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Risk factors and costs associated with an asthma attack.
G Hoskins1, C McCowan, R G Neville
1Tayside Centre for General Practice, University of Dundee, Kirsty Semple Way, Dundee DD2 4AD, UK.
Thorax
|December 23, 1999
Summary
Asthma patients on higher treatment steps face increased attack risk and healthcare costs. Targeted preventive strategies can reduce costs and hospital service strain.
Area of Science:
- Pulmonary Medicine
- Health Economics
Background:
- Identified need to pinpoint asthma patients at high risk of exacerbations.
- Assessed the economic burden of various asthma treatment strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify risk factors for asthma attacks.
- To evaluate the economic impact of asthma management.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective cohort analysis of 12,203 UK asthma patients over one year.
- Logistic regression modeled attack probability based on predictor factors.
- Health service costs calculated using average unit costs and patient resource data.
Main Results:
- 22% of patients experienced an asthma attack, with costs 3.5 times higher than non-attack patients.
- Treatment step in British Thoracic Society (BTS) guidelines was a significant risk factor across most age groups.
- Nighttime symptoms (all but >75 group), exercise-induced symptoms (5-15 group), and poor inhaler technique (16-44 group) were significant predictors.
Conclusions:
- Risk of asthma attack increases with higher BTS treatment steps.
- Poorly controlled asthma significantly impacts healthcare expenditure.
- Targeted preventive measures can reduce costs and hospital service pressures.