PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - David Price
AU  - Ian Small
AU  - John Haughney
AU  - Dermot Ryan
AU  - Kevin Gruffydd-Jones
AU  - Federico Lavorini
AU  - Tim Harris
AU  - Annie Burden
AU  - Vicky Thomas
AU  - Julie von Ziegenweidt
AU  - Alberto Papi
TI  - Real world effectiveness of changing combination therapy in primary care asthma management
DP  - 2013 Sep 01
TA  - European Respiratory Journal
PG  - P3824
VI  - 42
IP  - Suppl 57
4099  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/42/Suppl_57/P3824.short
4100  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/42/Suppl_57/P3824.full
SO  - Eur Respir J2013 Sep 01; 42
AB  - Background: The combination therapy beclomethasone dipropionate/formoterol (BDP/FOR; Fostair® 100/6) is increasingly used in UK asthma patients previously receiving fluticasone propionate/salmeterol (FP/SAL; Seretide®).Methods: Retrospective real-life study using Optimum Patient Care and Clinical Practice Research Databases. Patients changing FP/SAL therapy to BDP/FOR at ≤ same dose were compared with patients who remained on same dose of FP/SAL. Patients aged 18-80, with an asthma diagnosis and ≥2 prescriptions for FP/SAL in year prior to change, matched FP/SAL:BDP/FOR 3:1 (n=1146:382) on demographic and disease characteristics. Outcomes: severe exacerbations (ATS/ERS defined); asthma control (no severe exacerbations, lower respiratory infection + antibiotics, or out-patient attendance); asthma control including short acting β-agonist (SABA) use; odds of higher SABA use. Non-inferiority reached if proportion of patients recording 0 exacerbations is ≤0.10 lower for BDP/FOR compared with FP/SAL.Results: Adjusted difference in proportions of pts recording 0 exacerbations (95% CI) is 0.01 (-0.03, 0.04). Odds and rate ratios for outcomes shown in figure.Average ICS dose in outcome year (median [IQR]): 411.0 (246.6, 575.4) for FP/SAL and 295.9 (230.2, 394.5) for BDP/FOR.Conclusions: BDP/FOR prescribed at a lower dose is non-inferior in exacerbation prevention compared with FP/SAL in matched real-life asthma patients.