Format:
Online-Ressource
Content:
Background Inhaled, long-acting beta-2-adrenoceptor agonists (LABA) have well-established roles in asthma and/or COPD treatment. Drug utilisation patterns for LABA have been described, but few studies have directly compared LABA use in different countries. We aimed to compare the prevalence of LABA-containing prescriptions in five European countries using a standardised methodology. Methods A common study protocol was applied to seven European healthcare record databases (Denmark, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands (2), and the UK (2)) to calculate crude and age-and sex-standardised annual period prevalence rates (PPRs) of LABA-containing prescriptions from 2002-2009. Annual PPRs were stratified by sex, age, and indication (asthma, COPD, asthma and COPD). Results From 2002-2009, age-and sex-standardised PPRs of patients with LABA-containing medications increased in all databases (58.2%-185.1%). Highest PPRs were found in men 〉= 80 years old and women 70-79 years old. Regarding the three indications, the highest age-and sex-standardised PPRs in all databases were found in patients with "asthma and COPD" but with large inter-country variation. In those with asthma or COPD, lower PPRs and smaller inter-country variations were found. For all three indications, PPRs for LABA-containing prescriptions increased with age. Conclusions Using a standardised protocol that allowed direct inter-country comparisons, we found highest rates of LABA-containing prescriptions in elderly patients and distinct differences in the increased utilisation of LABA-containing prescriptions within the study period throughout the five European countries.
In:
Datenlieferant: Open Access LMU (Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich)
Language:
English
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0117628
URN:
urn:nbn:de:bvb:19-epub-34411-8
URL:
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0117628
URL:
https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:bvb:19-epub-34411-8
URL:
https://epub.ub.uni-muenchen.de/34411/1/10.1371_journal.pone.0117628.pdf
URL:
https://epub.ub.uni-muenchen.de/34411/
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