Clinical Remission of Severe Asthma in Patients Attended in a Specialized Care Program

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the incidence of clinical remission of severe asthma in patients attended by a multidisciplinary team composed of a pulmonologist, allergist, respiratory therapist, pharmaceutical chemist, psychologist, and nutritionist, at a specialized outpatient clinic in Colombia.

METHODS: Retrospective observational study conducted from July 2019 to July 2023, based on the follow-up of patients with severe asthma and the evaluation of clinical parameters of remission of the disease after one year of admission to the program. Univariate analysis was performed, with measures of central tendency, and relative and cumulative frequencies. The statistical package R Core Team Version 4.2 (2022) was used.

RESULTS: 358 patients were evaluated with a mean age of 54 years (SD 17), 78.2% women. 50.3% of cases began in childhood and mainly with a diagnosis of mixed asthma 43%, eosinophilic/unspecified asthma 32.1% and allergic asthma 24.9%. At 1-year follow-up, 81.3% were seizure-free, 70.4% achieved an ACT ≥ 20, and 47.2% a FEV1% pre ≥80%. Clinical remission was considered when all three analysis criteria were achieved in 86 patients (24%). Of this follow-up group, 37 patients (43%) were on biologic therapy.

CONCLUSIONS: Clinical remission of severe asthma is possible with specialized multidisciplinary management. At our center 1 out of 4 patients achieved clinical remission of asthma, most of the patients even without biologic therapy (only long-term inhaled therapy).