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The Global Asthma Network rationale and methods for Phase I global surveillance: prevalence, severity, management and
Philippa Ellwood1, M Innes Asher2, Nils E Billo3
1Paediatrics: Child and Youth Health, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand p.ellwood@auckland.ac.nz.
Insights
The Global Asthma Network (GAN) monitors asthma, rhinitis, and eczema, building on ISAAC findings. This study investigates prevalence, severity, and management to reduce the global burden of asthma as a non-communicable disease.
Area of Science:
- Epidemiology
- Global Health
- Pediatric Medicine
Background:
- The International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) revealed significant global variations in asthma, rhinitis, and eczema prevalence.
- ISAAC Phase Three indicated increasing asthma symptom prevalence, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, alongside high severity and unidentified environmental factors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To build upon ISAAC findings by collecting comprehensive data on asthma, rhinitis, and eczema prevalence, severity, and management.
- To conduct the first global monitoring of childhood and adult asthma since 2003 to understand risk factors and management practices.
- To reinforce the recognition of asthma as a critical non-communicable disease and work towards reducing its global impact.
Main Methods:
- The Global Asthma Network (GAN) Phase I collects data on prevalence, severity, diagnoses, emergency visits, hospital admissions, and essential medicine use.
- Utilizes the same age cohorts and parental involvement as the ISAAC study for continuity and comparability.
- Employs a global monitoring approach to gather evidence on asthma, rhinitis, and eczema.
Main Results:
- Preliminary findings indicate a need for further investigation into environmental factors influencing asthma, rhinitis, and eczema.
- Data collection is ongoing to establish current trends in prevalence, severity, and management practices worldwide.
- The study aims to provide updated evidence on the global burden of asthma.
Conclusions:
- GAN Phase I is crucial for understanding the evolving landscape of asthma, rhinitis, and eczema globally.
- The findings will inform strategies to manage asthma as a significant non-communicable disease.
- Continued global monitoring is essential for reducing the worldwide burden of these conditions.
Abstract:
The Global Asthma Network (GAN), established in 2012, followed the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC). ISAAC Phase One involved over 700 000 adolescents and children from 156 centres in 56 countries; it found marked worldwide variation in symptom prevalence of asthma, rhinitis and eczema that was not explained by the current understanding of these diseases; ISAAC Phase Three involved over 1 187 496 adolescents and children (237 centres in 98 countries). It found that asthma symptom prevalence was increasing in many locations especially in low- and middle-income countries where severity was also high, and identified several environmental factors that required further investigation.GAN Phase I, described in this article, builds on the ISAAC findings by collecting further information on asthma, rhinitis and eczema prevalence, severity, diagnoses, asthma emergency room visits, hospital admissions, management and use of asthma essential medicines. The subjects will be the same age groups as ISAAC, and their parents. In this first global monitoring of asthma in children and adults since 2003, further evidence will be obtained to understand asthma, management practices and risk factors, leading to further recognition that asthma is an important non-communicable disease and to reduce its global burden.
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