Retrospective evaluation of clinical findings of patients with severe ASTHMA

INTRODUCTION: Asthma is one of the most common chronic respiratory diseases. Although severe asthma is a small portion of asthma cases, it accounts for more than half of asthma-related costs due to frequent emergency room visits, hospitalizations and medication costs. The aim of this study is to determine the control status of severe asthma patients in a single-center outpatient clinic by evaluating their treatment and management. METHODS: Severe asthma cases who applied to Dokuz Eylül University Medical Faculty Hospital Chest Diseases Outpatient Clinic between 31.12.2009 - 31.12.2019 were screened. Symptoms, asthma attack frequency, hospitalization history for asthma, asthma control tests, treatments they were taking, values obtained from spirometry results, IgE in blood tests, eosinophil values, skin prick tests were recorded in 106 cases who met the inclusion criteria according to their anamnesis notes. The treatment responses and control status of the patients were evaluated. RESULTS: In the study, 106 patients were evaluated, of which 77 (%72,6) used omalizumab and 29 (%27,4) were followed up with standard asthma treatment.There was no significant difference between demographic data, initial symptoms and pulmonary function tests of the groups that used and did not use omalizumab in their treatment.In the group receiving omalizumab treatment, an average of 150 ml (p=0.006) increase in FEVₗ and 200 ml (p<0.001) increase in FVC value was detected in the post-treatment group, and there was a significant difference between the two groups.In addition, when the group using omalizumab was compared with the group not using omalizumab, it was found that there was an increase in AKT scores (p<0.001), decrease in symptoms, hospitalization (p=0.003) and systemic steroid use (p<0.001) in the group using omalizumab. A significant difference was found between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Severe asthma cases were evaluated according to symptoms, asthma control tests, pulmonary function tests, skin prick tests, blood eosinophil and IgE levels. The results of our study indicates that starting omalizumab treatment in eligible patients contributes to clinical control and increase in quality of life. Keywords: severe asthma, omalizumab, asthma treatment