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Thorax 61:362 doi:10.1136/thx.2005.050435
  • Letters to the editor

Trends in sales of inhaled corticosteroids and asthma outcomes in Singapore

  1. D L Lim1,
  2. S Ma2,
  3. X S Wang3,
  4. J Cutter4,
  5. S K Chew4,
  6. T K Lim5,
  7. B W Lee6
  1. 1Department of Paediatrics, National University of Singapore, Singapore
  2. 2Epidemiology and Disease Control Division, Ministry of Health, Singapore
  3. 3Department of Paediatrics, National University of Singapore, Singapore
  4. 4Epidemiology and Disease Control Division, Ministry of Health, Singapore
  5. 5Department of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
  6. 6Department of Paediatrics, National University of Singapore, Singapore
  1. Correspondence to:
    Dr B W Lee
    Department of Paediatrics, National University of Singapore, Singapore; paeleebw{at}nus.edu.sg

    Asthma has become a major health problem in Asia, with a prevalence in many Asian countries approaching that of developed nations. The regular use of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) has been shown in cohort and ecological studies to decrease hospital admission rates by up to 80%.1,2 Asthma related mortality has also been shown to decline with ICS use, even at low doses.1,3,4 Conversely, increased use of short acting β2 agonists (SABA) has been associated with increased mortality.5 This study assessed the possible relationship between changes in the use of ICS and SABA and hospital admission and mortality rates for asthma in Singapore.

    An ecological population based study was performed from 1994 to 2002 in patients aged 5–64 years. Figures on mortality and hospital admission rates for asthma were obtained from …

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