PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - James Zazzali
AU  - Eunice Chang
AU  - Michael Broder
TI  - Health care claims analysis to quantify the burden of moderate-to-severe asthma
DP  - 2012 Sep 01
TA  - European Respiratory Journal
PG  - P1300
VI  - 40
IP  - Suppl 56
4099  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/40/Suppl_56/P1300.short
4100  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/40/Suppl_56/P1300.full
SO  - Eur Respir J2012 Sep 01; 40
AB  - Objectives: To describe the economic burden and health services use among moderate to severe asthma patients.Methods: Retrospective cross-sectional cohort analysis using health insurance claims. Study period was 01/07/2006 through 30/06/2007. It included patients age ≥12 who had an asthma diagnosis and used medium to high dose ICS/LABA with or without oral steroids and/or omalizumab (US National Heart Lung and Blood Institute [NHLBI] Steps 4-6) and who did not have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).Results:View this table:Conclusions: The economic burden of health care on patients with moderate-to-severe asthma is quite high and increases with disease severity. Although health care utilization by asthma patients has decreased in recent years, patients with severe asthma still spend significantly more time and money on health care than those who have more manageable symptoms. Medications that better target both asthma symptoms and the underlying disease process should reduce these costs.