Table 1. Patient characteristics at baseline visit (V0) by first initiated biologic therapy for severe asthma in the GAN registry 2011 – 2024.
| Baseline characteristics | Anti-IgE (n = 634) | Anti-IL5R (n = 693) | Anti-IL5 (n = 670) | Anti-IL4R (n = 417) | Anti-TSLP (n = 235) | p-value* | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sex | N | 623 | 693 | 664 | 417 | 235 | |
| Female | 363 (58.3%) | 359 (51.8%) | 371 (55.9%) | 219 (52.5%) | 120 (51.1%) | 0.0965 | |
| Age at inclusion (years) | N | 632 | 692 | 668 | 417 | 234 | |
| Mean (SD) | 49.8 (14.5) | 58.3 (12.8) | 57.9 (13.3) | 54.5 (13.1) | 57.7 (13.6) | < 0.0001 | |
| BMI (kg/m2) | N | 633 | 687 | 665 | 415 | 232 | |
| Mean (SD) | 27.4 (5.8) | 27.8 (6.1) | 27.1 (5.7) | 27.9 (5.9) | 28.1 (6.0) | 0.0528 | |
| Age at asthma diagnosis (years) | N | 424 | 499 | 470 | 288 | 130 | |
| Mean (SD) | 26.5 (18.8) | 41.0 (19.0) | 41.2 (17.5) | 37.3 (19.0) | 34.1 (19.4) | < 0.0001 | |
| Smoking habits | N | 634 | 691 | 669 | 417 | 235 | |
| Non-smoker | 347 (54.7%) | 361 (52.2%) | 350 (52.3%) | 218 (52.3%) | 126 (53.6%) | 0.5661 | |
| Smoker | 30 (4.7%) | 19 (2.7%) | 23 (3.4%) | 15 (3.6%) | 11 (4.7%) | ||
| Former smoker | 257 (40.5%) | 311 (45.0%) | 296 (44.2%) | 184 (44.1%) | 98 (41.7%) | ||
| Asthma phenotype | N | 607 | 647 | 627 | 378 | 213 | |
| Predominantly allergic | 461 (75.9%) | 185 (28.6%) | 157 (25.0%) | 139 (36.8%) | 77 (36.2%) | < 0.0001 | |
| Non-allergic | 28 (4.6%) | 275 (42.5%) | 304 (48.5%) | 108 (28.6%) | 54 (25.4%) | ||
| Mixed form | 118 (19.4%) | 187 (28.9%) | 166 (26.5%) | 131 (34.7%) | 82 (38.5%) | ||
| Any allergic comorbidities† | N | 626 | 353 | 444 | 388 | 217 | |
| Existent | 498 (79.6%) | 172 (48.7%) | 229 (51.6%) | 237 (61.1%) | 119 (54.8%) | < 0.0001 | |
| Chronic sinusitis | N | 634 | 693 | 669 | 415 | 235 | |
| Existent | 251 (39.6%) | 338 (48.8%) | 360 (53.8%) | 208 (50.1%) | 60 (25.5%) | < 0.0001 | |
| Nasal polyps | N | 383 | 693 | 570 | 415 | 235 | |
| Existent | 98 (25.6%) N = 383 |
267 (38.5%) | 231 (40.5%) N = 570 |
185 (44.6%) | 45 (19.1%) | < 0.0001 | |
| Exacerbations in the last 12 months | N | 610 | 686 | 657 | 416 | 234 | |
| None | 143 (23.4%) | 157 (22.9%) | 179 (27.2%) | 87 (20.9%) | 38 (16.2%) | 0.0001 | |
| Unknown | 34 (5.6%) | 44 (6.4%) | 43 (6.5%) | 34 (8.2%) | 31 (13.2%) | ||
| 1x/year | 122 (20.0%) | 89 (13.0%) | 96 (14.6%) | 58 (13.9%) | 32 (13.7%) | ||
| > 1x/year, but < 1x/month | 266 (43.6%) | 327 (47.7%) | 276 (42.0%) | 194 (46.6%) | 111 (47.4%) | ||
| ≥ 1x/month | 45 (7.4%) | 69 (10.1%) | 63 (9.6%) | 43 (10.3%) | 22 (9.4%) | ||
| GINA control status | N | 634 | 693 | 669 | 417 | 235 | |
| Controlled | 134 (21.1%) | 116 (16.7%) | 152 (22.7%) | 85 (20.4%) | 16 (6.8%) | < 0.0001 | |
| Partly controlled | 172 (27.1%) | 119 (17.2%) | 153 (22.9%) | 59 (14.1%) | 53 (22.6%) | ||
| Uncontrolled | 328 (51.7%) | 458 (66.1%) | 364 (54.4%) | 273 (65.5%) | 166 (70.6%) | ||
| ACT (points) | N | 565 | 626 | 597 | 378 | 216 | |
| Median (IQR) | 16.0 (11 – 20) | 14 (10 – 19) | 16 (12 – 22) | 14 (11 – 20) | 14.0 (9 – 17) | < 0.0001 | |
| FEV1 [L] | N | 600 | 660 | 644 | 406 | 223 | |
| Mean (SD) | 2.23 (0.89) | 2.01 (0.80) | 2.05 (0.86) | 2.15 (0.81) | 2.04 (0.85) | < 0.0001 | |
| FEV1 [%] | N | 594 | 659 | 636 | 406 | 217 | |
| Mean (SD) | 69.83 (22.14) | 66.45 (21.82) | 69.17 (22.29) | 67.90 (21.54) | 64.56 (20.82) | 0.0037 | |
| FeNO [ppb] | N | 307 | 394 | 395 | 298 | 149 | |
| Median (IQR) | 26.0 (14.0 – 48.0) | 39.5 (23.0 – 69.0) | 38.0 (23.0 – 65.0) | 35.0 (17.0 – 68.0) | 24.0 (13.0 – 50.0) | < 0.0001 | |
| Blood eosinophil count [/µL] | N | 313 | 408 | 433 | 259 | 134 | |
| Median (IQR) | 205.4 (104.5 – 361.2) | 432.7 (173.3 – 793.4) | 214.2 (61.3 – 560.0) | 300.0 (144.2 – 540.5) | 159.0 (80.0 – 320.0) | < 0.0001 | |
| Total IgE [IU/mL] | N | 231 | 190 | 185 | 81 | 113 | |
| Median | 419 (176; 759) | 136.5 (57; 360) | 152 (54; 354) | 144 (34; 829) | 128 (48; 301) | < 0.0001 | |
| Maintenance OCS | N | 634 | 693 | 670 | 417 | 235 | |
| Yes | 182 (28.7%) | 234 (33.8%) | 237 (35.4%) | 109 (26.1%) | 56 (23.8%) | 0.0004 |
*p-value: difference between all groups. For comparing categorical values χ2-test was used, for comparing continuous values Kruskal-Wallis test was used; †allergic comorbidities: allergic rhinitis/rhinoconjunctivitis, food allergy, atopic dermatitis, other allergic comorbidities. Statistically significant results with p < 0.05 were highlighted in bold. ACT = asthma control test; anti-IgE = anti-immunoglobulin E; anti-IL5 = anti-interleukin-5; anti-IL5R = anti-interleukin-5 receptor; anti-IL4R = anti-interleukin-4 alpha receptor; anti-TSLP = anti-thymic stromal lymphopoietin; FeNO = fractional exhaled nitric oxide (expressed in parts per billion, ppb); FEV1 = forced expiratory volume in 1 second; GAN = German Asthma Net; IQR = interquartile range; OCS = oral corticosteroids; SD = standard deviation.