Asthma rescue and allergy medication use among asthmatic children with prior allergy prescriptions who initiated asthma controller therapy
- 31 August 2005
- journal article
- Published by Elsevier BV in Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology
- Vol. 95 (2), 129-136
- https://doi.org/10.1016/s1081-1206(10)61201-x
Abstract
Asthma and allergic rhinitis are frequently comorbid conditions. Montelukast is effective in treating both diseases and may reduce total medication use among children with asthma and allergic rhinitis.To determine the differences in respiratory and allergy medication use and costs, as proxies for control, in pediatric patients with asthma and allergy who initiated asthma controller therapy.A 24-month, retrospective, pre-post cohort study using a pharmacy claims database of children (age < 16 years) with 2 or more consecutive asthma controller prescriptions and 1 or more allergy prescription (within 12 months before initial controller prescription). Children taking inhaled corticosteroids (ICSs) and montelukast were matched one to one based on age, days of prior allergic rhinitis therapy supply, duration of controller therapy, and propensity score. Differences in costs of rescue or acute asthma medications, prescription allergy medications, other respiratory medications, and the number of days of rescue or acute asthma medication use and allergy medication use were calculated.A total of 1,236 children were matched into ICS and montelukast groups (n = 618 each). Montelukast patients had a smaller cost increase overall compared with ICS patients (combined cost for rescue or acute asthma medications, allergy medications, and other respiratory medications: $5.55 vs $12.08, P < .001). Cost increase for rescue or acute asthma medications was significantly lower in the montelukast group ($0.94 vs $3.82, P = .003). The cost increase for allergy medications ($5.29 vs $10.06, P < .001) was also significantly lower in the montelukast group. Patients taking montelukast also had fewer days of therapy with asthma rescue medication and allergy medication compared with patients taking ICSs.Initiating therapy with montelukast was associated with better asthma and allergy control demonstrated via lower increase in use and costs of asthma rescue and allergy medications compared with initiating ICS therapy.Keywords
This publication has 29 references indexed in Scilit:
- Montelukast improves symptoms of seasonal allergic rhinitis over a 4‐week treatment periodAllergy, 2003
- Randomized controlled trial evaluating the clinical benefit of montelukast for treating spring seasonal allergic rhinitisAnnals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, 2003
- Atopic diseases of childhoodCurrent Opinion in Pediatrics, 2002
- Efficacy and tolerability of montelukast alone or in combination with loratadine in seasonal allergic rhinitis: a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial performed in the fallAnnals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, 2002
- Eosinophils are a feature of upper and lower airway pathology in non‐atopic asthma, irrespective of the presence of rhinitisClinical and Experimental Allergy, 2000
- Role for cysteinyl leukotriene receptor antagonist therapy in asthma and their potential role in allergic rhinitis based on the concept of “one linked airway disease”Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, 2000
- Allergic rhinobronchitis: The asthma–allergic rhinitis linkJournal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 1999
- PEN3: DEVELOPMENT OF AN ALGORITHM FOR ESTIMATING ASTHMA SEVERITY FROM AN ADMINISTRATIVE COST DATABASEValue in Health, 1999
- Once daily intranasal fluticasone propionate (200 μg) reduces nasal symptoms and inflammation but also attenuates the increase in bronchial responsiveness during the pollen season in allergic rhinitisJournal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 1996
- Asthma and Allergic Rhinitis in the Same PatientsAllergy, 1983