. The cost of asthma was correlated with comorbidities, age, and disease severity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite the availability of effective preventive therapy, costs associated with asthma are increasing. Strategies including education of patients and physicians, and regular follow-up are required to reduce the economic burden of asthma.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Clinical Epidemiology & Evaluation (C2E2), UBC, Vancouver, BC, Canada. Cbahadori@yahoo.ca
authors.forename: Katayoun
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bahadori
authors.forename: Mary M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Doyle-Waters
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Marra
authors.forename: Larry
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lynd
authors.forename: Kadria
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Alasaly
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Swiston
authors.forename: J Mark
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: FitzGerald
mesh_terms: D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000191:economics* / Q000401:mortality*; D015897:Comorbidity; D005102:Health Expenditures / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents