Severe, eosinophilic asthma in primary care in Canada: a longitudinal study of the clinical burden and economic impact based on linked electronic medical record data
Abstract Background Stratification of patients with severe asthma by blood eosinophil counts predicts responders to anti-interleukin (IL)-5 (mepolizumab and reslizumab) and anti-IL-5 receptor α (benralizumab) therapies. This study characterized patients with severe asthma who could qualify for these...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2018-04-01
|
| Series: | Allergy, Asthma & Clinical Immunology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13223-018-0241-1 |
| _version_ | 1828157485522878464 |
|---|---|
| author | Don Husereau Jason Goodfield Richard Leigh Richard Borrelli Michel Cloutier Alain Gendron |
| author_facet | Don Husereau Jason Goodfield Richard Leigh Richard Borrelli Michel Cloutier Alain Gendron |
| author_sort | Don Husereau |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Stratification of patients with severe asthma by blood eosinophil counts predicts responders to anti-interleukin (IL)-5 (mepolizumab and reslizumab) and anti-IL-5 receptor α (benralizumab) therapies. This study characterized patients with severe asthma who could qualify for these biologics in a primary care setting. Methods We retrospectively selected patients from July 1, 2010, to June 30, 2014, using a linked electronic medical records (EMR) database (IMS Evidence 360 EMR Canada) for > 950,000 patients in primary care in Ontario, Canada. Patients aged ≥ 12 years with ≥ 2 documented asthma diagnoses were identified as having severe asthma based on prescriptions for high-dosage inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) plus either a leukotriene receptor antagonist, long-acting β2-agonist (LABA), or theophylline filled on the same day. Patients’ asthma was considered severe also if they received a prescription for ICS with oral corticosteroids (OCS) or an additional prescription for omalizumab. Patient characteristics, asthma-related medications, and blood eosinophil counts were captured using observed care patterns for the year prior to ICS/LABA and/or OCS prescription. Health care resource use (HCRU) and costs were captured throughout the 1-year follow-up period. Results We identified 212 patients who met the criteria for severe asthma. These patients required an average of 6.5 physician visits during the 1-year follow-up period (95% confidence interval 5.7–7.3), and 20 (9%) were referred to respiratory specialists. Overall, 56 patients (26%) with severe asthma had complete blood counts, of whom 23 (41%) had blood eosinophil counts ≥ 300 cells/μL and might be considered for anti-eosinophil therapies. Patients with severe asthma and blood eosinophil counts ≥ 300 cells/μL had more respiratory specialist referrals (17% vs. 12%) than patients with blood eosinophils < 300 cells/μL. Conclusions Our data suggest that during 2010–2014, Ontario primary care patients with severe asthma and high blood eosinophil counts had greater HRCU than those with lower counts. Approximately 41% of patients with severe asthma could qualify for anti-eosinophil drugs based on blood eosinophil counts. However, the eosinophilic status of most patients was unknown. It is appropriate to increase awareness of the use of blood eosinophil counts to identify patients who could be considered for anti-eosinophil therapies. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T23:30:17Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b2ec169eb79d4eecb72352ab5b9e224d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1710-1492 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T23:30:17Z |
| publishDate | 2018-04-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Allergy, Asthma & Clinical Immunology |
| spelling | doaj.art-b2ec169eb79d4eecb72352ab5b9e224d2022-12-22T03:57:11ZengBMCAllergy, Asthma & Clinical Immunology1710-14922018-04-011411910.1186/s13223-018-0241-1Severe, eosinophilic asthma in primary care in Canada: a longitudinal study of the clinical burden and economic impact based on linked electronic medical record dataDon Husereau0Jason Goodfield1Richard Leigh2Richard Borrelli3Michel Cloutier4Alain Gendron5Department of Epidemiology and Community Medicine, School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of OttawaIQVIADepartment of Medicine, Cumming School of Medicine, University of CalgaryIQVIAIQVIAAstraZeneca Canada IncAbstract Background Stratification of patients with severe asthma by blood eosinophil counts predicts responders to anti-interleukin (IL)-5 (mepolizumab and reslizumab) and anti-IL-5 receptor α (benralizumab) therapies. This study characterized patients with severe asthma who could qualify for these biologics in a primary care setting. Methods We retrospectively selected patients from July 1, 2010, to June 30, 2014, using a linked electronic medical records (EMR) database (IMS Evidence 360 EMR Canada) for > 950,000 patients in primary care in Ontario, Canada. Patients aged ≥ 12 years with ≥ 2 documented asthma diagnoses were identified as having severe asthma based on prescriptions for high-dosage inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) plus either a leukotriene receptor antagonist, long-acting β2-agonist (LABA), or theophylline filled on the same day. Patients’ asthma was considered severe also if they received a prescription for ICS with oral corticosteroids (OCS) or an additional prescription for omalizumab. Patient characteristics, asthma-related medications, and blood eosinophil counts were captured using observed care patterns for the year prior to ICS/LABA and/or OCS prescription. Health care resource use (HCRU) and costs were captured throughout the 1-year follow-up period. Results We identified 212 patients who met the criteria for severe asthma. These patients required an average of 6.5 physician visits during the 1-year follow-up period (95% confidence interval 5.7–7.3), and 20 (9%) were referred to respiratory specialists. Overall, 56 patients (26%) with severe asthma had complete blood counts, of whom 23 (41%) had blood eosinophil counts ≥ 300 cells/μL and might be considered for anti-eosinophil therapies. Patients with severe asthma and blood eosinophil counts ≥ 300 cells/μL had more respiratory specialist referrals (17% vs. 12%) than patients with blood eosinophils < 300 cells/μL. Conclusions Our data suggest that during 2010–2014, Ontario primary care patients with severe asthma and high blood eosinophil counts had greater HRCU than those with lower counts. Approximately 41% of patients with severe asthma could qualify for anti-eosinophil drugs based on blood eosinophil counts. However, the eosinophilic status of most patients was unknown. It is appropriate to increase awareness of the use of blood eosinophil counts to identify patients who could be considered for anti-eosinophil therapies.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13223-018-0241-1AsthmaSevereEosinophiliaInterleukin-5 |
| spellingShingle | Don Husereau Jason Goodfield Richard Leigh Richard Borrelli Michel Cloutier Alain Gendron Severe, eosinophilic asthma in primary care in Canada: a longitudinal study of the clinical burden and economic impact based on linked electronic medical record data Allergy, Asthma & Clinical Immunology Asthma Severe Eosinophilia Interleukin-5 |
| title | Severe, eosinophilic asthma in primary care in Canada: a longitudinal study of the clinical burden and economic impact based on linked electronic medical record data |
| title_full | Severe, eosinophilic asthma in primary care in Canada: a longitudinal study of the clinical burden and economic impact based on linked electronic medical record data |
| title_fullStr | Severe, eosinophilic asthma in primary care in Canada: a longitudinal study of the clinical burden and economic impact based on linked electronic medical record data |
| title_full_unstemmed | Severe, eosinophilic asthma in primary care in Canada: a longitudinal study of the clinical burden and economic impact based on linked electronic medical record data |
| title_short | Severe, eosinophilic asthma in primary care in Canada: a longitudinal study of the clinical burden and economic impact based on linked electronic medical record data |
| title_sort | severe eosinophilic asthma in primary care in canada a longitudinal study of the clinical burden and economic impact based on linked electronic medical record data |
| topic | Asthma Severe Eosinophilia Interleukin-5 |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13223-018-0241-1 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT donhusereau severeeosinophilicasthmainprimarycareincanadaalongitudinalstudyoftheclinicalburdenandeconomicimpactbasedonlinkedelectronicmedicalrecorddata AT jasongoodfield severeeosinophilicasthmainprimarycareincanadaalongitudinalstudyoftheclinicalburdenandeconomicimpactbasedonlinkedelectronicmedicalrecorddata AT richardleigh severeeosinophilicasthmainprimarycareincanadaalongitudinalstudyoftheclinicalburdenandeconomicimpactbasedonlinkedelectronicmedicalrecorddata AT richardborrelli severeeosinophilicasthmainprimarycareincanadaalongitudinalstudyoftheclinicalburdenandeconomicimpactbasedonlinkedelectronicmedicalrecorddata AT michelcloutier severeeosinophilicasthmainprimarycareincanadaalongitudinalstudyoftheclinicalburdenandeconomicimpactbasedonlinkedelectronicmedicalrecorddata AT alaingendron severeeosinophilicasthmainprimarycareincanadaalongitudinalstudyoftheclinicalburdenandeconomicimpactbasedonlinkedelectronicmedicalrecorddata |