Researchers at Oregon Health & Science University target asthma

   "A large health maintenance organization (430,000 members). Adult members (18 to 55 years old) with asthma. Data from a questionnaire, skin-prick testing for inhalant allergens, and spirometry were collected at the baseline visit. Acute care utilization data were obtained from administrative databases for a subsequent 30-month period. This two-phase study first identified and performed a split-sample validation on three clinical tools to determine their predictive ability by employing data from a questionnaire, questionnaire plus spirometry, and questionnaire plus spirometry and skin-prick testing. Second, it identified modifiable independent risk factors. The 554 study participants generated 173 episodes of acute care over 1,258 person-years of follow-up (0.14 episodes per person per year). Of these, 101 participants had at least one episode, and one third of this group had two or more episodes. Clinical scoring into risk groups was done by reverse stepwise regression analyses. Using relative risks (RRs) as a guide, high-risk, moderate-risk, and low-risk groups were identified. The high-risk groups, 13 to 21% of the validation sample, had a 7- to 11-fold increased risk for hospital care compared to the low-risk groups. The moderate-risk groups, 46 to 50% of the validation sample, had a twofold- to fourfold-increased risk. FEV1 was the most significant predictor (RR, 4.33). Of the four potentially modifiable risk factors identified, current cigarette smoke exposure (1111, 1.6) and ownership and skin-prick test positivity to cat or dog (RR, 1.5) were the most significant. These models stratify asthma patients at risk for acute care," wrote M.L. Osborne and colleagues, Oregon Health & Science University.

   The researchers concluded: "Patients with lower FEV1 values are at significantly higher risk, underscoring the importance of spirometry in asthma care."

   Osborne and colleagues published their study in Chest (Assessing future need for acute care in adult asthmatics - The profile of asthma risk study: A prospective health maintenance organization-based study. Chest, 2007;132(4):1151-1161).

   For more information, contact M.L. Osborne, Oregon Health Sciences University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Pk Rd., Portland, OR 97239, USA.

   Publisher contact information for the journal Chest is: American College Chest Physicians, 3300 Dundee Road, Northbrook, IL 60062-2348, USA.

   Keywords: United States, Portland, Allergen, Allergies, Allergy Medicine, Asthma, Clinical Trial Research, HMO, Health Insurance, Health Maintenance Organizations, Skin Prick Test, Oregon Health & Science University.

   This article was prepared by Biotech Business Week editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2007, Biotech Business Week via NewsRx.com.

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