TABLE 1.
Baseline demographics of the whole cohort at initial assessment prior to commencing biologics (n=1111)
| n | Category | Result | |
| Time to first annual review (years) | 1111 | 1.1 (1.0–1.3) | |
| Sex | 1111 | Female | 667 (60.0) |
| Age at first assessment (years) | 1111 | 52.0 (41.0–61.0) | |
| Ethnicity | 1109 | White | 966 (87.1) |
| Smoking status | 1083 | Never | 723 (66.8) |
| BMI (kg·m−2) | 1099 | 29.8 (26.1–34.8) | |
| Atopic disease | 1111 | 567 (51.0) | |
| Depression/anxiety | 1111 | 129 (11.6) | |
| Gastro-oesophageal reflux | 1111 | 224 (20.2) | |
| Nasal polyps | 1111 | 237 (21.3) | |
| OCS bursts for exacerbation (last year) | 1086 | 5 (3–8) | |
| Any OCS bursts (last year) | 1086 | 1020 (93.9) | |
| Invasive ventilations (ever) | 1058 | 101 (9.5) | |
| Any ED attendance for asthma (last year) | 1073 | 435 (40.5) | |
| Hospital admissions for asthma (last year) | 1081 | 431 (39.9) | |
| Highest BEC recorded (×109 L−1)# | 1093 | 0.70 (0.44–1.10) | |
| FENO (ppb) | 831 | 43.0 (24.0–75.0) | |
| Composite T2 biomarker group | 811 | BEC low (<0.15)/FENO low (<20) | 48 (5.9) |
| BEC high (≥0.15)/FENO low (<20) | 111 (13.7) | ||
| BEC low (<0.15)/FENO high (≥20) | 126 (15.5) | ||
| BEC high (≥0.15)/FENO high (≥20) | 526 (64.9) | ||
| FEV1 (L) | 1089 | 2.0 (1.5–2.6) | |
| FEV1 (% pred) | 1077 | 66.9 (52.1–81.5) | |
| FVC (L) | 1062 | 3.1 (2.5–3.9) | |
| FVC (% pred) | 1026 | 85.9 (73.4–97.8) | |
| FEV1/FVC | 1062 | 63.6 (53.7–72.1) | |
| ACQ-5 score | 954 | 3.2 (2.0–4.0) | |
| Uncontrolled asthma | 954 | ACQ-5 ≥1.5 | 807 (84.6) |
| Maintenance OCS | 1106 | 638 (57.7) | |
| Maintenance OCS (mg)¶ | 1102 | 10 (8–15) | |
| ICS | 1111 | 1103 (99.3) | |
| ICS dose (µg BDP-equivalent)+ | 1025 | 2000 (1600–2000) | |
| Theophylline | 1099 | 299 (27.2) | |
| SABA | 1099 | 1051 (95.6) | |
| LABA | 1094 | 1013 (92.6) | |
| LAMA | 1095 | 709 (64.7) | |
| LTRA | 1059 | 548 (51.7) | |
| Maintenance macrolides | 1087 | 100 (9.2) | |
| Nebuliser use | 1092 | 241 (22.1) | |
| Biologic type commenced | 981 | Anti-IL-5 | 828 (84.4) |
| Anti-IgE | 150 (15.3) | ||
| Anti-IL-4 receptor α | 3 (0.3) | ||
| ERS/ATS severe asthma [1 ] | 1111 | Yes | 1111 (100.0) |
Results are presented as median (interquartile range) or n (%). “Last year” refers to measures assessed using clinical records in the 12 months prior to initial presentation at the severe asthma centre; other measures were as observed or recorded at initial presentation unless otherwise indicated. BMI: body mass index; OCS: oral corticosteroids; ED: emergency department; BEC: blood eosinophil count; FENO: fractional exhaled nitric oxide; T2: type 2; FEV1: forced expiratory volume in 1 s; FVC: forced vital capacity; ACQ: Asthma Control Questionnaire; ICS: inhaled corticosteroids; BDP: beclometasone dipropionate; SABA: short-acting β2-agonists; LABA: long-acting β2-agonists; LAMA: long-acting muscarinic antagonists; LTRA: leukotriene receptor antagonists; IL: interleukin; ERS: European Respiratory Society; ATS: American Thoracic Society. #: highest recorded according to prior medical records; ¶: among patients on OCS; +: among patients on ICS.