Table 3 Characteristics of patients with asthma and no co-existing COPD diagnosis

From: Insights into frequent asthma exacerbations from a primary care perspective and the implications of UK National Review of Asthma Deaths recommendations

 

All patients

(n = 2350)

Non-exacerbators

(n = 2229)

Exacerbators

(n = 121)

p value

SABA ≤12 per year

(n = 2249)

SABA over-users

(n = 101)

p value

Age

 Mean ± SD

46.3 ± 16.7

45.9 ± 16.6

53.2 ± 17.1

p < 0.001

46.2 ± 16.8

47.9 ± 15.0

p = 0.268

Sex

 Female (%)

 Male (%)

1371 (58.4%)

978 (41.6%)

1283 (57.6%)

945 (42.4%)

88 (72.7%)

33 (27.3%)

p = 0.001

1319 (58.7%)

929 (41.3%)

52 (51.5%)

49 (48.5%)

p = 0.183

Age of onset (years)

 <18 (%)

 ≥18 (%)

436 (18.6%)

1914 (81.4%)

422 (18.9%)

1807 (81.1%)

14 (11.6%)

107 (88.4%)

p = 0.056

411 (18.3%)

1838 (81.7%)

25 (24.8%)

76 (75.2%)

p = 0.132

Duration of asthma (years)

 Mean ± SD

19.5 ± 15.2

19.6 ± 15.2

18.8 ± 15.0

p = 0.598

19.4 ± 15.3

21.8 ± 12.2

p = 0.059

Smoking status

 Current smoker (%)

 Ex-smoker (%)

 Never smoked (%)

500 (21.3%)

542 (23.1%)

1308 (55.7%)

472 (21.2%)

514 (23.1%)

1243 (55.8%)

28 (23.1%)

28 (23.1%)

65 (53.7%)

p = 0.863

461 (20.5%)

513 (22.8%)

1275 (56.7%)

39 (38.6%)

29 (28.7%)

33 (32.7%)

p < 0.001

Comorbidities

 Diabetes (%)

 CHD (%)

 Hypertension (%)

 Eczema (%)

 GORD (%)

 Rhinitis (%)

 History of depression (%)

 History of anxiety (%)

 Osteoporosis (%)

142 (6.0%)

118 (5.0%)

404 (17.2%)

246 (10.5%)

189 (8.0%)

447 (19.0%)

528 (22.5%)

228 (9.7%)

73 (3.1%)

128 (5.7%)

107 (4.8%)

373 (16.7%)

237 (10.6%)

178 (8.0%)

419 (18.8%)

491 (22.0%)

217 (9.7%)

65 (2.9%)

14 (11.6%)

11 (9.1%)

31 (25.6%)

9 (7.4%)

11 (9.1%)

28 (23.1%)

37 (30.6%)

11 (9.1%)

8 (6.6%)

p = 0.016

p = 0.050

p = 0.018

p = 0.358

p = 0.608

p = 0.235

p = 0.033

p = 1.000

p = 0.051

133 (5.9%)

113 (5.0%)

388 (17.3%)

229 (10.2%)

176 (7.8%)

427 (19.0%)

488 (21.7%)

217 (9.6%)

66 (2.9%)

9 (8.9%)

5 (5.0%)

16 (15.8%)

17 (16.8%)

13 (12.9%)

20 (19.8%)

40 (39.6%)

11 (10.9%)

7 (6.9%)

p = 0.201

p = 1.000

p = 0.789

p = 0.044

p = 0.088

p = 0.797

p < 0.001

p = 0.609

p = 0.035

Number of comorbidities

 0 (%)

 1 (%)

 2 (%)

 3 (%)

 4+ (%)

915 (38.9%)

809 (34.4%)

405 (17.2%)

149 (6.3%)

72 (3.1%)

886 (39.7%)

762 (34.2%)

370 (16.6%)

146 (6.6%)

65 (2.9%)

29 (24.0%)

47 (38.8%)

35 (28.9%)

3 (2.5%)

7 (5.8%)

p < 0.001

889 (39.5%)

774 (34.4%)

382 (17.0%)

137 (6.1%)

67 (3.0%)

26 (25.7%)

35 (34.7%)

23 (22.8%)

12 (11.9%)

5 (5.0%)

p = 0.012

BTS step at the end of study year

 1 (%)

 2 (%)

 3 (%)

 4 (%)

 5 (%)

 Unclear (%)

470 (20.0%)

723 (30.8%)

938 (39.9%)

190 (8.1%)

4 (0.2%)

25 (1.1%)

466 (20.9%)

705 (31.6%)

873 (39.2%)

158 (7.1%)

2 (0.1%)

25 (1.1%)

4 (3.3%)

18 (14.9%)

65 (53.7%)

32 (26.4%)

2 (1.7%)

0 (0.0%)

p < 0.001

462 (20.5%)

693 (30.8%)

890 (39.6%)

178 (7.9%)

4 (0.2%)

22 (1.0%)

8 (7.9%)

30 (29.7%)

48 (47.5%)

12 (11.9%)

0 (0.0%)

3 (3.0%)

p = 0.011

ICS dose at the end of study year (BDP equivalent)

 Low (%)

 Medium (%)

 High (%)

 Not on ICS (%)

 Unclear (%)

939 (40.0%)

579 (24.6%)

192 (8.2%)

422 (18.0%)

218 (9.3%)

908 (40.7%)

534 (24.0%)

160 (7.2%)

418 (18.8%)

209 (9.4%)

31 (25.6%)

45 (37.2%)

32 (26.4%)

4 (3.3%)

9 (7.4%)

p < 0.001

900 (40.0%)

543 (24.1%)

180 (8.0%)

414 (18.4%)

212 (9.4%)

39 (38.6%)

36 (35.6%)

12 (11.9%)

8 (7.9%)

6 (5.9%)

p = 0.007

Asthma review in past year

 No (%)

 Yes (%)

1134 (48.3%)

1216 (51.7%)

1081 (48.5%)

1148 (51.5%)

53 (43.8%)

68 (56.2%)

p = 0.361

1085 (48.2%)

1164 (51.8%)

49 (48.5%)

52 (51.5%)

p = 1.000

Exacerbators

 No (%)

 Yes (%)

2229 (94.9%)

121 (5.1%)

—

—

—

2138 (95.1%)

111 (4.9%)

91 (90.1%)

10 (9.9%)

p = 0.048

SABA over-users

 No (%)

 Yes (%)

2249 (95.7%)

101 (4.3%)

2138 (95.9%)

91 (4.1%)

111 (91.7%)

10 (8.3%)

p = 0.048

—

—

—

  1. Definitions: Frequent exacerbators, ≥2 courses of oral corticosteroids (OCS) for asthma exacerbations in the past 12 months; SABA over-users, prescribed ≥13 SABA inhalers in the past 12 months
  2. SD standard deviation, SABA short-acting β2-antagonist, COPD chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, CHD coronary heart disease, HBP hypertension, GORD gastro–oesophageal reflux disease, BTS British Thoracic Society, ICS inhaled corticosteroids, BDP beclometasone diproprionate
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