Patient characteristics
| CHARACTERISTIC | PATIENTS WITH ASTHMA (N = 112*) | PATIENTS WITHOUT ASTHMA (N = 286) | P VALUE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mean (SD) age, y | 44.5 (19.1) | 57.9 (17.3) | < .001 |
| Sex, n (%) | |||
| • Female | 82 (73.2) | 172 (60.1) | .02 |
| • Male | 30 (26.8) | 114 (39.9) | |
| Smoking status, n (%) | |||
| • Non-smoker | 56 (50.0) | 96 (33.6) | .005 |
| • Ex-smoker | 15 (13.4) | 77 (26.9) | |
| • Smoker | 22 (19.6) | 69 (24.1) | |
| • Not documented | 19 (17.0) | 44 (15.4) | |
| Electronic disease registry diagnosis, n (%) | |||
| • Asthma | 8 (7.1) | 1 (0.3) | .04 |
| • COPD | 4 (3.6) | 10 (3.5) | 1.0 |
| Cumulative patient profile diagnosis, n (%) | |||
| • Asthma | 71 (63.4) | 27 (9.4) | < .001 |
| Atopy, n (%) | 54 (48.2) | 44 (15.4) | < .001 |
| Comorbidities, n (%) | |||
| • Cardiovascular illness | 8 (7.1) | 10 (3.5) | .12 |
| • Diabetes mellitus | 11 (9.2) | 30 (10.5) | .84 |
| • Psychiatric illness | 24 (21.4) | 66 (23.1) | .72 |
| Relevant notes in chart (past 3 y), n (%) | |||
| • Use of word asthma | 94 (83.9) | 40 (14.0) | < .001 |
| • Physician asthma diagnosis† | 99 (88.4) | 54 (18.9) | < .001 |
| Non–family physician specialist consultation (past 9 y‡), n (%) | |||
| • Pulmonologist | 27 (24.1) | 25 (8.7) | < .001 |
| • Allergist | 14 (12.5) | 14 (4.9) | .008 |
| • Both | 4 (3.6) | 0 (0.0) | .006 |
| Previous diagnostic testing (past 9 y‡), n (%) | |||
| • Spirometry | 50 (44.6) | 87 (30.4) | .007 |
| • Bronchodilator challenge performed | 27 (24.1) | 62 (21.7) | |
| • Positive bronchodilator response | 13 (11.6) | 4 (1.4)§ | |
| • Methacholine challenge performed | 14 (12.5) | 10 (3.5) | < .001 |
| • Positive methacholine challenge result | 12 (10.7)‖ | 0 (0.0) | |
| • Chest x-ray scan | 58 (51.8) | 147 (51.4) | .94 |
| • Skin-prick test | 27 (24.1) | 20 (7.0) | < .001 |
| Health care use (past 9 y‡), n (%) | |||
| • Emergency department visit | 22 (19.6) | 22 (7.7) | < .001 |
| • Hospitalization | 9 (8.0) | 14 (4.9) | .23 |
| Asthma medications prescribed in past y, n (%) | |||
| • None | 16 (14.3) | 199 (69.6) | < .001 |
| • Short-acting bronchodilator only | 17 (15.2) | 25 (8.7) | |
| • Inhaled corticosteroid¶ | 37 (33.0) | 29 (10.1) | |
| • Inhaled corticosteroid and long-acting bronchodilator¶ | 30 (26.8) | 32 (11.2) | |
| • Leukotriene receptor antagonist only | 12 (10.7) | 1 (0.3) | |
| Billing codes used (past 3 y), n (%) | |||
| • Asthma | 89 (79.5) | 30 (10.5) | < .001 |
| • COPD | 14 (12.5) | 66 (23.1) | .02 |
| • Other respiratory illness | 62 (55.4) | 200 (69.9) | .006 |
COPD—chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
↵* Includes 9 patients with concurrent COPD.
↵† Based on documented physician impression in chart notes.
↵‡ Based on data availability.
↵§ All 4 of these patients were seen by non–family physician specialists who diagnosed COPD without asthma.
↵‖ The result for 1 patient was not available, and the other missing result was for a patient who had initial negative methacholine challenge results, but subsequently had a meaningful bronchodilator response and spirometric response to a budesonide-formoterol turbo-inhaler, and was given an asthma diagnosis by an allergist.
↵¶ With or without a short-acting bronchodilator.