Eric J Seeley1, Ihab Alshelli2,3, James Canfield3, Mendy Lum2,3, Ganesh Krishna2,3. 1. Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA, eric.seeley@ucsf.edu. 2. Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA. 3. Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Palo Alto Medical Foundation, Palo Alto, California, USA.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Despite an improved understanding of the pathophysiology of asthma, severe asthma sufferers continue to experience a poor quality of life (QOL). Bronchial thermoplasty (BT) utilizes thermal energy to reduce airway smooth muscle. In industry-sponsored trials, BT improves QOL and reduces severe exacerbations; however, the impact of BT on asthma-related QOL and medication use in non-industry-sponsored trials is less clear. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the impact of BT on asthma QOL measures (mini-AQLQ) and asthma controller medication use during the year following treatment with BT. METHODS: We performed a prospective study of the impact of BT in 25 patients with severe persistent asthma. Our primary outcome was change in asthma-related QOL score (mini-AQLQ) 1 year after BT treatment. Our secondary outcome was change in asthma medication use 1 year after BT. RESULTS: BT led to an improvement in mini-AQLQ score from a baseline of 3.6 ± 0.3 before therapy to 5.6 ± 0.3 1 year after the final BT procedure. Overall, 88% percent of patients showed a clinically significant improvement in mini-AQLQ at 1 year. Patients treated with BT showed a reduction in the use of montelukast and omalizumab 1 year after BT. CONCLUSION: In patients with severe persistent asthma and low asthma-related QOL scores, BT leads to an improvement in asthma-related QOL and a decrease in asthma medication use when measured 1 year after the final BT treatment.
BACKGROUND: Despite an improved understanding of the pathophysiology of asthma, severe asthma sufferers continue to experience a poor quality of life (QOL). Bronchial thermoplasty (BT) utilizes thermal energy to reduce airway smooth muscle. In industry-sponsored trials, BT improves QOL and reduces severe exacerbations; however, the impact of BT on asthma-related QOL and medication use in non-industry-sponsored trials is less clear. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the impact of BT on asthma QOL measures (mini-AQLQ) and asthma controller medication use during the year following treatment with BT. METHODS: We performed a prospective study of the impact of BT in 25 patients with severe persistent asthma. Our primary outcome was change in asthma-related QOL score (mini-AQLQ) 1 year after BT treatment. Our secondary outcome was change in asthma medication use 1 year after BT. RESULTS: BT led to an improvement in mini-AQLQ score from a baseline of 3.6 ± 0.3 before therapy to 5.6 ± 0.3 1 year after the final BT procedure. Overall, 88% percent of patients showed a clinically significant improvement in mini-AQLQ at 1 year. Patients treated with BT showed a reduction in the use of montelukast and omalizumab 1 year after BT. CONCLUSION: In patients with severe persistent asthma and low asthma-related QOL scores, BT leads to an improvement in asthma-related QOL and a decrease in asthma medication use when measured 1 year after the final BT treatment.
Authors: Abdullah Alismail; Kandice Sutzko; Noha Daher; Mark Welch; Raul Ramirez; Andrea Webb; Laren D Tan Journal: Medicine (Baltimore) Date: 2022-09-23 Impact factor: 1.817