Reliever-Triggered Inhaled Glucocorticoid in Black and Latinx Adults with Asthma

Elliot Israel, Juan Carlos Cardet, Jennifer K. Carroll, Anne L. Fuhlbrigge, Lilin She, Frank W. Rockhold, Nancy E. Maher, Maureen Fagan, Victoria E. Forth, Barbara P. Yawn, Paulina Arias Hernandez, Jean M. Kruse, Brian K. Manning, Jacqueline Rodriguez-Louis, Joel B. Shields, Brianna Ericson, Alex D. Colon-Moya, Suzanne Madison, Tamera Coyne-Beasley, Gretchen M. HammerBarbara M. Kaplan, Cynthia S. Rand, Janet Robles, Opal Thompson, Michael E. Wechsler, Juan P. Wisnivesky, M. Diane McKee, Sunit P. Jariwala, Elina Jerschow, Paula J. Busse, David C. Kaelber, Sylvette Nazario, Michelle L. Hernandez, Andrea J. Apter, Ku Lang Chang, Victor Pinto-Plata, Paul M. Stranges, Laura P. Hurley, Jennifer Trevor, Thomas B. Casale, Geoffrey Chupp, Isaretta L. Riley, Kartik Shenoy, Magdalena Pasarica, Rafael A. Calderon-Candelario, Hazel Tapp, Ahmet Baydur, Wilson D. Pace

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45 Scopus citations

Abstract

BACKGROUND Black and Latinx patients bear a disproportionate burden of asthma. Efforts to reduce the disproportionate morbidity have been mostly unsuccessful, and guideline recommendations have not been based on studies in these populations. METHODS In this pragmatic, open-label trial, we randomly assigned Black and Latinx adults with moderate-to-severe asthma to use a patient-activated, reliever-triggered inhaled glucocorticoid strategy (beclomethasone dipropionate, 80 μg) plus usual care (intervention) or to continue usual care. Participants had one instructional visit followed by 15 monthly questionnaires. The primary end point was the annualized rate of severe asthma exacerbations. Secondary end points included monthly asthma control as measured with the Asthma Control Test (ACT; range, 5 [poor] to 25 [complete control]), quality of life as measured with the Asthma Symptom Utility Index (ASUI; range, 0 to 1, with lower scores indicating greater impairment), and participant-reported missed days of work, school, or usual activities. Safety was also assessed. RESULTS Of 1201 adults (603 Black and 598 Latinx), 600 were assigned to the intervention group and 601 to the usual-care group. The annualized rate of severe asthma exacerbations was 0.69 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.61 to 0.78) in the intervention group and 0.82 (95% CI, 0.73 to 0.92) in the usual-care group (hazard ratio, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.72 to 0.999; P = 0.048). ACT scores increased by 3.4 points (95% CI, 3.1 to 3.6) in the intervention group and by 2.5 points (95% CI, 2.3 to 2.8) in the usual-care group (difference, 0.9; 95% CI, 0.5 to 1.2); ASUI scores increased by 0.12 points (95% CI, 0.11 to 0.13) and 0.08 points (95% CI, 0.07 to 0.09), respectively (difference, 0.04; 95% CI, 0.02 to 0.05). The annualized rate of missed days was 13.4 in the intervention group and 16.8 in the usual-care group (rate ratio, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.67 to 0.95). Serious adverse events occurred in 12.2% of the participants, with an even distribution between the groups. CONCLUSIONS Among Black and Latinx adults with moderate-to-severe asthma, provision of an inhaled glucocorticoid and one-time instruction on its use, added to usual care, led to a lower rate of severe asthma exacerbations.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1505-1518
Number of pages14
JournalNew England Journal of Medicine
Volume386
Issue number16
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 21 2022

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Medicine

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