Exercise-Induced Bronchoconstriction in Patients With and Without Asthma

Patients with exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB), either alone or with asthma, have significant morbidity. Moreover, while those with EIB related to asthma had higher health care utilizations costs, both groups of patients were similar in their oral corticosteroid usage. These were among the findings of a retrospective, real-world study recently published in the Journal of Asthma and Allergy comparing the characteristics, resource use, and morbidities of patients with EIB with vs without asthma.

Study investigators analyzed US claims data from multiple databases including patients with EIB. The 28,342 patients who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria were designated into 1 of 2 groups: EIB alone (n = 13,480) or EIB with asthma (n = 14,862), based on diagnostic codes. The demographics, treatment patterns, morbidity, and costs of treatment were then compared between these 2 groups.

When the 2 groups were compared, investigators found that the EIB-alone group filed fewer claims for short acting B2 agonist, maintenance therapy, and corticosteroid claims than those in the EIB-with-asthma group. Additionally, those with EIB alone had fewer exercise-induced bronchoconstriction-related emergency department or outpatient visits. Both EIB groups were similar in their annual days’ supply or oral coritcosteroids.

The study authors wrote, “To our knowledge, this is the first real-world study demonstrating the considerable burden of disease associated with EIB with or without a concomitant asthma diagnosis.” They added, “Prospective research in clinical practice settings that analyze methods of diagnosis and the relationships between EIB and asthma control are needed to determine if new therapeutic paradigms for patients with EIB can impact the associated morbidity.”

Disclosure: This clinical trial was supported by AstraZeneca, who had a role in study design, data collection, data analysis, data interpretation, and writing of the report. Additionally, several study authors declared affiliations with the pharmaceutical industry.  Please see the original reference for a full list of authors’ disclosures. Please see the original reference for a full list of authors’ disclosures.

Reference

Lanz MJ, Gilbert IA, Gandhi HN, Goshi N, Tkacz JP, Lugogo NL. Demographics, Treatment Patterns, and Morbidity in Patients with Exercise-Induced Bronchoconstriction: An Administrative Claims Data Analysis. J Asthma Allergy. Published online December 11, 2021. doi:10.2147/JAA.S338447