Asthma
Conditions
Keywords
asthma, African Americans, Hispanics
Brief summary
Asthma imposes a significant burden in the US in terms of morbidity, costs to society, individual suffering, loss of productivity and mortality. African Americans (AA) and Hispanic/Latinos (H/L) bear a disproportionate share of that morbidity. Despite national guidelines for asthma treatment, the gap between these groups and whites has been stable or widening. The need for pragmatic research to address the continuing burden is widely recognized. Patients use asthma reliever inhalers to provide immediate relief of symptoms. Controller inhalers (inhaled corticosteroids (ICS)) are intended to be used regularly to prevent symptoms and attacks. Guidelines suggest that they be used daily, on a fixed basis, in all but the mildest asthma. However, adherence by patients and implementation of evidence-based guideline recommendations by clinicians has been poor. Gap analysis suggests that it is difficult to improve adherence to the current recommendations without complex and resource-intensive interventions. Studies have examined symptom-activated use of ICS triggered by use of a reliever medication. The Investigators call this approach PARTICS - Patient Activated Reliever-Triggered Inhaled CorticoSteroid. Explanatory, non-real world studies suggest that PARTICS can produce up to 50% reductions in asthma attacks compared with usual care, while reducing ICS use by half or more. These studies have been performed in pre-selected populations, which represent less than 5% of asthma patients. The previous studies have been done with repeated education and adherence checks in both the intervention and control arms. The investigators have consulted with AA and H/L patients, health care providers, leaders of professional societies, advocacy groups, health policy leaders, pharmacists, and pharmaceutical manufacturers. All groups have indicated that asthma decision making would be changed if we demonstrated that implementing PARTICS improves important asthma outcomes such as reducing exacerbations. The Investigators have designed a study with the stakeholders to determine whether PARTICS can improve outcomes that are important to patients when superimposed on a background provider-educated standard of care through the Asthma IQ system. The Investigators propose a study entitled PREPARE: Patient Empowered Strategy to Reduce Asthma Morbidity in Highly Impacted Populations. The Investigators aim to determine whether PARTICS can reduce asthma morbidity in AA and H/L.
Detailed description
Asthma imposes a significant burden on the US population in terms of morbidity, costs to society, individual suffering, loss of productivity and mortality. African Americans (AA) and Hispanic/Latinos (H/L) bear a disproportionate share of that morbidity. Despite introduction of national guidelines for asthma treatment, the gap between these groups and whites has been stable or widening. The need for pragmatic research to address the continuing burden is widely recognized. Patients use asthma reliever inhalers to provide immediate relief of symptoms. Controller inhalers (inhaled corticosteroids (ICS)) are intended to be used regularly to prevent symptoms and attacks. Guidelines suggest that they be used daily, on a fixed basis, in all but the mildest asthma. However, adherence by patients and implementation of evidence-based guideline recommendations by clinicians has been poor. Gap analysis suggests that it is difficult to improve adherence to the current recommendations without complex and resource-intensive interventions. Studies have examined symptom-activated use of ICS triggered by use of a reliever medication. We call this approach PARTICS - Patient Activated Reliever-Triggered Inhaled CorticoSteroid. Explanatory, non-real world studies suggest that PARTICS can produce up to 50% reductions in asthma attacks compared with usual care, while reducing ICS use by half or more. However, these studies have been performed in pre- selected populations, which represent less than 5% of patients with asthma. They have been done with repeated education and adherence checks in both the intervention and control arms. The investigators have consulted with AA and H/L patients, health care providers, leaders of professional societies, advocacy groups, health policy leaders, pharmacists, and pharmaceutical manufacturers. All groups have indicated that asthma decision making would be changed if it was demonstrated that implementing PARTICS improves important asthma outcomes such as reducing rates of exacerbations. Together with our partners and stakeholders, the investigators have designed a study to determine whether PARTICS can improve outcomes that are important to patients when superimposed on a background provider-educated standard care through the Asthma IQ system. The investigators therefore propose a study entitled PREPARE: Patient Empowered Strategy to Reduce Asthma Morbidity in Highly Impacted Populations. The aim is to determine whether a PARTICS strategy can reduce asthma morbidity in AA and H/L. The primary outcome will be asthma exacerbations which have been shown to be important to patient and healthcare stakeholders. The secondary outcomes will include additional outcomes important to patients (i.e. days lost from work or school, asthma control, & asthma quality of life). The investigators have broad input and involvement from multiple stakeholder groups in study design, implementation, and commitments for dissemination. AA and H/L patients and their advocates have been involved and will continue to play a central role in all phases of the study.
Interventions
Patient takes inhaled corticosteroid at the time of rescue inhaler use
Sponsors
Study design
Eligibility
Inclusion criteria
* Black or Hispanic based on self-identification (Hispanic if identify as both) * Male and female, ages 18-75 years * Ability to provide informed consent * Clinical history consistent with asthma for \> 1 year. * Prescribed ICS as daily maintenance therapy * Participant must also have an ACT score of 19 or less, or a history of one or more exacerbations in the past year that required patient report of systemic corticosteroid use.
Exclusion criteria
* Life expectancy less than one year * Known allergy to the ICS inhaler used in the study * Having COPD or other chronic lung disease other than asthma; with the exception of the following: * Dx of COPD in a never smoker without any other lung disease or any other disease that might cause airway obstruction such as: Cystic Fibrosis, Connective Tissue Disease, premature birth, organ transplantation, bronchiectasis, sarcoid, and obliterative bronchiolitis * Dx of COPD in former smoker with normal PFTs done after the person quit smoking * Dx of COPD in current smoker with normal PFTs done in past 24 months * Dx of COPD IN CURRENT OR FORMER SMOKER with obstruction on PFTs: normal diffusing capacity in past 24 months and demonstrated reversibility of 12% or more at any time * Regular systemic corticosteroid use daily or every other day for any reason-including asthma or other medical reasons * Use of systemic corticosteroid, or visit to the doctor's office, emergency department (ED) or urgent care, or overnight hospitalization for an asthma exacerbation in the past month (can wait and re-check eligibility after one month) * Use of biologics (injections or infusion medicines): with the exception of the following: * the patient has been on a stable dose of a biologic for at least 6 months and, * must have had an exacerbation at least 2 months after starting on a biologic to be considered eligible OR * must have a current ACT score \<=19 to be considered eligible. * Bronchial thermoplasty less than 6 months ago (can re-check eligibility 6 months after procedure) * Another family member living in the same household already enrolled in study
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Rate of Asthma Exacerbations Per Year | monthly through study completion an average of 15 months | Our primary outcome, the rate of asthma exacerbations per year, is defined as the number of exacerbations, emergency room visits, or hospitalizations requiring oral or parenteral corticosteroids, per patient per year |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Asthma Control: Asthma Control Test (ACT) Score, Least-squares Mean Change From Baseline | Monthly through study completion an average of 15 months | Asthma control represents the degree to which impairment (impact of asthma on patient's daily life) is minimized and the goals of therapy are met. The Asthma Control Test is a participant-administered tool for assessing the level of asthma control. Total scores range from 5 to 25, with a score of 20 to 25 indicating well-controlled asthma, a score of 16 to 19 indicating asthma that was not well controlled, and a score of 5 to 15 indicating very poorly controlled asthma. The minimal clinically important difference is 3 points |
| Preference Based Quality of Life: Asthma Symptom Utility Index (ASUI), Least-squares Mean Change From Baseline | Monthly through study completion an average of 15 months | The ideal outcome measure for any comparative effectiveness analysis captures the risks and benefits for each of the interventions from the patient's point of view. The use of a preference-based instrument, the Asthma Symptom Utility Index (ASUI), captures this important information. The Asthma Symptom Utility Index is a participant-administered tool for assessing preference-based quality of life. Scores range from 0 (worst possible symptoms) to 1 (no symptoms). The minimal clinically important difference is 0.09. |
| Days Per Year Lost From Work or School/ Days Unable to Carry Out Usual Activities Due to Asthma | Monthly through study completion an average of 15 months | Defined as days not able to work or go to school because of asthma symptoms OR days not able to carry out usual activities due to asthma |
Countries
Puerto Rico, United States
Participant flow
Pre-assignment details
1220 participants were enrolled, however, 19 participants were not followed and were dropped from analysis due to the site closure. They were not included in the primary analyses but were included in safety reporting. Two sites were enrolling simultaneously and there was one additional participant enrolled accidentally.
Participants by arm
| Arm | Count |
|---|---|
| PARTICS addition of PARTICS strategy - Patient Activated Reliever-Triggered Inhaled CorticoSteroid (PARTICS) using QVAR . Patient will use inhaled corticosteroid at time of rescue inhaler use
PARTICS using QVAR: Patient takes inhaled corticosteroid at the time of rescue inhaler use | 600 |
| Usual Care Provider-enhanced usual care arm; no change in asthma management | 601 |
| Total | 1,201 |
Withdrawals & dropouts
| Period | Reason | FG000 | FG001 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Study | Death | 3 | 4 |
| Overall Study | Lost to Follow-up | 48 | 37 |
| Overall Study | Other | 0 | 1 |
| Overall Study | Removed by study team due to inappropriate behavior | 1 | 0 |
| Overall Study | Study site closed | 9 | 10 |
| Overall Study | Withdrawal by Subject | 6 | 2 |
Baseline characteristics
| Characteristic | Usual Care | Total | PARTICS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Absolute eosinophil count | 250.1 cells/μL STANDARD_DEVIATION 247.48 | 247.8 cells/μL STANDARD_DEVIATION 238.47 | 188 cells/μL |
| Absolute eosinophil count ≥300 cells/μL | 137 Participants | 265 Participants | 128 Participants |
| Age, Continuous | 47.0 years STANDARD_DEVIATION 13.9 | 47.7 years STANDARD_DEVIATION 13.7 | 48.3 years STANDARD_DEVIATION 13.5 |
| Asthma Control Test score | 14.5 units on a scale STANDARD_DEVIATION 4.5 | 14.6 units on a scale STANDARD_DEVIATION 4.4 | 14.7 units on a scale STANDARD_DEVIATION 4.4 |
| Asthma Symptom Utility Index score | 0.67 units on a scale STANDARD_DEVIATION 0.21 | 0.67 units on a scale STANDARD_DEVIATION 0.21 | 0.67 units on a scale STANDARD_DEVIATION 0.22 |
| Body mass index (BMI) (kg/m2) | 35.1 kilograms per meters squared STANDARD_DEVIATION 9.5 | 35.1 kilograms per meters squared STANDARD_DEVIATION 9.3 | 35.2 kilograms per meters squared STANDARD_DEVIATION 9.1 |
| Fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) | 30.4 ppb STANDARD_DEVIATION 34.9 | 28.6 ppb STANDARD_DEVIATION 31.6 | 26.7 ppb STANDARD_DEVIATION 27.8 |
| Fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO), ≥30 ppb | 154 Participants | 302 Participants | 148 Participants |
| History of ≥1 asthma exacerbation in past year | 427 Participants | 867 Participants | 440 Participants |
| Low or marginal health literacy | 100 Participants | 201 Participants | 101 Participants |
| Maintenance asthma medications: Biologic agent | 19 Participants | 36 Participants | 17 Participants |
| Maintenance asthma medications: Combination inhaled glucocorticoid with long-acting beta-agonist | 431 Participants | 859 Participants | 428 Participants |
| Maintenance asthma medications: Inhaled glucocorticoid without long-acting beta-agonist | 169 Participants | 340 Participants | 171 Participants |
| Maintenance asthma medications: Leukotriene-receptor antagonist | 290 Participants | 598 Participants | 308 Participants |
| Maintenance asthma medications: Long-acting muscarinic antagonist | 79 Participants | 143 Participants | 64 Participants |
| Medication Adherence Report Scale-5 score | 4.2 units on a scale STANDARD_DEVIATION 0.8 | 4.2 units on a scale STANDARD_DEVIATION 0.8 | 4.2 units on a scale STANDARD_DEVIATION 0.8 |
| Nonsmoker or former smoker in smoking environment | 107 Participants | 203 Participants | 96 Participants |
| Number of coexisting conditions 0 | 191 Participants | 357 Participants | 166 Participants |
| Number of coexisting conditions 1 | 126 Participants | 276 Participants | 150 Participants |
| Number of coexisting conditions 2 | 119 Participants | 252 Participants | 133 Participants |
| Number of coexisting conditions 3 | 86 Participants | 167 Participants | 81 Participants |
| Number of coexisting conditions 4 or more | 79 Participants | 149 Participants | 70 Participants |
| Number of pack-years of smoking | 15.8 pack-years STANDARD_DEVIATION 19.79 | 14.1 pack-years STANDARD_DEVIATION 17.09 | 12.4 pack-years STANDARD_DEVIATION 13.8 |
| Number of quick-reliever nebulizations per week | 3.0 Nebulizations per week STANDARD_DEVIATION 4.8 | 2.9 Nebulizations per week STANDARD_DEVIATION 4.7 | 2.7 Nebulizations per week STANDARD_DEVIATION 4.6 |
| Obesity | 403 Participants | 824 Participants | 421 Participants |
| Participant-perceived overall health Excellent | 9 Participants | 22 Participants | 13 Participants |
| Participant-perceived overall health Fair | 272 Participants | 529 Participants | 257 Participants |
| Participant-perceived overall health Good | 194 Participants | 394 Participants | 200 Participants |
| Participant-perceived overall health Poor | 66 Participants | 128 Participants | 62 Participants |
| Participant-perceived overall health Very good | 60 Participants | 128 Participants | 68 Participants |
| Race/Ethnicity, Customized Race/ethnicity African American/Black | 300 Participants | 603 Participants | 303 Participants |
| Race/Ethnicity, Customized Race/ethnicity Hispanic/Latinx | 301 Participants | 598 Participants | 297 Participants |
| Region of Enrollment Puerto Rico | 51 Participants | 102 Participants | 51 Participants |
| Region of Enrollment United States | 550 Participants | 1099 Participants | 549 Participants |
| Sex: Female, Male Female | 497 Participants | 1005 Participants | 508 Participants |
| Sex: Female, Male Male | 104 Participants | 196 Participants | 92 Participants |
| Smoking status Current smoker | 74 Participants | 143 Participants | 69 Participants |
| Smoking status Former smoker | 46 Participants | 100 Participants | 54 Participants |
| Smoking status Non-smoker | 481 Participants | 958 Participants | 477 Participants |
| Use of quick-reliever nebulizer | 396 Participants | 804 Participants | 408 Participants |
Adverse events
| Event type | EG000 affected / at risk | EG001 affected / at risk |
|---|---|---|
| deaths Total, all-cause mortality | 3 / 609 | 4 / 611 |
| other Total, other adverse events | 0 / 609 | 0 / 611 |
| serious Total, serious adverse events | 75 / 609 | 74 / 611 |
Outcome results
Rate of Asthma Exacerbations Per Year
Our primary outcome, the rate of asthma exacerbations per year, is defined as the number of exacerbations, emergency room visits, or hospitalizations requiring oral or parenteral corticosteroids, per patient per year
Time frame: monthly through study completion an average of 15 months
| Arm | Measure | Value (MEAN) |
|---|---|---|
| PARTICS | Rate of Asthma Exacerbations Per Year | 0.69 Adjusted annualized exacerbations |
| Usual Care | Rate of Asthma Exacerbations Per Year | 0.82 Adjusted annualized exacerbations |
Asthma Control: Asthma Control Test (ACT) Score, Least-squares Mean Change From Baseline
Asthma control represents the degree to which impairment (impact of asthma on patient's daily life) is minimized and the goals of therapy are met. The Asthma Control Test is a participant-administered tool for assessing the level of asthma control. Total scores range from 5 to 25, with a score of 20 to 25 indicating well-controlled asthma, a score of 16 to 19 indicating asthma that was not well controlled, and a score of 5 to 15 indicating very poorly controlled asthma. The minimal clinically important difference is 3 points
Time frame: Monthly through study completion an average of 15 months
| Arm | Measure | Value (LEAST_SQUARES_MEAN) |
|---|---|---|
| PARTICS | Asthma Control: Asthma Control Test (ACT) Score, Least-squares Mean Change From Baseline | 3.4 units on a scale |
| Usual Care | Asthma Control: Asthma Control Test (ACT) Score, Least-squares Mean Change From Baseline | 2.5 units on a scale |
Days Per Year Lost From Work or School/ Days Unable to Carry Out Usual Activities Due to Asthma
Defined as days not able to work or go to school because of asthma symptoms OR days not able to carry out usual activities due to asthma
Time frame: Monthly through study completion an average of 15 months
| Arm | Measure | Value (MEAN) |
|---|---|---|
| PARTICS | Days Per Year Lost From Work or School/ Days Unable to Carry Out Usual Activities Due to Asthma | 13.4 days per year |
| Usual Care | Days Per Year Lost From Work or School/ Days Unable to Carry Out Usual Activities Due to Asthma | 16.8 days per year |
Preference Based Quality of Life: Asthma Symptom Utility Index (ASUI), Least-squares Mean Change From Baseline
The ideal outcome measure for any comparative effectiveness analysis captures the risks and benefits for each of the interventions from the patient's point of view. The use of a preference-based instrument, the Asthma Symptom Utility Index (ASUI), captures this important information. The Asthma Symptom Utility Index is a participant-administered tool for assessing preference-based quality of life. Scores range from 0 (worst possible symptoms) to 1 (no symptoms). The minimal clinically important difference is 0.09.
Time frame: Monthly through study completion an average of 15 months
| Arm | Measure | Value (LEAST_SQUARES_MEAN) |
|---|---|---|
| PARTICS | Preference Based Quality of Life: Asthma Symptom Utility Index (ASUI), Least-squares Mean Change From Baseline | 0.12 units on a scale |
| Usual Care | Preference Based Quality of Life: Asthma Symptom Utility Index (ASUI), Least-squares Mean Change From Baseline | 0.08 units on a scale |