Table 1 Select baseline demographic and clinical characteristics of initiators of long-acting β-agonist and patients with confirmed asthma or COPD status, January 1, 2005 – December 31, 2008

Age

 20-39

2,081

20.9

65,018

30.2

33,717

38.4

758

3.6

673

8.0

31,951

29.6

 40-64

6,230

62.5

130,968

60.9

50,206

57.1

13,775

65.8

5,895

69.8

67,322

62.4

 >64

1,654

16.6

19,128

8.9

3,941

4.5

6,401

30.6

1,874

22.2

8,566

7.9

Women

5,962

59.8

131,390

61.1

56,437

64.2

9,913

47.4

5,103

60.5

65,899

61.1

Upper respiratory tract conditions

 Sinusitis

1,812

18.2

42,469

19.7

20,310

23.1

2,828

13.5

1,794

21.3

19,349

17.9

 Rhinitis

2,356

23.6

50,513

23.5

32,031

36.5

2,228

10.6

1,965

23.3

16,645

15.4

 Tonsillitis

61

0.6

1,596

0.7

781

0.9

60

0.3

38

0.5

778

0.7

 Nasopharyngitis and Pharyngitis

664

6.7

16,636

7.7

7,393

8.4

859

4.1

597

7.1

8,451

7.8

 Laryngitis

109

1.1

2,062

1.0

797

0.9

197

0.9

125

1.5

1,052

1.0

Lower respiratory tract conditions

 Asthma

4,095

41.1

92,211

42.9

87,864

100.0

0

0.0

8,442

100.0

0

0.0

 COPD

2,428

24.4

26,948

12.5

0

0.0

20,934

100.0

8,442

100.0

0

0.0

 Emphysema

593

6.0

4,633

2.2

230

0.3

3,452

16.5

1,159

13.7

385

0.4

 Bronchitis/Bronchiolitis

3,096

31.1

74,688

34.7

25,329

28.8

11,954

57.1

5,745

68.1

34,756

32.2

 Bronchiectasis

154

1.5

1,116

0.5

300

0.3

351

1.7

170

2.0

449

0.4

 Pneumonia (viral or bacterial)

911

9.1

15,371

7.1

4,629

5.3

3,948

18.9

1,954

23.1

5,751

5.3

Other respiratory disease

 Pleurisy

331

3.3

4,022

1.9

919

1.0

1,580

7.5

555

6.6

1,299

1.2

 Pneumothorax

58

0.6

588

0.3

98

0.1

313

1.5

87

1.0

148

0.1

 Respiratory failure

275

2.8

2,775

1.3

432

0.5

1,445

6.9

732

8.7

441

0.4

 Pulmonary embolism

124

1.2

1,692

0.8

459

0.5

592

2.8

248

2.9

517

0.5

 Pulmonary edema

154

1.5

2,411

1.1

629

0.7

780

3.7

344

4.1

812

0.8

 Congestive heart failure

487

4.9

5,953

2.8

1,041

1.2

2,767

13.2

1,035

12.3

1,597

1.5

 Malignant neoplasm of trachea, bronchus, and lung

200

2.0

1,714

0.8

167

0.2

976

4.7

203

2.4

568

0.5

 Obstructive sleep apnea

224

2.2

3,202

1.5

1,217

1.4

710

3.4

388

4.6

1,111

1.0

Medication use

 LABA^a

9,965

100.0

4,583

2.1

5,746

6.5

2,346

11.2

1,060

12.6

5,396

5.0

 ICS

1,931

19.4

14,621

6.8

9,671

11.0

1,693

8.1

1,423

16.9

3,765

3.5

 Fixed, combined LABA and ICS^a

988

9.9

212,605

98.8

83,675

95.2

19,127

91.4

7,730

91.6

103,061

95.6

 Short-acting beta agonist

4,399

44.1

101,481

47.2

54,461

62.0

9,430

45.0

5,348

63.3

36,641

34.0

 Inhaled anticholinergics

1,811

18.2

14,311

6.7

3,422

3.9

6,900

33.0

2,510

29.7

3,290

3.1

 Combined SABA and inhaled anticholinergics

935

9.4

12,679

5.9

3,983

4.5

4,560

21.8

2,040

24.2

3,031

2.8

 Injected or oral corticosteroids

3,684

37.0

76,198

35.4

36,436

41.5

9,249

44.2

5,509

65.3

28,688

26.6

 Leukotriene modifiers

2,241

22.5

36,924

17.2

22,577

25.7

1,914

9.1

2,283

27.0

12,391

11.5

 Mast cell stabilizers

74

0.7

369

0.2

281

0.3

17

0.1

21

0.2

124

0.1

 Immunoglobulin-E blockers

64

0.6

340

0.2

335

0.4

4

0.0

42

0.5

23

0.0

 Xanthine derivatives

320

3.2

2,142

1.0

936

1.1

599

2.9

445

5.3

482

0.4

Healthcare utilization

 Ambulatory visit

9,340

93.7

204,687

95.2

87,834

100.0

20,895

99.8

8,432

99.9

96,866

89.8

 Emergency department visit

2,278

22.9

46,120

21.4

20,083

22.9

6,764

32.3

3,950

46.8

17,601

16.3

 Inpatient stay

1,258

12.6

18,729

8.7

6,334

7.2

5,784

27.6

3,357

39.8

4,512

4.2

 Pathology/Laboratory code

6,724

67.5

140,407

65.3

58,592

66.7

15,357

73.4

6,504

77.0

66,678

61.8

 Spirometry procedure

3,039

30.5

50,465

23.5

28,720

32.7

7,635

36.5

3,912

46.3

13,237

12.3

 Home oxygen use procedure

783

7.9

6,704

3.1

1,461

1.7

3,402

16.3

1,214

14.4

1,410

1.3

 Cardiovascular procedure

2,936

29.5

52,404

24.4

19,008

21.6

10,399

49.7

4,599

54.5

21,334

19.8

 Surgical procedure

5,283

53.0

106,468

49.5

43,104

49.1

13,216

63.1

5,334

63.2

50,097

46.5

 Anesthesia procedure

1,034

10.4

17,936

8.3

6,887

7.8

2,989

14.3

1,258

14.9

7,836

7.3

 Visit to allergist/immunologist

1,111

11.1

17,759

8.3

14,522

16.5

311

1.5

689

8.2

3,348

3.1

 Visit to pulmonologist

2,622

26.3

27,141

12.6

11,604

13.2

7,856

37.5

4,133

49.0

6,170

5.7