The objective of Integrated Care Pathways for Airway Diseases (AIRWAYS-ICPs) is to launch a collaboration to develop multi-sectoral care pathways for chronic respiratory diseases in European countries and regions. AIRWAYS-ICPs has strategic relevance to the European Union Health Strategy and will add value to existing public health knowledge by: 1) proposing a common framework of care pathways for chronic respiratory diseases, which will facilitate comparability and trans-national initiatives; 2) informing cost-effective policy development, strengthening in particular those on smoking and environmental exposure; 3) aiding risk stratification in chronic disease patients, using a common strategy; 4) having a significant impact on the health of citizens in the short term (reduction of morbidity, improvement of education in children and of work in adults) and in the long-term (healthy ageing); 5) proposing a common simulation tool to assist physicians; and 6) ultimately reducing the healthcare burden (emergency visits, avoidable hospitalisations, disability and costs) while improving quality of life. In the longer term, the incidence of disease may be reduced by innovative prevention strategies. AIRWAYSICPs was initiated by Area 5 of the Action Plan B3 of the European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing. All stakeholders are involved (health and social care, patients, and policy makers). @ERSpublications AIRWAYS-ICPs: launch of a collaboration to develop multi-sectoral integrated care pathways for respiratory disease http://ow.ly/v35Gh PERSPECTIVE INTEGRATED CARE PATHWAYS FOR AIRWAY DISEASES

Aims To describe trends in utilization and prescribing of statins and other lipid lowering drugs across Europe from data in routine administrative databases. Methods Observational study in EU member states and Norway. Comparison of annual utilization data for lipid lowering agents by class and drug from national administrative databases for reimbursement over the period 1997–2003, measured in DDDs per 1000 inhabitants/day. Prescribed daily doses (PDD) of statins obtained from a commercial database (IMS Health) for 2000 and 2003, and used to calculate numbers of ‘patient treatment days’ (PTD) in each country in each year. Analysis of PTD to explain increased utilization of statins. Results Use of lipid lowering agents varied among countries (in 2003, highest in Ireland and Norway, and lowest in Italy), but increased in all countries studied (between 2000 and  2003  by  274% in  Ireland  and  by  56% in  France).  This  increase  was  entirely  due to increases in statin use. Prescribed daily doses of statins increased in all countries for which data was available between 2000 and 2003, but still usually fell below the doses used in the major trials of statins. As a result, the numbers of PTDs increased to a lesser extent than suggested by utilization (e.g. by 192% in Ireland and by 35% in France). One‐third of the total rise in utilization was explained by increased PDD, and two‐thirds by an increase in numbers of PTDs. Statins dominated the markets in all countries, although fibrates remained strong in France and Belgium (approximately 25% of all lipid lowering agents) and to a lesser extent Germany (10%). Conclusions Use of statins across Europe has increased hugely over the study period. Some of the increase in use is due to higher prescribed daily doses, but two‐thirds is due to increases in numbers of patient days of treatment, either due to more patients treated or less likely to better compliance.