OBJECTIVES: The use of systemic corticosteroids (SCS), including oral corticosteroids (OCS) is a common therapeutic option in acute asthma and its maintenance management. RAPID (NCT04287621) is a global, prospective registry that aims to characterize patients with asthma initiating dupilumab in real-world clinical practice. This analysis reports baseline characteristics of patients enrolled in RAPID, with focus on SCS use.

METHODS: RAPID is enrolling patients aged ≥12 years who initiate dupilumab for asthma (primary indication) according to country-specific prescribing information.

RESULTS: Between Mar 6, 2020 and Oct 28, 2021, 205 patients were enrolled. 54/205 pts (26%) had received SCS in the 3 months prior. Of these, 52 (96%) reported having used OCS medications specifically within this time. OCS use was ongoing for 25/52 patients (48%) at the time of enrolment. Mean (SD) age was 48.0 (17.2) years, 35 patients (65%) were female, and 37 (69%) were White. Mean (SD) pre-bronchodilator FEV₁ was 2.3 (1.5) L (n=32/54), mean (SD) pre-bronchodilator percent predicted FEV₁ was 66.3 (21)% (n=38/54), mean (SD) forced vital capacity (FVC) was 2.9 (1.1) L (n=32/54), percent predicted FVC was 80.3 (20)% (n=35/54), mean (SD) peak expiratory flow rate was 368.9 (190.5) L (n=15/54), and the mean (SD) percent predicted forced expiratory flow between 25 and 75% of vital capacity (FEF_25-75) was 45 (26)% (n=32/54). 13/16 patients (81%) had baseline blood eosinophil counts of ≥150 cells/mL and 17/22 (77%) patients had baseline FeNO levels ≥25 ppb. Mean (SD) ACQ-6 score was 2.7 (1.4) (n=51/54). Baseline demographics and clinical characteristics at baseline were similar to the overall population (N=205).

CONCLUSIONS: In this initial presentation of baseline characteristics of patients from RAPID, initiating dupilumab for asthma, we show that ≥ 25% of patients were currently or had recently received SCS, indicating a high unmet need in this population.