Can I read Anti-asthma medication prescribing to children in the Lombardy Region of Italy: chronic versus new users on EtoBox?

Anti-asthma medication prescribing to children in the Lombardy Region of Italy: chronic versus new users by Marina Bianchi; Antonio Clavenna; Marco Sequi,; Angela Bortolotti; Ida Fortino; Luca Merlino; Maurizio Bonati is a Medicine article available to read on EtoBox.

What is Anti-asthma medication prescribing to children in the Lombardy Region of Italy: chronic versus new users about?

## Background Although anti-asthma medications are amongst those most frequently under or over prescribed it is generally accepted that prescriptions for such agents can be used as a proxy for disease prevalence. The aims of this study were to estimate prevalence and incidence of childhood asthma in a representative Italian area by analysing three years of anti-asthmatic prescriptions and hospitalizations of subjects with chronic or first time treatment, and to underline appropriateness of therapeutic choices. ## Methods The analysis involved prescriptions given to 6-17 year olds between 2003 and 2005 in Italy's Lombardy Region. The youths were classified as potential asthmatics, based on the different degree of drug utilization: occasional, low or high users, and grouped as 'new onset' or 'chronic' cases based on the duration of therapy dispensed. The analysis of prescriptions and hospitalization rate of these groups provided an estimate of the 2005 asthma prevalence and incidence and allowed an estimation of the level of appropriateness of treatments. ## Results During 2005, the estimated incidence of potential asthmatics was 0.8% and the estimated prevalence was 3.5%. When viewe

Who reads Anti-asthma medication prescribing to children in the Lombardy Region of Italy: chronic versus new users?

Author

Marina Bianchi; Antonio Clavenna; Marco Sequi,; Angela Bortolotti; Ida Fortino; Luca Merlino; Maurizio Bonati

Publisher

BioMed Central; Springer (Biomed Central Ltd.); London: BioMed Central, 2001-; Springer Science and Business Media LLC; Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration Inc. (ISSN 1471-2466)

Published

2011

Language

EN

Field

Medicine (Health Sciences)