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Prescription Patterns and Burden of Pediatric Asthma in Korea
In Suk Sol1, Yoon Hee Kim1, Soo Yeon Kim1
1Department of Pediatrics, Severance Hospital, Institute of Allergy, Brain Korea 21 PLUS Project for Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Insights
Pediatric asthma prevalence in Korea increased annually, with higher rates in younger children. However, the individual cost of asthma care decreased over the study period.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Pulmonology
- Health Services Research
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Pediatric asthma represents a significant public health concern globally.
- Understanding its prevalence, treatment patterns, and economic impact is crucial for effective healthcare management.
- The Korean National Health Insurance (NHI) database offers a valuable resource for studying pediatric asthma trends.
Purpose of the Study:
- To estimate the prevalence of pediatric asthma in Korea.
- To analyze the prescription patterns of asthma medications in children.
- To determine the economic burden of pediatric asthma in Korea.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of Korean NHI claims data from 2010-2014.
- Defined pediatric asthma based on ICD-10 codes (J45/J46) and maintenance medication prescriptions.
- Identified asthma-related hospitalizations and emergency visits via short-acting beta₂-agonist use.
Main Results:
- Pediatric asthma prevalence in Korea increased from 1,172,807 in 2010 to 1,590,228 in 2014.
- Leukotriene receptor antagonists were the most common outpatient prescription; inhaled corticosteroids were underutilized in children over 6.
- Total direct medical costs ranged from $376-$483 million annually, with per-person costs decreasing from $366 in 2011 to $275 in 2014.
Conclusions:
- Pediatric asthma prevalence in Korea shows an annual increase but declines with age.
- Despite rising prevalence, the individual economic burden of pediatric asthma in Korea is decreasing.
- Findings highlight the need for continued monitoring and potentially revised treatment guidelines for pediatric asthma.
Purpose:
This study aimed to estimate the prevalence, prescription pattern and burden of pediatric asthma in Korea by analyzing the National Health Insurance (NHI) claims data.
Methods:
We retrospectively analyzed the insurance claim records from the Korean NHI claims database from January 2010 to December 2014. Asthmatic patients were defined as children younger than 18 years, with appropriate 10th Revision of the International Classification of Diseases codes (J45 or J46) and a prescription for 1 or more asthma maintenance medications at the same date. Hospitalization and emergency department visits for asthma were defined as use of short-acting beta₂-agonists during hospital visits among asthmatic patients.
Results:
There were 1,172,807 asthmatic children in 2010, which increased steadily to 1,590,228 in 2014 in Korea. The prevalence showed an increasing trend annually for all ages. The mean prevalence by age in those older than 2 years decreased during the study period (from 39.4% in the 2-3 year age group to 2.6% in the 15-18 year age group). In an outpatient prescription, leukotriene receptor antagonists were the most commonly prescribed medication for all ages. Patients older than 6 years for whom inhaled corticosteroids were prescribed comprised less than 15% of asthmatic patients. The total direct medical cost for asthma between 2010 and 2014 ranged from $376 to $483 million. Asthma-related medical cost per person reached its peak in $366 in 2011 and decreased to $275 in 2014.
Conclusions:
The prevalence of pediatric asthma increased annually and decreased with age. Individual cost of asthma showed a decreasing trend in Korean children.
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