Clinical management and outcome of refractory asthma in the UK from the British Thoracic Society Difficult Asthma Registry. Issue 8 (11th May 2012)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Sweeney, Joan; Brightling, Chris E; Menzies-Gow, Andrew; Niven, Robert; Patterson, Chris C; Heaney, Liam G
• Is Part Of: Thorax. Volume 67:Issue 8(2012)
• Page Start: 754
• Page End: 756
• Publication Date: 2012-05-11
• Subjects: Refractory asthma -- national registry -- clinical assessment and outcome -- asthma phenotypes -- asthma -- asthma epidemiology -- asthma guidelines -- allergic lung disease -- eosinophil biology -- occupational lung disease -- airway epithelium -- asthma mechanisms -- asthma pharmacology -- COPD epidemiology -- COPD exacerbations; Chest -- Diseases -- Periodicals; Thorax; Chest -- Diseases; Periodicals; Periodicals; 617.54
• DOI: 10.1136/thoraxjnl-2012-201869
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0040-6376

Abstract

Abstract : Refractory asthma represents a significant unmet clinical need. Data from a national online registry audited clinical outcome in 349 adults with refractory asthma from four UK specialist centres in the British Thoracic Society Difficult Asthma Network. At follow-up, lung function improved, with a reduction in important healthcare outcomes, specifically hospital admission, unscheduled healthcare visits and rescue courses of oral steroids. The most frequent therapeutic intervention was maintenance oral corticosteroids and most steroid sparing agents (apart from omalizumab) demonstrated minimal steroid sparing benefit. A significant unmet clinical need remains in this group, specifically a requirement for therapies which reduce systemic steroid exposure.