Characteristics of elderly patients with asthma who were and were not treated with inhaled corticosteroids following discharge
| No inhaled steroids | Inhaled steroids | p‐Value | |||
| Patients | 2495 (39.9) | 3759 (60.1) | -- | ||
| Age | 74.8±7.2 | 73.9±6.5 | 0.001 | ||
| Male | 749 (30.0) | 1244 (33.1) | 0.007 | ||
| Charlson index score | 0.6±0.9 | 0.6±0.8 | 0.202 | ||
| ≥1 dispensing of medications within 1 year prior to hospitalization: | |||||
| Inhaled β2‐agonists | 1494 (59.9) | 3023 (80.4) | 0.001 | ||
| Inhaled anticholinergics | 521 (20.9) | 1316 (35.0) | 0.001 | ||
| Inhaled corticosteroids | 1101 (44.1) | 2718 (72.3) | 0.001 | ||
| Oral corticosteroids | 759 (30.4) | 1558 (41.4) | 0.001 | ||
| Oral theophyllines | 402 (16.1) | 807 (21.5) | 0.001 | ||
| Number of physician and emergency room visits for asthma occurring within 1 year prior to index hospitalization: | |||||
| Emergency room visit | 1.0±1.2 | 1.5±1.3 | 0.001 | ||
| Outpatient physician visit | 3.9±2.2 | 4.0±2.2 | 0.012 | ||
Data are presented as number (%) or mean±sd.