Observed Outcomes Associated With Fluticasone Propionate/Salmeterol Xinafoate or Inhaled Corticosteroids in Asthma Patients
Observed Outcomes Associated With Fluticasone Propionate/Salmeterol Xinafoate or Inhaled Corticosteroids in Asthma Patients
This is an observational retrospective analysis of linked pharmacy and medical claims data
 from IMS Health/Pharmetrics database. which is a comprehensive, de-identified United States
 (US) healthcare claims database that is representative of the non-elderly, insurance-carrying
 population, The total population is 35.4 million. The average length of follow-up is 2.7
 years mean (2.2 years median).

 Subjects will be identified in the database that have at least one ICD-9 diagnostic code
 (493.xx) for asthma and at least 1 asthma treatment within a 12-month period prior to the
 index use of fluticsasone propionate/salmeterol xinafoate or inhaled corticosteroids.
 Subjects will be followed in the database until they have the event of interest
 (asthma-related emergency department visit, hospitalization, or oral corticosteroid use or
 combination of asthma-related emergency department/hospitalization or asthma-related
 emergency department/hospitalization/oral corticosteroids) or until they are lost to follow
 up whichever comes first. Subjects can be censored if they leave the database, have the event
 of interest, or are dispensed another asthma controller other than the medication of
 interest. All outcomes will be assessed in the follow-up period. Time-dependent statistical
 models adjusting for differences in baseline (pre-index) asthma and patient demographics will
 be used to compare asthma events.
Inclusion Criteria:

 -  One or more medical claims with a diagnosis (primary or secondary) of asthma (ICD-9-CM
 493.XX) during study period;

 -  One or more outpatient pharmacy claims during the study for one or more of the
 following "study medications":

 -  Fluticasone propionate/salmeterol xinafoate 250 mcg/50 mcg or 100mcg/50mcg
 combinations

 -  Fluticasone propionate 110 mcg or 220 mcg

 -  One or more asthma exacerbations (asthma-related hospitalization or emergency
 department visit, oral corticosteriod prescription drug claim, or a combination of any
 of the above events) during the 12 months prior to the index date ("pre-index period")
 or

 -  Five or more prescriptions for a short-acting beta agonist during the pre-index
 period.

 Exclusion Criteria:

 -  Patients with more than one of the study medications during the 3-month period
 beginning with the index date;

 -  One or more prescriptions within three months of index date (pre or post) for an ICS
 or LABA other than the study medications

 -  One or more prescriptions within three months of post index date for:

 -  Any asthma maintenance medication

 -  Any medical claims during study period with a diagnosis of: Chronic obstructive
 pulmonary disease (COPD) (ICD-9-CM 491, 492, or 496); or Respiratory tract cancer
 (ICD-9-CM 160-164, or 231)