학술논문

Characterisation of the Australian Adult Population Living with Asthma: Severe--Exacerbation Frequency, Long-Term OCS Use and Adverse Effects
ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Document Type
Academic Journal
Source
Pragmatic and Observational Research. July 31, 2022, Vol. 13, p43, 16 p.
Subject
Australia
France
Germany
United Kingdom
Language
English
ISSN
1179-7266
Abstract
Introduction Asthma is a chronic respiratory condition characterised by underlying airway inflammation and bronchoconstriction, which can fluctuate in severity and frequency over time. (1) The prevalence of asthma in the [...]
Introduction: Asthma poses a significant burden for the Australian population. Understanding severe exacerbation rates, and steroid-related burden for adults diagnosed with asthma stands to offer insights into how this could be reduced. Methods: Electronic medical records (EMR) and questionnaires from the Optimum Patient Care Research Database Australia (OPCRDA) were utilised retrospectively. OPCRDA is a real-world database with >800,000 medical records from Australian primary care practices. Outcomes were severe asthma exacerbations in Australian adults, over a 12-month period, stratified by Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) treatment intensity steps, and steroid associated comorbidities. Results: Of the 7868 adults treated for asthma, 19% experienced at least one severe exacerbation in the last 12-months. Severe exacerbation frequency increased with treatment intensity ([greater than or equal to]1 severe exacerbation GINA 1 13%; GINA 4 23%; GINA 5a 33% and GINA 5b 28%). Questionnaire participants reported higher rates of severe exacerbations than suggested from their EMR (32% vs 23%) especially in steps 1, 4 and 5. Patients repeatedly exposed to steroids had an increased risk of osteoporosis (OR 1.95, 95% CI 1.43-2.66) and sleep apnoea (OR 1.78, 95% CI 1.30-2.46). Conclusion: The Australian population living with GINA 1,4, 5a and 5b asthma have high severe exacerbation rates and steroid-related burden, especially when compared to other first world countries, with these patients needing alternative strategies or possibly specialist assessment to better manage their condition. Keywords: asthma, exacerbations, oral corticosteroids, adults, Australia