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- Janson, Christer, et al.
(författare)
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Eosinophilic airway diseases : basic science, clinical manifestations and future challenges
- 2022
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Ingår i: European Clinical Respiratory Journal. - : Informa UK Limited. - 2001-8525. ; 9:1
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- Eosinophils have a broad range of functions, both homeostatic and pathological, mediated through an array of cell surface receptors and specific secretory granules that promote interactions with their microenvironment. Eosinophil development, differentiation, activation, survival and recruitment are closely regulated by a number of type 2 cytokines, including interleukin (IL)-5, the key driver of eosinophilopoiesis. Evidence shows that type 2 inflammation, driven mainly by interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5 and IL-13, plays an important role in the pathophysiology of eosinophilic airway diseases, including asthma, chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps, eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis and hypereosinophilic syndrome. Several biologic therapies have been developed to suppress type 2 inflammation, namely mepolizumab, reslizumab, benralizumab, dupilumab, omalizumab and tezepelumab. While these therapies have been associated with clinical benefits in a range of eosinophilic diseases, their development has highlighted several challenges and directions for future research. These include the need for further information on disease progression and identification of treatable traits, including clinical characteristics or biomarkers that will improve the prediction of treatment response. The Nordic countries have a long tradition of collaboration using patient registries and Nordic asthma registries provide unique opportunities to address these research questions. One example of such a registry is the NORdic Dataset for aSThmA Research (NORDSTAR), a longitudinal population-based dataset containing all 3.3 million individuals with asthma from four Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden). Large-scale, real-world registry data such as those from Nordic countries may provide important information regarding the progression of eosinophilic asthma, in addition to clinical characteristics or biomarkers that could allow targeted treatment and ensure optimal patient outcomes.
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| 2. |
- Lehtimaki, L., et al.
(författare)
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Regional variation in intensity of inhaled asthma medication and oral corticosteroid use in Denmark, Finland, and Sweden
- 2022
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Ingår i: European Clinical Respiratory Journal. - : Informa UK Limited. - 2001-8525. ; 9:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Oral corticosteroids (OCS) are often prescribed to patients with asthma that remains uncontrolled with maintenance therapy. We performed a real-world analysis to describe the geographic distributions of patients with asthma and OCS dispensed in Nordic countries. This observational, retrospective study examined patient-level data from nationally prescribed drug registries from January to December 2018 for individuals aged >= 12 years in Denmark, Finland, and Sweden. Using an algorithm based on asthma treatment combinations defined by the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA), we identified patients with asthma, those on GINA Step 4-5 treatments, and those being dispensed >= 2 courses of OCS and determined volumes of OCS dispensed to these patients over the 1-year analysis period. Data were plotted geographically within each country using colour-coded heat maps. The overall asthma prevalence rates were 7.4% in Denmark, 11.6% in Finland, and 8.1% in Sweden. In Denmark, Finland, and Sweden, respectively, the frequencies of patients on GINA Step 4-5 treatments were 19%, 15%, and 16%; among whom 10%, 23%, and 5% received courses of OCS. The rates of patients on GINA Step 4-5 treatments who were dispensed OCS in each country were 23%, 30%, and 46%, of which 22%, 17%, and 10% were dispensed doses averaging >= 5 mg/day over the year. Heat maps revealed considerable heterogeneity in geographic densities of patients with asthma and OCS claims within each country. Taken together, these results demonstrate regional variations in estimated asthma severity, control, and OCS dispensed within and between countries. Patterns of medication use suggest that a high proportion of patients in Denmark, Finland, and Sweden are on GINA Step 4-5 treatments, many of whom are dispensed OCS; this poses a considerable corticosteroid burden to these patients. Geographic differences in medication use within and between Nordic countries may reflect variations in population characteristics and/or treatment approaches.
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