Search

Objectives: Patients with SLE have an increased risk of comorbidities and impaired survival. We aimed to assess whether various thresholds of oral CS (OCS) can predict development of infections, comorbidities, malignancies and survival in SLE using data from national health registries in Sweden. Methods: All incident SLE cases, age >18 years, in Sweden (n = 5309) between 2005 and 2020 and matched population controls (n = 26 545) were included and followed until 2020, a total of 257 942 patient years. Data from national registers were retrieved including information from the National Prescribed Drug Register. Risk factors were analysed using time-dependent Cox regression models. Results: Compared with no OCS, >0 to <5.0 mg/day, 5.0-7.5 mg/day as well as >7.5 mg/day OCS predicted development of infections (pneumonia, influenza, herpes zoster and urinary tract infection), osteoporosis, osteonecrosis, gastroduodenal ulcers, cataracts, hypertension and mortality (all P < 0.05). OCS >0 to <5.0 mg/day was associated with lower hazard ratios for these comorbidities than higher doses of OCS. Fifteen years after diagnosis, 48% of patients were taking OCS at a median dose of 5.7 mg/day. A small reduction of OCS treatment 5 years after diagnosis in patients diagnosed with SLE 2006-10 compared with 2011-15 was observed, 49% vs 46% respectively (P = 0.039). Conclusion: Results highlight the potential harm associated with even low OCS dose treatment in SLE and the need to judiciously use OCS at the lowest possible dose to maximize efficacy and minimize harm.

Background: Short-acting beta(2)-agonist (SABA) overuse has been associated with an increased risk of exacerbations in asthma; however, less is known about SABA use in COPD. Our aim was to describe SABA use and investigate potential associations between high SABA use and the risk of future exacerbations and mortality in COPD. Methods: This observational study identified COPD patients in primary care medical records in Sweden. Data were linked to the National Patient Registry, the Prescribed Drug Registry and the Cause of Death Registry. The index date was 12 months after the date of COPD diagnosis. During a 12-month prior to index baseline period, information on SABA use was collected. Patients were followed with respect to exacerbations and mortality for 12 months post index. Results: Of the 19 794 COPD patients included (mean age 69.1 years, 53.3% females), 15.5% and 7.0% had collected >= 3 or >= 6 SABA canisters during the baseline period, respectively. A higher level of SABA use (>= 6 canisters) was independently associated with a higher risk of both moderate and severe exacerbations (hazard ratio (HR) 1.28 (95% CI 1.17.1.40) and 1.76 (95% CI 1.50.2.06), respectively) during follow-up. In total, 673 (3.4%) patients died during the 12-month follow-up period. An independent association was found between high SABA use and overall mortality (HR 1.60, 95% CI 1.07.2.39). This association, however, was not found in patients using inhaled corticosteroids as maintenance treatment. Conclusion: In COPD patients in Sweden, high SABA use is relatively common and associated with a higher risk of exacerbations and all-cause mortality.

Anders Løkke,1,2 Ole Hilberg,1,2 Peter Lange,3,4 Rikke Ibsen,5 Gunilla Telg,6 Georgios Stratelis,6 Jesper Lykkegaard7 1Department of Medicine, Little Belt Hospital, Vejle, Denmark; 2Department of Regional Health Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark; 3Medical Department, Copenhagen University Hospital-Herlev, Herlev, Denmark; 4Department of Public Health, Section of Epidemiology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; 5i2Minds, Aarhus, Denmark; 6AstraZeneca Nordic, Södertälje, Sweden; 7Research Unit for General Practice, Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, DenmarkCorrespondence: Anders Løkke, Department of Medicine, Little Belt Hospital, Vejle, Denmark, Email Anders.Lokke@rsyd.dkObjective: Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) commonly present with cardiovascular disease (CVD). We investigated the association between COPD exacerbations and major cardiovascular (CV) events in a COPD population with a history of CVD.Methods: This population-based and register-based cohort study identified all Danish COPD patients aged ≥ 40 years who visited a hospital-based, pulmonary outpatient clinic for COPD between 1st January, 2010, and 31st December, 2016, from a nationwide COPD registry. Patients with a history of a major CV event 36‒6 months prior to their COPD measurement date and no CV event 6 months before this date were included. During a 6-month assessment period, the risks of a new CV event (hospitalization with fatal/non-fatal stroke, myocardial infarction, or heart failure) and moderate and severe COPD exacerbations were evaluated. Odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals for CV events and death were estimated using adjusted logistic regression models.Results: Of the 1501 COPD patients included, 55% experienced a COPD exacerbation and 13% experienced both an exacerbation and a CV event during follow-up (6 months). The odds of a CV event were 1.5 times higher in patients with a mod

Background Type 2 (T2) high asthma is recognised as a heterogenous entity consisting of several endotypes; however, the prevalence and distribution of the T2 biomarkers in the general asthma population, across asthma severity, and across compartments is largely unknown. The objective of the present study was to describe expression and overlaps of airway and systemic T2 biomarkers in a clinically representative asthma population. Methods Patients with asthma from the real-life BREATHE cohort referred to a specialist centre were included and grouped according to T2 biomarkers: blood and sputum eosinophilia (≥0.3×109 cells·L−1 and 3% respectively), total IgE (≥150 U·mL−1), and fractional exhaled nitric oxide (≥25 ppb). Results Patients with mild-to-moderate asthma were younger (41 versus 49 years, p<0.001), had lower body mass index (25.9 versus 28.0 kg·m−2, p=0.002) and less atopy (47% versus 58%, p=0.05), higher forced expiratory volume in 1 s (3.2 versus 2.8 L, p<0.001) and forced vital capacity (4.3 versus 3.9 L, p<0.001) compared with patients with severe asthma, who had higher blood (0.22×109 versus 0.17×109 cells·L−1, p=0.01) and sputum (3.0% versus 1.5%, p=0.01) eosinophils. Co-expression of all T2 biomarkers was a particular characteristic of severe asthma (p<0.001). In patients with eosinophilia, sputum eosinophilia without blood eosinophilia was present in 45% of patients with mild-to-moderate asthma and 35% with severe asthma. Conclusion Severe asthma is more commonly associated with activation of several T2 pathways, indicating that treatments targeting severe asthma may need to act more broadly on T2 inflammatory pathways. Implementation of airway inflammometry in clinical care is of paramount importance, as the best treatable trait is otherwise is overlooked in a large proportion of patients irrespective of disease severity.

Objective: Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) commonly present with cardiovascular disease (CVD). We investigated the association between COPD exacerbations and major cardiovascular (CV) events in a COPD population with a history of CVD. Methods: This population-based and register-based cohort study identified all Danish COPD patients aged ≥ 40 years who visited a hospital-based, pulmonary outpatient clinic for COPD between 1st January, 2010, and 31st December, 2016, from a nationwide COPD registry. Patients with a history of a major CV event 36‒6 months prior to their COPD measurement date and no CV event 6 months before this date were included. During a 6-month assessment period, the risks of a new CV event (hospitalization with fatal/non-fatal stroke, myocardial infarction, or heart failure) and moderate and severe COPD exacerbations were evaluated. Odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals for CV events and death were estimated using adjusted logistic regression models. Results: Of the 1501 COPD patients included, 55% experienced a COPD exacerbation and 13% experienced both an exacerbation and a CV event during follow-up (6 months). The odds of a CV event were 1.5 times higher in patients with a moderate exacerbation and more than 6-times higher in those with a severe exacerbation vs patients with no exacerbation(s). The majority of CV events occurred within 30 days post exacerbation in patients who experienced both an exacerbation and a CV event. In total, 113 patients died during the study period: 28% of deaths were caused by CVD and 72% by reasons other than CVD, mostly COPD. Conclusion: In patients with known CVD, severe COPD exacerbations are associated with increased odds of major CV events that occur within 30 days post exacerbation, highlighting the need to prevent exacerbations in COPD patients with concomitant CVD to potentially improve both respiratory and CV health. Keywords: concomitant cardiovascular dis, Objective: Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) commonly present with cardiovascular disease (CVD). We investigated the association between COPD exacerbations and major cardiovascular (CV) events in a COPD population with a history of CVD.Methods: This population-based and register-based cohort study identified all Danish COPD patients aged >= 40 years who visited a hospital-based, pulmonary outpatient clinic for COPD between 1st January, 2010, and 31st December, 2016, from a nationwide COPD registry. Patients with a history of a major CV event 36-6 months prior to their COPD measurement date and no CV event 6 months before this date were included. During a 6-month assessment period, the risks of a new CV event (hospitalization with fatal/ non-fatal stroke, myocardial infarction, or heart failure) and moderate and severe COPD exacerbations were evaluated. Odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals for CV events and death were estimated using adjusted logistic regression models.Results: Of the 1501 COPD patients included, 55% experienced a COPD exacerbation and 13% experienced both an exacerbation and a CV event during follow-up (6 months). The odds of a CV event were 1.5 times higher in patients with a moderate exacerbation and more than 6-times higher in those with a severe exacerbation vs patients with no exacerbation(s). The majority of CV events occurred within 30 days post exacerbation in patients who experienced both an exacerbation and a CV event. In total, 113 patients died during the study period: 28% of deaths were caused by CVD and 72% by reasons other than CVD, mostly COPD.Conclusion: In patients with known CVD, severe COPD exacerbations are associated with increased odds of major CV events that occur within 30 days post exacerbation, highlighting the need to prevent exacerbations in COPD patients with concomitant CVD to potentially improve both respiratory and CV health.

Hanna Sandelowsky,1– 3 Björn Ställberg,4 Fredrik Wiklund,5 Gunilla Telg,6 Sofie de Fine Licht,6 Christer Janson7 1Karolinska Institutet, Department of Medicine, Division of Clinical Epidemiology, Solna, Sweden; 2Karolinska Institutet, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Division of Family Medicine and Primary Care, Solna, Sweden; 3Academic Primary Health Care Centre, Region Stockholm, Sweden; 4Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Family Medicine and Preventive Medicine, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden; 5Statisticon AB, Uppsala, Sweden; 6AstraZeneca Nordic, Södertälje, Sweden; 7Department of Medical Sciences: Respiratory, Allergy and Sleep Research, Uppsala University, Uppsala, SwedenCorrespondence: Hanna Sandelowsky, Karolinska Institutet, Department of Medicine, Division of Clinical Epidemiology, Solna, Sweden, Tel +46738902565, Email hanna.sandelowsky@ki.seBackground: Symptom control has not improved in Swedish asthma patients during the last two decades. Guidelines recommend annual reviews for asthma patients treated with maintenance inhaled corticosteroids (ICS). We aimed to describe how visit patterns in an ICS-treated asthma population in Sweden were related to applicable asthma guidelines.Methods: Swedish electronic health data for incident asthma patients, ≥ 18 years, with at least one ICS collection (index date) between 2006 and 2017 were included. Exacerbations were defined as hospitalizations, emergency visits, or collection of oral corticosteroids (OCS). Probability of an asthma-related regular follow-up visit and probability of a follow-up visit after an exacerbation, both within 15 months, were estimated using the cumulative incidence function, time-to-event analysis, and incident rate ratios.Results: In 51,349 asthma patients (mean age 47.6 years, 63% females), 17,573 had a regular asthma visit in primary or secondary care within 15 months after the index, yielding an overall probability of a visit of 37.4%.

Objective: The Swedish guidelines recommend that patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) on maintenance treatment are monitored annually, and within six weeks after an exacerbation. We describe the patterns of COPD-related visits in Sweden, both regular follow-up and post-exacerbation visits.Methods: Patients (>40 years) with a first-time COPD diagnosis between 2006 and 2017 were identified in primary care medical records and linked to hospital contacts and administered drug data. The index date was defined as the first collection of inhaled COPD maintenance treatment after the diagnosis. Regular COPD visits within 15-months after the index, and post-exacerbation visits for COPD within six weeks and 15-months after an exacerbation were estimated using the cumulative incidence function adjusted for competing risk. Visits without a ICD code for COPD were not included in the analyses.Results: A total of 19,857 patients (mean age 69 years, 57% females) were included. The overall probability of having a regular follow-up visit for COPD within 15 months post-index was 39.1%. In total, 15,095 (76%) patients experienced at least one COPD exacerbation during the observation period. Among them, the probability of having a post-exacerbation visit was 7.0% within six weeks and 29.7% within 15-months. Patients without a regular COPD follow-up visit claimed significantly more oral corticosteroids (25.6% vs 15.6%), more respiratory antibiotics (39.1% vs 23.1%), and less maintenance treatment (10.9% vs 16.5%).Conclusion: Only 39% of COPD patients attended a regular follow-up visit within 15-months from the COPD diagnosis and one-third had a post-exacerbation visit. The adherence to guideline recommendations need to be improved.

Background: Symptom control has not improved in Swedish asthma patients during the last two decades. Guidelines recommend annual reviews for asthma patients treated with maintenance inhaled corticosteroids (ICS). We aimed to describe how visit patterns in an ICS-treated asthma population in Sweden were related to applicable asthma guidelines. Methods: Swedish electronic health data for incident asthma patients, >= 18 years, with at least one ICS collection (index date) between 2006 and 2017 were included. Exacerbations were defined as hospitalizations, emergency visits, or collection of oral corticosteroids (OCS). Probability of an asthma-related regular follow-up visit and probability of a follow-up visit after an exacerbation, both within 15 months, were estimated using the cumulative incidence function, time-to-event analysis, and incident rate ratios. Results: In 51,349 asthma patients (mean age 47.6 years, 63% females), 17,573 had a regular asthma visit in primary or secondary care within 15 months after the index, yielding an overall probability of a visit of 37.4%. Patients with a follow-up visit had higher ICS collection and lower OCS collection than patients without regular visits. Among 22,097 patients with acute exacerbations, the probability of a visit within 15 months after an exacerbation was 31.0%. The probability of having a visit increased during the study period. Conclusion: Only one-third of ICS-treated asthma patients, regardless of asthma severity, had a regular or post-exacerbation followup visit within a 15-month period. The consequences of this lack of adherence to guidelines need further evaluation to secure optimal asthma management.

Hanna Sandelowsky,1– 3 Christer Janson,4 Fredrik Wiklund,5 Gunilla Telg,6 Sofie de Fine Licht,6 Björn Ställberg7 1Department of Medicine, Solna, Division of Clinical Epidemiology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; 2Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Division of Family Medicine and Primary Care, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden; 3Academic Primary Health Care Centre, Region Stockholm, Stockholm, Sweden; 4Department of Medical Sciences: Respiratory, Allergy and Sleep Research, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden; 5Statisticon AB, Uppsala, Sweden; 6AstraZeneca Nordic, Stockholm, Sweden; 7Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Family Medicine and Preventive Medicine, Uppsala University, Uppsala, SwedenCorrespondence: Hanna Sandelowsky, Department of Medicine, Solna, Division of Clinical Epidemiology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden, Tel +46738902565, Email hannasandelowsky@gmail.comObjective: The Swedish guidelines recommend that patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) on maintenance treatment are monitored annually, and within six weeks after an exacerbation. We describe the patterns of COPD-related visits in Sweden, both regular follow-up and post-exacerbation visits.Methods: Patients (> 40 years) with a first-time COPD diagnosis between 2006 and 2017 were identified in primary care medical records and linked to hospital contacts and administered drug data. The index date was defined as the first collection of inhaled COPD maintenance treatment after the diagnosis. Regular COPD visits within 15-months after the index, and post-exacerbation visits for COPD within six weeks and 15-months after an exacerbation were estimated using the cumulative incidence function adjusted for competing risk. Visits without a ICD code for COPD were not included in the analyses.Results: A total of 19,857 patients (mean age 69 years, 57% females) were included. The overall probability of having a regular follow-up

Background: Overuse of short-acting beta(2)-agonists (SABA) may indicate poor asthma control and adverse health outcomes. Contemporary population-based data on use, risk factors and impact of SABA (over)use on asthma exacerbations and mortality are scarce, prompting initiation of the global SABINA (SABA use IN Asthma) programme. Methods: By linking data from Swedish national registries, asthma patients aged 12-45 years with two or more collections of drugs for obstructive lung disease during 2006-2014 were included. SABA overuse was defined as collection of more than two SABA canisters in a 1-year baseline period following inclusion. SABA use was grouped into 3-5, 6-10 and >= 11 canisters per baseline-year. Cox regression was used to examine associations between SABA use and exacerbation (hospitalisations and/or oral corticosteroid claims) and mortality. Results: The analysis included 365 324 asthma patients (mean age 27.6 years; 55% female); average follow-up was 85.4 months. 30% overused SABA, with 21% collecting 3-5 canisters per year, 7% collecting 6-10 canisters per year and 2% collecting >= 11 canisters per year. Increasing number of collected SABA canisters was associated with increased risk of exacerbation, as follows. 3-5 canisters: hazard ratio (HR) 1.26 (95% CI 1.24-1.28); 6-10 canisters: 1.44 (1.41-1.46); and >= 11 canisters: 1.77 (1.72-1.83), compared to two or fewer canisters per year. Higher SABA use was associated with incrementally increased mortality risk (2564 deaths observed), as follows. 3-5 canisters: HR 1.26 (95% CI 1.14-1.39); 6-10 canisters 1.67 (1.49-1.87); and >= 11 canisters: 2.35 (2.02-2.72) compared to two or fewer canisters per year. Conclusion: One-third of asthma patients in Sweden collected three or more SABA canisters annually. SABA overuse was associated with increased risks of exacerbation and mortality. These findings emphasise that monitoring of SABA usage should be key in improving asthma management.

Christer Janson,1 Bright I Nwaru,2,3 Fredrik Wiklund,4 Gunilla Telg,5 Magnus Ekström6 1Department of Medical Sciences: Respiratory, Allergy and Sleep Research, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden; 2Krefting Research Centre, Institute of Medicine, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden; 3Wallenberg Centre for Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden; 4Statisticon AB, Uppsala, Sweden; 5AstraZeneca Nordic-Baltic, Södertälje, Sweden; 6Lund University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Respiratory Medicine and Allergology, Lund, SwedenCorrespondence: Christer JansonDepartment of Medical Sciences: Respiratory, Allergy and Sleep Research, Uppsala University, Akademiska Sjukhuset, Uppsala 751 85, SwedenTel +4618-6114115Email christer.janson@medsci.uu.seBackground: Reducing the need for hospitalisation in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an important goal in COPD management. The aim of this study was to evaluate re-hospitalisation, treatment, comorbidities and mortality in patients with COPD who were hospitalised for the first time due to a COPD exacerbation.Methods: This was a retrospective, population-based observational cohort study of Swedish patients using linked data from three mandatory national health registries to assess re-hospitalisation rates, medication use and mortality. Rate of hospitalisation was calculated using the number of events divided by the number of person-years at risk; risk of all-cause and COPD-related mortality were assessed using Cox proportional hazard models.Results: In total, 51,247 patients were identified over 10 years; 35% of patients were not using inhaled corticosteroid, long-acting muscarinic antagonist or long-acting β2-agonist treatment prior to hospitalisation, 38% of whom continued without treatment after being discharged. Re-hospitalisation due to a second severe exacerbation occurred in 11.5%, 1

Background Patterns and determinants of long‐term oral corticosteroid (OCS) use in asthma and related morbidity and mortality are not well‐described. In a nationwide asthma cohort in Sweden, we evaluated the patterns and determinants of OCS use and risks of OCS‐related morbidities and mortality. Methods Data for 217 993 asthma patients (aged ≥ 6 years) in secondary care were identified between 2007 and 2014 using Swedish national health registries. OCS use at baseline was categorized: regular users (≥5 mg/d/y; n = 3299; 1.5%); periodic users (>0 but <5 mg/d/y; n = 49 930; 22.9%); and nonusers (0 mg/d/y; n = 164 765; 75.6%). Relative risks of becoming a regular OCS user and for morbidity and mortality were analysed using multivariable Cox regression. Results At baseline, 24% of asthma patients had used OCS during the last year and 1.5% were regular users. Of those not using OCS at baseline, 26% collected at least one OCS prescription and 1.3% became regular OCS users for at least 1 year during the median follow‐up of 5.3 years. Age at asthma diagnosis, increasing GINA severity and Charlson Comorbidity Index were associated with regular OCS use. Compared to periodic and non‐OCS use, regular use was associated with increased incidence of OCS‐related morbidities and greater all‐cause mortality, adjusted HR 1.34 (95% CI 1.24‐1.45). Conclusions Oral corticosteroids use is frequent for asthma patients, and many are regular users. Regular OCS use is associated with increased risk of morbidity and mortality. These findings indicate that there is a need of other treatment options for patients with severe asthma who are using regular OCS.

Supplement: 62Meeting Abstract: OA5152

The aim of the study was to investigate the prevalence, management and characteristics of asthma patients with frequent exacerbations. Data from asthma patients (aged >= 18 years) identified in primary care medical records were linked to Swedish national health registries. Exacerbations were defined as hospitalisations, emergency visits and/or collection of oral steroids. Frequent exacerbations were defined as two or more exacerbations per year during the 3-year observation period. Of 18 724 asthma patients, 81.49% had no exacerbations and 6.3% had frequent exacerbations in the year prior to the index date. Frequent exacerbations were observed yearly for 1.8% of the patients. Frequent exacerbators were older, more often females, and had increased eosinophil and neutrophil counts, lower lung function, and more comorbidities than patients without exacerbations. There was a slight increase in asthma medication claims and a slight decrease in physician visits compared with baseline, both in the group with and the group without frequent exacerbations. Patients with frequent exacerbations were characterised by greater age, female predominance, high eosinophil and neutrophil counts, and high prevalence of comorbidities. This study indicates that the Swedish healthcare system lacks efficiency to adjust treatment and management for this patient group. With new treatment options targeting severe asthma available, identification of these patients should be in focus to ensure reduction of exacerbations.

Background: Severe and uncontrolled asthma is associated with increased risk of exacerbations and death. A substantial proportion of asthma patients have poor asthma control, and a concurrent COPD diagnosis often increases disease burden. The objective of the study was to describe the prevalence and managemant of severe asthma in a Swedish asthma popuoation. Methods: In this observational cohort study, primary care medical records data (2006-2013) from 36 primary health care centers were linked to data from national mandatory Swedish health registries. The studied population (> 18 years) had a record of drug collection for obstructive pulmonary disease (ATC code R03) during 2011-2012, and a physician diagnosed asthma (ICD-10 code J45-J46) prior to drug collection. Severe asthma was classified as collection of high dose inhaled steroid (> 800 budesonide or equivalent per day) and leukotriene receptor antagonist and/or long-acting beta-agonist. Poor asthma control was defined as either collection of >= 600 doses of short-acting beta-agonists, and/or >= 1 exacerbation(s) during the year post index date. Results: A total of 18,724 asthma patients (mean 49 years, 62.8% women) were included, of whom 17,934 (95.8%) had mild to moderate and 790 (4.2%) had severe asthma. Exacerbations were more prevalent in severe asthma (2.59 [2.41-2. 79], Relative Risk [95% confidence interval]; p < 0.001). Poor asthma control was observed for 28.2% of the patients with mild to moderate asthma and for more than half (53.6%) of the patients with severe asthma (< 0.001). Prior to index, one in five severe asthma patients had had a contact with secondary care and one third with primary care. A concurrent COPD diagnosis increased disease burden. Conclusion: Severe asthma was found in 4.2% of asthma patients in Sweden, more than half of them had poor asthma control, and most patients had no regular health care contacts.