TY - JOUR
T1 - The level of diagnostic assessment in severe asthma
T2 - A nationwide real-life study
AU - von Bülow, Anna
AU - Backer, Vibeke
AU - Bodtger, Uffe
AU - Søes-Petersen, Niels Ulrik
AU - Assing, Karin Dahl
AU - Skjold, Tina
AU - Porsbjerg, Celeste
N1 - Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
PY - 2017/3/1
Y1 - 2017/3/1
N2 - INTRODUCTION: Systematic assessment of patients with severe asthma is pivotal to decide which patients are eligible to new biological therapies. However, the level of diagnostic work-up in patients with severe asthma is only poorly investigated.AIMS & OBJECTIVES: To describe the diagnostic work-up in a complete population of patients with severe asthma including: objective confirmation of the asthma diagnosis, and identification of potential treatment barriers, such as poor adherence and poor inhaler technique.METHODS: A retrospective cross-sectional multicenter study was performed in 2013. We evaluated patient record forms of all patients (aged 18-65 years) consecutively referred with asthma to one of five respiratory outpatient clinics over two years. Patients were included in the study, if they fulfilled ERS/ATS guidelines for having severe asthma.RESULTS: Among 1563 patients with asthma, 98 (6.3%) patients fulfilled the criteria for having severe asthma. The diagnosis of asthma was confirmed objectively in 53/98 patients (54.1%). In total, 83.7% underwent at least one diagnostic test for asthma: reversibility test: 63.3%, PEF: 52% and bronchial challenge test: 21.4%. Among patients eligible for a bronchial challenge test (FEV1 ≥ 70%; negative PEF measurement/reversibility test), only 23.1% had such a test performed. Inhalation technique and adherence were assessed in 19.4 and 30.6% of patients, respectively.CONCLUSION: Among patients managed for severe asthma in a specialist setting, only half had the asthma diagnosis confirmed objectively, and adherence and inhaler technique were infrequently assessed.
AB - INTRODUCTION: Systematic assessment of patients with severe asthma is pivotal to decide which patients are eligible to new biological therapies. However, the level of diagnostic work-up in patients with severe asthma is only poorly investigated.AIMS & OBJECTIVES: To describe the diagnostic work-up in a complete population of patients with severe asthma including: objective confirmation of the asthma diagnosis, and identification of potential treatment barriers, such as poor adherence and poor inhaler technique.METHODS: A retrospective cross-sectional multicenter study was performed in 2013. We evaluated patient record forms of all patients (aged 18-65 years) consecutively referred with asthma to one of five respiratory outpatient clinics over two years. Patients were included in the study, if they fulfilled ERS/ATS guidelines for having severe asthma.RESULTS: Among 1563 patients with asthma, 98 (6.3%) patients fulfilled the criteria for having severe asthma. The diagnosis of asthma was confirmed objectively in 53/98 patients (54.1%). In total, 83.7% underwent at least one diagnostic test for asthma: reversibility test: 63.3%, PEF: 52% and bronchial challenge test: 21.4%. Among patients eligible for a bronchial challenge test (FEV1 ≥ 70%; negative PEF measurement/reversibility test), only 23.1% had such a test performed. Inhalation technique and adherence were assessed in 19.4 and 30.6% of patients, respectively.CONCLUSION: Among patients managed for severe asthma in a specialist setting, only half had the asthma diagnosis confirmed objectively, and adherence and inhaler technique were infrequently assessed.
KW - Administration, Inhalation
KW - Adolescent
KW - Adult
KW - Aged
KW - Asthma/blood
KW - Bronchial Provocation Tests/methods
KW - Cross-Sectional Studies
KW - Denmark/epidemiology
KW - Female
KW - Hospitalization/statistics & numerical data
KW - Humans
KW - Male
KW - Medication Adherence
KW - Middle Aged
KW - Peak Expiratory Flow Rate/physiology
KW - Respiratory Function Tests/methods
KW - Retrospective Studies
KW - Severity of Illness Index
KW - Smoking/adverse effects
KW - Young Adult
U2 - 10.1016/j.rmed.2017.01.010
DO - 10.1016/j.rmed.2017.01.010
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 28284317
SN - 0954-6111
VL - 124
SP - 21
EP - 29
JO - Respiratory Medicine
JF - Respiratory Medicine
ER -