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The use of rhinitis medications in children receiving initial controller therapy for asthma
David A Stempel1, Richard H Stanford, Jacqueline R Carranza Rosenzweig
1Infomed Northwest Bellevue, WA 98004, USA. econmed@msn.com
Insights
Children using asthma controller medications frequently use rhinitis treatments. The study found no significant difference in the use of non-sedating antihistamines (NSA) or intranasal corticosteroids (INCS) across different asthma medication regimens.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Allergy and Immunology
- Respiratory Medicine
- Pharmacotherapy
Background:
- Asthma and allergic rhinitis share common features, suggesting a unified treatment approach.
- Understanding medication use in co-occurring conditions is crucial for effective management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare rhinitis medication use in children initiating different asthma controller therapies.
- To analyze the prescription patterns of non-sedating antihistamines (NSA) and intranasal corticosteroids (INCS) in pediatric asthma patients.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective observational study utilizing a managed care database.
- Included children aged 4-17 with asthma initiating fluticasone propionate/salmeterol (FSC), fluticasone propionate (FP) alone, montelukast (MON), or FP + MON.
- Assessed initiation and mean number of NSA and INCS prescriptions.
Main Results:
- 5247 children were analyzed.
- No significant differences in NSA or INCS prescription rates or mean number of prescriptions were observed across the four asthma therapy groups.
- Relative risk of dispensing NSA or INCS was similar across cohorts.
Conclusions:
- Pediatric patients initiating common asthma controller therapies frequently use rhinitis medications.
- The choice of asthma controller regimen did not influence the quantity or frequency of rhinitis medication use.
Background:
Due to common features of asthma and allergic rhinitis, a single therapeutic approach to treating both of these conditions has been proposed.
Objective:
To compare and contrast the use of rhinitis medications in a group of children initiating various controller therapies for asthma.
Methods:
A retrospective, observational study using an integrated managed care database of children aged 4-17 years with an initial medical claim for asthma and an initial pharmacy claim for fluticasone propionate (FP) and salmeterol in a single inhaler (FSC), FP alone, montelukast (MON), or combination FP + MON. Outcomes included the percentage of children initiating controller asthma therapy with prescriptions for non-sedating antihistamine (NSA) and intranasal corticosteroids (INCS) and the mean number of prescriptions for NSA and INCS.
Results:
A total of 5247 children were included. The percentage of children who filled prescriptions for NSA or INCS and the mean number of prescriptions dispensed was similar among children treated with FSC, FP, MON, and FP + MON. There were no significant differences in the relative risk of dispensing either a NSA or INCS across cohorts. Observational studies are limited by their use of administrative data and lack of access to patient records.
Conclusions:
Children started on common asthma controller therapy are frequent users of rhinitis medications. The quantity and frequency of these medications is not different between dispensed asthma regimens.
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