QUARTZ: Comparative Effectiveness of Switching From Albuterol to Albuterol/Budesonide Versus Adding Low-dose ICS or LTRA to Albuterol

QUARTZ: Comparative Effectiveness of Switching From Albuterol to Albuterol/Budesonide Versus Adding Low-Dose Inhaled Corticosteroids or Leukotriene Receptor Antagonists to Albuterol Among Adults With Asthma in the United States

The QUARTZ study is a retrospective observational cohort study using a prevalent new-user design and U.S. healthcare claims data to evaluate treatment effectiveness among patients with asthma. The study compares the real-world effectiveness of switching from albuterol-only rescue therapy to albuterol/budesonide versus adding low-dose inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) or leukotriene receptor antagonists (LTRA) while continuing albuterol. The primary objective is to assess the comparative effectiveness of these treatment strategies in reducing severe asthma exacerbations in routine clinical practice in the United States.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Asthma patients with at least one prescription record (identified by NDC or Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System [HCPCS] codes) for Airsupra (Airsupra cohort), LD ICS or LTRA, (comparator cohort) since January 2023.
• Patients with at least one prescription record (based on NDC or HCPCS codes) of albuterol within the 12 months prior to the first Airsupra or the controller medications prescription date
• Patients aged ≥18 years on the index date
• Patients with ≥12 months of continuous insurance enrolment prior and 12 months after index date.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients with at least one medical claim with an ICD-10 code within the 12 months prior to the index date for any of the chronic respiratory conditions or systemic inflammatory diseases routinely treated with systemic corticosteroids (SCS)
• Patients with any prescription record for any ICS or other controller therapies (including SAMA, LABA, LAMA, LTRA, theophylline or biologics) within the 12 months prior to the and inclusive of index date (the index therapy defining cohort entry (LD ICS for the LD ICS cohort; LTRA for the LTRA cohort is permitted on the index date)
• Patients with maintenance OCS use within the 12 months prior to and inclusive of the index date
• Airsupra patients with a concomitant SABA prescription record on the index date