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The course of asthma activity: a population study
Andrea Gershon1, Jun Guan, J Charles Victor
1Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. andrea.gershon@ices.on.ca
The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
|December 20, 2011
Summary
Most individuals with asthma experience active disease over 15 years, often with periods of remission. Understanding asthma activity patterns can improve disease prognosis and management.
Area of Science:
- Pulmonary Medicine
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Asthma's variable course, including persistence, resolution, and relapses, complicates prognosis.
- Characterizing the natural history of asthma is challenging due to its unpredictable nature.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify active asthma prevalence and identify significant inactive periods.
- To determine factors associated with asthma activity over time.
Main Methods:
- Utilized universal population health administrative databases in Ontario, Canada.
- Followed individuals diagnosed with asthma from 1993 for 15 years.
- Defined active asthma by physician claims for the condition.
Main Results:
- 82.3% of 613,394 individuals had active asthma in subsequent years.
- 74.6% of those with complete follow-up experienced a 2+ year gap in asthma activity.
- Factors like prior asthma claims, age (younger/older), and COPD comorbidity correlated with higher asthma activity.
Conclusions:
- Most individuals in Ontario with asthma exhibited active disease over 15 years, punctuated by remissions.
- These findings provide insights into asthma's natural course, potentially aiding in predicting individual disease trajectories.
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