EPI-ASTHMA - Prevalence and characterisation of patients with asthma according to disease severity: A pilot study

Clinical Research Results Abstract Introduction: In Portugal, prevalence of difficult-to-treat and severe asthma is still unknown (1). To address this need, we designed EPI-ASTHMA, a population-based multicenter, multi-stage nationwide study. This pilot study assessed the feasibility of the EPI-ASTHMA stages and procedures.Methods: Adults from three primary care centres participated in the study between May and October 2021. The study followed a stepwise approach comprising 4 stages (Figure 1): stage 0-invitation phone call (n~1316); stage 1-telephone interview (n~658); stage 2-clinical assessment with physical examination, diagnostic tests, and patient-reported outcome measures, to confirm the diagnosis of those with possible asthma at stage 1 (A2 adult asthma score≥1; n~160); stage 3-characterization of a subgroup of patients after 3-months (n~40) by collecting data through a telephone interview, patient file review and CARATm (2) app.Results: A total of 1305 adults were invited, 892 (68%) accepted to participate (stage 0) and 574 (64%; 53±16y; 43% male) were interviewed (stage 1). From the 148 (26%; 56±15y; 43% male) assessed at stage 2, 46 (31%; 52±17y; 44% male) were diagnosed with asthma. 21 (46%) were on GINA step 1-3 and 6 (13%) on step 4-5. 17 (37%) had their disease partly controlled/uncontrolled (GINA classification) and 13 (28%) had at least 1 exacerbation in the past year. Half of the patients (57%; 44±14y) accepted to install the CARATm app. A total of 44 (96%) patients accepted to participate in stage 3, 41 (93%) completed it and 34 (83%) had asthma confirmed by their file review. After 3 months, 16 (47%) patients had partly controlled/uncontrolled asthma, 4 (12%) had at least 1 exacerbation and 3 (11%) continued to use the app.Discussion: Recruitment, retention and quality of the results confirmed the feasibility of the stepwise approach of the Epi-asthma study, aiming to assess the prevalence of difficult-to-treat and severe asthma in Portugal. Research Idea Abstract Service Development & Evaluation Abstract Declaration of Interest This study was sponsored by AstraZeneca. References and Clinical Trial Registry Information Trial registration number: NCT05169619Sá-Sousa, A., Amaral, R., Morais-Almeida, M., Araújo, L., Azevedo, L. F., Bugalho-Almeida, A., . . . Fonseca, J. A. (2015). Asthma control in the Portuguese National Asthma Survey. Pulmonology, 21(4), 209-213. doi:10.1016/j.rppnen.2014.08.003Fonseca, J. A., Nogueira-Silva, L., Morais-Almeida, M., Azevedo, L., Sa-Sousa, A., Branco-Ferreira, M., . . . Bousquet, J. (2010). Validation of a questionnaire (CARAT10) to assess rhinitis and asthma in patients with asthma. Allergy, 65(8), 1042-1048. doi:10.1111/j.1398-9995.2009.02310.x