Abstract
Background: Understanding the carbon footprint of respiratory care will identify strategies for reduction. Uncontrolled asthma increases exacerbation risk and healthcare resource utilization (HCRU); the impact of good control on the carbon footprint remains to be quantified.
Aim: Describe greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions linked to asthma control in SABINA (short-acting β2-agonist [SABA] use IN Asthma) UK as part of the CARBON (healthCARe-Based carbON cost of treatment) programme.
Methods: Asthma patients (≥12 yrs) enrolled in the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (2007-2017) were included. 1-year GHG emissions from medications, exacerbations (ATS/ERS definition) and HCRU were estimated for controlled (<3 SABA canisters/yr and no exacerbations at baseline) and not controlled patients (≥3 SABA canisters/yr or ≥1 exacerbation) by descriptive statistics.
Results: Of 206,397 patients, 48% were not controlled, 57% were aged 18-54 yrs, 58% female, mean asthma duration 12 yrs and most at BTS step 2 (35%). GHG emissions were 64 kg vs 192 kg CO2 eq/person/yr in the controlled vs not controlled group, or ~157,000 vs 562,000 tonnes CO2 eq when scaled to the UK asthma population (Fig 1). Medications accounted for 99% of GHG emissions, with 63% from SABA usage.
Conclusion: Good asthma control had one-third the carbon footprint of not controlled asthma. Reducing SABA reliance and exacerbations will benefit patients and the environment.
Footnotes
Cite this article as: European Respiratory Journal 2021; 58: Suppl. 65, OA76.
This abstract was presented at the 2021 ERS International Congress, in session “Prediction of exacerbations in patients with COPD”.
This is an ERS International Congress abstract. No full-text version is available. Further material to accompany this abstract may be available at www.ers-education.org (ERS member access only).
- Copyright ©the authors 2021
