Table 3

Asthma medication prescription 6 months before and after the test-guided asthma reviews

6 months before asthma review (n=612)6 months after asthma review (n=605)P value
Number (%) of children prescribed ≥1 course of OCS65 (10.6)38 (6.3)0.007*
Median (IQR) dose of daily prescribed ICS per child200 (200–400)200 (200–400)<0.001*
Mean (SD) does of daily prescribed ICS per child191.1 (218.9)218.2 (213.3)
Number (%) of children by daily prescribed ICS dose (mcg)0201 (33)168 (28)
>0–200270 (44)253 (42)
>200–400120 (20)160 (26)
>40021 (3)24 (4)
Median (IQR) number of preventer inhalers prescribed per child2 (1–3)2 (1–4)<0.001*
Mean (SD) number of presenter inhalers prescribed per child1.41 (1.73)1.86 (1.97)
Number (%) of children by number of preventer inhaler prescriptions issued0281 (46)196 (32.4)
1–2190 (31)224 (37)
3–494 (15)123 (20.3)
≥547 (8)62 (10.3)
Median (IQR) number of salbutamol inhalers prescribed per child1 (0–3)2 (1–3)0.511
Mean (SD) number of Salbutamol inhalers prescribed per child1.77 (1.98)1.83 (1.97)
Number (%) of children by number of SABA inhaler prescriptions0180 (29)183 (30)
1–2276 (45)252 (42)
3–491 (15)104 (17)
≥565 (11)66 (11)
  • *P<0.05.

  • ICS, inhaled corticosteroids; OCS, oral corticosteroids; SABA, short-acting inhaled beta agonist.