Factors associated with inhaled corticosteroids prescription in primary care patients with COPD: A cross-sectional study in the Balearic Islands (Spain).
BACKGROUND
There is a worldwide over-prescription of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), off-label prescribing, and unnecessary prescription of high doses.


OBJECTIVE
Our aim was to assess the prescription rate of ICS and to identify sociodemographic and clinical factors associated with ICS prescription among patients with COPD, treated in Balearic primary healthcare.


METHODS
This cross-sectional study included all patients with a clinical COPD diagnosis, who attended a primary care centre of the Balearic Islands (Spain) during 2012. Also, a sub-population with spirometry-confirmed COPD was defined. Data were obtained on patient demographics, smoking status, spirometry, ICS prescriptions, other respiratory medication, exacerbations and comorbidities. Associations with ICS and high-dose ICS prescription were assessed using multivariate regression analyses.


RESULTS
In total, 15,440 patients were included (70% men, mean age 68.6 years), and 44.6% were prescribed ICS. The largest association with ICS prescription was asthma comorbidity (OR: 3.50; 95%CI: 3.12-3.92), followed by exacerbation history (OR: 2.23; 95%CI: 2.07-2.47). In addition, smoking status, spirometry, atopic dermatitis, allergic rhinitis and mean age were significantly (P < 0.001) associated with ICS treatment. In the spirometry-confirmed population, asthma (OR: 2.89; 95%CI: 2.29-3.64) and exacerbations were also the major factors (OR: 2.85; 95%CI: 2.45-3.32) followed by severe bronchial-obstruction (OR: 2.63; 95%CI: 2.24-3.08). High-dose ICS prescription was mainly associated with severe obstruction (OR: 2.27; 95%CI: 1.93-2.68).


CONCLUSIONS
The percentage of COPD patients prescribed ICS in Balearic primary care is relatively low. Asthma comorbidity, exacerbation history, severe bronchial-obstruction, smoking status and a spirometry-confirmed COPD diagnosis were significantly associated with ICS prescription. [Box: see text].
a Son Pisa Health Center. Majorca Primary Care Department , Balearic Institute of Health , Palma de Mallorca , Spain.|b Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Palma (IdISPa) , Palma de Mallorca , Spain.
Miguel
M
Román-Rodríguez
b Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Palma (IdISPa) , Palma de Mallorca , Spain.|c Primary Care Research Unit, Majorca Primary Care Department , Balearic Institute of Health , Palma de Mallorca , Spain.
Job F M
JF
van Boven
a Son Pisa Health Center. Majorca Primary Care Department , Balearic Institute of Health , Palma de Mallorca , Spain.
Freya
F
Vargas
a Son Pisa Health Center. Majorca Primary Care Department , Balearic Institute of Health , Palma de Mallorca , Spain.
Cecilia C
CC
Contreras
a Son Pisa Health Center. Majorca Primary Care Department , Balearic Institute of Health , Palma de Mallorca , Spain.
Gema
G
Lamelas
a Son Pisa Health Center. Majorca Primary Care Department , Balearic Institute of Health , Palma de Mallorca , Spain.
Salvador
S
Gestoso
a Son Pisa Health Center. Majorca Primary Care Department , Balearic Institute of Health , Palma de Mallorca , Spain.
Miguel
M
Góngora
a Son Pisa Health Center. Majorca Primary Care Department , Balearic Institute of Health , Palma de Mallorca , Spain.
Maite
M
Corredor
b Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Palma (IdISPa) , Palma de Mallorca , Spain.|c Primary Care Research Unit, Majorca Primary Care Department , Balearic Institute of Health , Palma de Mallorca , Spain.
Magdalena
M
Esteva
D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011320:Primary Health Care; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D013030:Spain; D013147:Spirometry
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; inhaled corticosteroids; primary care; quality of healthcare; treatment