title: Health-care utilization and costs with fluticasone propionate and fluticasone propionate/salmeterol in asthma patients at risk for exacerbations.
abstract: Although studies have established that adding long-acting beta agonists (LABA) to inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) monotherapy among patients with inadequately controlled asthma is associated with better outcomes than increasing ICS dosage, outcomes with ICS versus fixed-dose ICS/LABA combination among patients with recent asthma exacerbation or frequent use of rescue medication are unavailable. This study was designed to compare health-care utilization/costs among patients with recent asthma exacerbation or frequent rescue medication use who received fluticasone propionate (FP) alone versus fixed-dose FP/salmeterol combination (FSC). A retrospective cohort study was conducted using a large health insurance data set. Patients with one or more claims with asthma diagnosis, two or more prescriptions for FSC (250/50- or 100/50-mg formulations) or FP (220- or 110-mg formulations), and one or more asthma exacerbations or five or more short-acting beta agonist (SABA) prescriptions within 1 year before initial receipt of study medications were included. Health-care utilization/costs and controller therapy compliance were compared for patients receiving FSC versus FP using multivariate regression analysis controlling for FP dose and baseline characteristics. A total of 7779 patients met inclusion criteria (5769, FSC, and 2010, FP) with comparable mean follow-up (FSC, 685 days; FP, 670 days; p = 0.151). Controlling for FP dosage and baseline characteristics, FSC patients had lower risks of asthma-related exacerbations, fewer SABAs and systemic corticosteroids, higher costs of asthma medications and total asthma-related health care, and lower total asthma-related health-care costs excluding study medication cost. In asthma patients with recent exacerbation or frequent SABA use, receipt of FSC reduced asthma-related exacerbation risks and rescue medication use versus receipt of FP.
authors.affiliation: Policy Analysis, Inc., Brookline, Massachusetts, and 2GlaxoSmithKline, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA.
authors.forename: May
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hagiwara
authors.forename: Thomas E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Delea
authors.forename: Richard H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Stanford
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D058666:Adrenergic beta-2 Receptor Agonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000420:Albuterol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000730:Androstadienes / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018926:Anti-Allergic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000191:economics*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D000068298:Fluticasone; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010349:Patient Compliance; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D000068299:Salmeterol Xinafoate; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D058666:Adrenergic beta-2 Receptor Agonists; D000730:Androstadienes; D018926:Anti-Allergic Agents; D000068299:Salmeterol Xinafoate; D000068298:Fluticasone; D000420:Albuterol