AIMS
This project aims to define and characterise a group of children and adult patients aged 18 years and over with asthma.
BACKGROUND
Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease that affects both adults and children. It is one of the most common chronic diseases and results in significant morbidity and mortality in more severe cases.
Despite asthma being a manageable disease, asthma attacks account for 3 deaths per day and accounts for approximately 60,000 emergency hospital admissions/year in the UK, resulting in high healthcare costs.
Acute asthma attacks requiring hospital attendance often indicates poor symptom control and inadequate management of risk factors.
RESEARCH
This study will allow for a more detailed understanding of the characteristics of asthma patients in secondary care and the associated risk factors for being admitted to hospital and transferred to more severe units for an asthma attack.
This information will enable clinicians to predict where patients are likely to end up following an asthma attack and allow for appropriate interventions to be put into place with the aim of prioritising the delivery of care in a more timely manner and improving patient outcomes following hospitalisation for an asthma attack.
PATIENT INVOLVEMENT
The researchers collaborated with the National Institute for Health & Care Research (NIHR) children and young person steering group.
The researchers plan to continue to work closely with the steering group throughout the duration of the study and to discuss with them the findings that can be implemented at local and national level to improve asthma care.
APPROVAL
This project was supported unanimously by the PIONEER Data Trust Committee.
