Real-life effectiveness of budesonide/formoterol for the management of asthma and COPD

Abstract

Background budesonide/formoterol DuoResp (DRS) Spiromax® is indicated for the management of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Evidence of safety and efficacy has mainly been gathered from randomised clinical trials, but real-world outcomes need to be addressed. Aim To characterise patients with asthma and COPD changing to DRS Spiromax® from other licensed fixed-dose combination (FDC) inhalers containing inhaled corticosteroids and long-acting β-agonists (ICS/LABA), and describe prescription patterns prior to this change. Methods Historical cohort database study using clinical practice data of UK patients with at least three prescriptions of ICS/LABA FDCs during one year baseline period and selected from the Optimum Patient Care Database.[1] Patients9 demographic and clinical variables were reported as number and percentage. Results Overall, 137 patients were included (54% female; mean age 56 years [SD 15]), of which 99 (72%) had asthma, 20 (15%) had COPD and 18 (13%) had both diagnoses. Most patients with asthma (89%) had uncontrolled/partly controlled disease, and 28% had one or more severe exacerbations. Half of patients with COPD had moderate to severe disease, and 55% had one or more exacerbations. Of all patients, 83% received prescriptions for short-acting β-agonists, and 114 (83%) switched from Symbicort Turbuhaler ® . Conclusion These preliminary results suggest that switching from other FDC inhalers to DRS Spiromax® was either due to poor disease control, or to improve (stabilise) disease control with a new therapy. [1]OPCRD - Optimum Patient Care Research Database (OPCRD). Accessed February 2015. Available at: http://www.optimumpatientcare.org/Html_Docs/OPCRD.html.