A group of South West-based researchers have shown that early improvements in asthma symptoms can help predict how effective treatment will be in the future.

Experts at the Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, the University of Plymouth, and the University of Exeter used national data to find out if it’s possible to predict how people with severe asthma will respond to medication.

Asthma affects 350 million people worldwide, and an estimated 3–10% of those diagnosed have severe asthma. People with severe asthma often face much tougher symptoms and challenges, leading to more health problems and greater need for medical intervention. A special type of treatment, known as biologic therapy can help people to control their asthma symptoms better, improving quality of life.

Recently published, the team’s findings used data from the Severe Asthma Questionnaire (SAQ), which captures patient experiences of disease and treatment. By tracking patient responses over time, the team were able to clearly see the difference between patients who responded well to biologic therapy and those who did not.

Overall, the research showed that people who felt better and experienced an improved quality of life within just a few weeks of starting biologic therapy were more likely to have long-term success with the treatment. These findings will help doctors personalise care, leading to better outcomes for more people.

Dr Drew Davies, Respiratory Medicine Registrar at the Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, said:

“This research demonstrates the importance of the patients own experience and how it can help predict long-term outcomes for people with severe asthma. We hope that this will encourage clinicians to incorporate tools like the Severe Asthma Questionnaire into routine care, helping us better understand who will benefit from biologic treatments and emphasising the patient's voice in tailoring these treatments to them.”

Dr Joseph Lanario, Research Fellow in Respiratory Health at the Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Plymouth, said:

“We are excited to see how the Severe Asthma Questionnaire is helping to personalise treatment and care for severe asthma, transforming lives through the use of real patient data.

This questionnaire was developed by the University of Plymouth and University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust in 2018. The questionnaire has the potential to improve outcomes not just nationally, but internationally, by guiding treatment decisions based on patients’ own experiences.”

This initiative was an independent project supported by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Applied Research Collaboration South West Peninsula (PenARC). You can read more here.

The Royal Devon has a strong respiratory research portfolio, working in collaboration with key partners across the University and healthcare sectors. To learn more, please visit our website pages. 

The views expressed in this publication are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the National Institute for Health Research or the Department of Health and Social Care.

About the Severe Asthma Questionnaire (SAQ)

The Severe Asthma Questionnaire (SAQ) is the only severe asthma specific Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) questionnaire. It was developed in partnership with people with severe asthma. The questionnaire has undergone quantitative validation across the UK and several European countries. It continues to be used in clinical practice and clinical trials.

For more information, please visit www.saq.org.uk