Short-acting β₂-agonists and exacerbations in children with asthma in England: SABINA Junior

Prescription of three or more short-acting β₂-agonist (SABA) canisters per year in adult and adolescent asthma populations is associated with a risk of severe exacerbations; however, evidence in children aged <12 years is limited.

This study analysed data on children and adolescents with asthma in three age cohorts: 1‒5 years, 6‒11 years and 12‒17 years from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink Aurum database for the period 1 January 2007 to 31 December 2019. Associations between SABA prescriptions (three or more versus fewer than three canisters per year) at baseline, defined as 6 months after an asthma diagnosis as a binary exposure variable, and the rate of future asthma exacerbations, defined as oral corticosteroid burst therapy, an emergency department visit or hospital admission, were assessed by multilevel negative binomial regression, adjusted for relevant demographic and clinical confounders.

Overall 48 560, 110 091 and 111 891 paediatric patients with asthma were aged 1‒5, 6‒11 and 12‒17 years, respectively. During the baseline period, 22 423 (46.2%), 42 137 (38.3%) and 40 288 (36.0%) in these three age cohorts, respectively, were prescribed three or more SABA canisters per year. Across all age ranges, the rate of future asthma exacerbations in those prescribed three or more versus fewer than three SABA canisters per year was at least two-fold higher. >30% of patients across all age cohorts were not prescribed inhaled corticosteroids (ICS), and the median proportion of days covered was only 33%, suggesting inadequate prescribing of ICS.

In children, higher SABA prescriptions at baseline were associated with increased future exacerbation rates. These findings highlight the need for monitoring prescription of three or more SABA canisters per year to identify children with asthma at risk of exacerbations.