A Retrospective Claims Database Study to Clarify Treatment Reality of Asthma Patients Before and After Referral to a Specialist.

PURPOSE

Japanese guidelines recommend that patients with uncontrolled asthma be referred by non-specialists to specialists (allergists and/or pulmonologists). This study investigated the reality of clinical practice in asthma patients referred to specialists in Japan.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This was a retrospective, observational cohort study of asthma patients in a health insurance claim database (Cross Fact) referred from facilities with non-specialists to those with specialists from January 2016 to December 2018. The referred asthma patients were defined as patients with ≥4 inhaled corticosteroid (ICS)-containing prescriptions during a 1-year baseline period, with an asthma diagnosis, and who had visited a facility with specialists. Asthma exacerbation, maintenance treatment, laboratory tests, and medical procedures before and after referral were analyzed.

RESULTS

Data for 2135 patients were extracted, of which 420 with referral codes were analyzed. The proportion of patients with asthma exacerbations was 50.2% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 45.4-55.1%) before referral and 37.4% (95% CI: 32.7-42.2%) after, a significant decrease (P<0.001; McNemar test). The proportions of patients prescribed ICS alone, long-acting beta-agonists (LABA), and ICS/LABA were lower after referral than before, but the proportions of patients prescribed long-acting muscarinic antagonists (LAMA), ICS/LABA/LAMA, and biologics increased after referral. More asthma-related laboratory tests were performed after referral, and spirometry incidence increased from 16.4% before referral to 51.4% after referral.

CONCLUSION

This study shows a decrease in asthma exacerbations, change in asthma treatments, and increase in laboratory tests after referral to a specialist, suggesting that referrals to specialists lead to better management of asthma.