Table 1 Numbers of children in database on 1 January each year 1992–2004 and number with an asthma diagnosis prescribed short-acting β-agonists alone, inhaled corticosteroids, long-acting β-agonist and leukotriene receptor antagonist
1992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004
Total number of children235 679248 062264 336279 157305 413335 647359 057402 563434 847460 257446 606442 661439 137
Short-acting β-agonist alone3319 (1.4)4063 (1.6)4393 (1.7)5136 (1.8)5064 (1.7)4957 (1.5)4557 (1.3)4176 (1.0)3768 (0.9)3547 (0.8)3029 (0.7)2392 (0.5)1829 (0.4)
Inhaled corticosteroids6319 (2.7)8980 (3.6)12 392 (4.7)16 589 (5.9)20 100 (6.6)23 587 (7.0)25 178 (7.0)24 849 (6.2)24 402 (5.6)24 157 (5.2)22 224 (5.0)18 494 (4.2)14 426 (3.3)
Long-acting β-agonist and inhaled corticosteroid32 (0.01)183 (0.07)360 (0.14)548 (0.20)750 (0.25)1091 (0.33)1325 (0.37)1436 (0.36)1557 (0.36)1716 (0.37)1862 (0.41)1807 (0.41)1540 (0.35)
Leukotriene receptor antagonist and inhaled corticosteroid000000123 (0.03)167 (0.04)236 (0.05)374 (0.08)470 (0.11)532 (0.12)551 (0.13)
  • Values in parentheses are percentages.