Short-acting β

To gain a global perspective on short-acting β SABINA III was a cross-sectional study that employed electronic case report forms at a study visit (in primary or specialist care) to record prescribed medication(s), over-the-counter (OTC) SABA purchases and clinical outcomes in asthma patients (≥12 years old) during the past 12 months. In patients with ≥1 SABA prescriptions, associations of SABA with asthma symptom control and severe exacerbations were analysed using multivariable regression models. Of 8351 patients recruited (n=6872, specialists; n=1440, primary care), 76.5% had moderate-to-severe asthma and 45.4% experienced ≥1 severe exacerbations in the past 12 months. 38% of patients were prescribed ≥3 SABA canisters; 18.0% purchased OTC SABA, of whom 76.8% also received SABA prescriptions. Prescriptions of 3-5, 6-9, 10-12 and ≥13 SABA canisters ( This study indicates an association between high SABA prescriptions and poor clinical outcomes across a broad range of countries, healthcare settings and asthma severities, providing support for initiatives to improve asthma morbidity by reducing SABA overreliance.

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Conflict of interest: E.D. Bateman is a member of the Science Committee and Board of GINA, and reports personal fees from ALK, AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Chiesi, Menarini, Novartis, Orion, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals and Sanofi Genzyme. Conflict of interest: D.B. Price has board membership with Amgen, AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Chiesi, Circassia, Mylan, Mundipharma, Novartis, Regeneron, Sanofi Genzyme, Teva Pharmaceuticals and Thermo Fisher; consultancy agreements with Amgen, AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Chiesi, GlaxoSmithKline, Mylan, Mundipharma, Novartis, Pfizer, Teva and Theravance; grants and unrestricted funding for investigator-initiated studies (conducted through Observational and Pragmatic Research Institute Pte Ltd) from AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Chiesi, Circassia, Mylan, Mundipharma, Novartis, Pfizer, Regeneron, Respiratory Effectiveness Group, Sanofi Genzyme, Teva, Theravance and the UK National Health Service; payment for lectures/speaking engagements from AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Chiesi, Cipla, GlaxoSmithKline, Kyorin, Mylan, Mundipharma, Novartis, Regeneron, Sanofi Genzyme and Teva; payment for the development of educational materials from Mundipharma and Novartis; payment for travel/accommodation/meeting expenses from AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Mundipharma, Mylan, Novartis and Thermo Fisher; funding for patient enrolment or completion of research from Novartis; stock/stock options from AKL Research and Development Ltd, which produces phytopharmaceuticals; owns 74% of the social enterprise Optimum Patient Care Ltd (Australia and UK) and 74% of Observational and Pragmatic Research Institute Pte Ltd (Singapore); is a peer reviewer for grant committees of the Efficacy and Mechanism Evaluation programme and Health Technology Assessment; and was an expert witness for GlaxoSmithKline. Conflict of interest: H-C. Wang has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: A. Khattab has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: P. Schonffeldt reports lectures on medical education and inclusion as a researcher on clinical study protocols funded by AstraZeneca, GlaxoSmithKline, Teva, ITF Labomed, Boehringer Ingelheim and Sanofi Genzyme. Conflict of interest: A. Catanzariti is an employee of AstraZeneca. Conflict of interest: R.J.P. van der Valk is an employee of AstraZeneca and has shares in GlaxoSmithKline and shares and options in AstraZeneca. Conflict of interest: M.J.H.I. Beekman was an employee of AstraZeneca at the time the study was conducted and has shares in AstraZeneca.