Severe exacerbations by SABA use during study period
| SABA canisters used during the study period in: | ||||||||
| Nova Scotia | Alberta | |||||||
| Overall | <3 | 3+ | 12+ | Overall | <3 | 3+ | 12+ | |
| Subjects, n | 8034 | 4867 | 3167 | 961 | 107 444 | 77 412 | 30 032 | 3624 |
| Annual exacerbations# | ||||||||
| <1 | 7270 (90.5) | 4508 (92.6) | 2762 (87.2) | 811 (84.4) | 98 997 (92.1) | 72 613 (93.8) | 26 384 (87.9) | 2952 (81.5) |
| 1–2 | 391 (4.9) | 192 (3.9) | 199 (6.3) | 59 (6.1) | 6115 (5.7) | 3578 (4.6) | 2537 (8.4) | 406 (11.2) |
| 2+ | 373 (4.6) | 167 (3.4) | 206 (6.5) | 91 (9.5) | 2332 (2.2) | 1221 (1.6) | 1111 (3.7) | 266 (7.3) |
| Mean±sd per patient | 0.36±1.27 | 0.30±1.36 | 0.46±1.11 | 0.60±1.31 | 0.21±0.70 | 0.17±0.62 | 0.31±0.86 | 0.49±1.19 |
Data presented as n (%), unless otherwise indicated. SABA: short-acting β-agonists. #: multiple events (hospitalisation or emergency department visit with primary diagnosis of asthma; oral corticosteroid dispensation; death) within a 2-week window were considered one exacerbation.