Impact of family socioeconomic position on childhood asthma outcomes, severity, and specialist referral - a Danish nationwide study.

BACKGROUND: Asthma is the most common chronic illness in children, carrying a major burden. Socioeconomic position (SEP) affects adult asthma outcomes, but its impact on childhood asthma, particularly in primary versus specialist care, has not been studied thoroughly. METHODS: In a Danish cohort consisting of all children aged 2-17 years redeeming inhaled corticosteroids in 2015, parental SEP impact on asthma outcomes was investigated. Workforce attachment, income, education, and metropolitan residence were chosen as covariates in logistic regression. Outcomes were uncontrolled (excessive use of short-acting beta2-agonists), exacerbating (oral corticosteroid use or hospitalization), and severe asthma (according to GINA 2020). RESULTS: The cohort comprised 29,851 children (median age 8.0, 59% boys). 16% had uncontrolled asthma, 8% had ≥1 exacerbation. Lower income and metropolitan residence correlated with higher odds of poor control, exacerbations, and severe asthma. Lower education correlated with worse asthma outcomes. Education and income were protective factors in primary care, but not in specialist care. Metropolitan residence was the sole factor linked to specialist care referral for severe asthma. CONCLUSION: Low parental SEP and metropolitan residence associated with poor asthma outcomes. However, specialist care often mitigated these effects, though such care was less likely for at-risk children in non-metropolitan areas.

Adherence to inhaled corticosteroids in relation to quality of life and symptoms of anxiety and depression in asthma.

Background: Poor asthma control, often caused by non-adherence with controller medication, is a well-known risk factor for impaired quality of life (QoL) and major mood disorders (MMD). Previous studies have shown a relationship between non-adherence, lower QoL, and MMD across chronic diseases, but the relationship remains uncertain in asthma. Methods: All asthma patients followed at the respiratory outpatient clinic at Copenhagen University Hospital - Hvidovre were invited to fill-in the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the Mini Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (miniAQLQ). Medication Possession Ratio (MPR) was calculated using pharmacy redemption data. Relationships between questionnaire scores, inhaled corticosteroid MPR and use of rescue medication were investigated using Pearson correlation and multivariable linear regression adjusted for age, sex, FEV1, and GINA Step. Data from scheduled visits were collected from patients' medical records. Results: A total of 308 patients (73% females, median age 51 years (interquartile range (IQR) 37, 62)) completed the questionnaires and had 1-year medication data available. Median adherence to inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) was 57% (35%, 75%) with 18% of patients having adherence above 80%. Of the participating patients, 14% and 27% reported depressive and anxiety-related symptoms, respectively, and 72% reported impaired QoL. In correlation analyses, ICS adherence was not significantly associated with either prevalence of MMD symptoms or impaired QoL in asthma patients. However, a strong correlation was found between ACQ-6 and both MMD symptoms and impaired QoL, as well as between rescue medication use and impaired QoL. In adjusted analysis, however, the latter correlation was no longer statistically significant. Conclusion: Our results suggest that ICS adherence is not directly correlated with either impaired quality of life or major mood disorder symptoms in asthma patients. Self-reported asthma control, on the other hand, is strongly correlated with both QoL and MMD.

High Use of Antidepressant Medication in Both Mild-to-Modelate and Possible Severe Asthma - A Nationwide Cohort Study.

PURPOSE: In asthma, increased severity has been linked to depression assessed as assessed by patient-reported outcomes. However, little is known about predictors of antidepressant use in asthma compared to the background population. METHODS: The study consists of 60,534 asthma patients aged 18-45 and a 1:1 age- and sex-matched control group. Using national registries and prescription data, the prevalence of and risk factors for antidepressant use were investigated by logistic regression adjusted for age, sex, workforce and civil status, income- and education-level and comorbidity. Results presented as odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). RESULTS: A total of 16% and 22%, respectively, among patients with mild-to-moderate and possible severe asthma redeemed antidepressant drugs, compared to 10% of controls. Antidepressant use was more prevalent amongst patients with high rescue medication use (>600 annual doses) and those with a history of moderate or severe exacerbation(s). Both mild-to-moderate and possible severe asthma were independent risk factors for antidepressant use (OR 1.40 (95% CI 1.35, 1.46) and OR 1.55 (95% CI 1.41, 1.70), respectively). Female sex, age, being divorced or never married, having only primary education or currently being under education, as well as being on welfare/transfer income increased odds of antidepressant use. Completing higher education and having high income were associated with lower odds. CONCLUSION: In asthma, antidepressant use is significantly higher than in the background population. Even after adjusting for known risk factors, asthma remains a predictor of antidepressant use, signalling a psychologic burden related to living with asthma.