Although rare in children, SA is responsible for a high burden on families and society. There is a solid rationale to set up prospective networking to better define the disease and to improve the treatment and care of affected children.
We aimed to provide a first report on the features of children with SA consecutively recruited in the database.
From October ?21 to January ?23, 159 patients (58 females, median age 14 yrs, range 6-17) were recruited in 20 centres. 93% were sensitised to aeroallergens. Comorbidities in the last 12 months were: food allergy (12% of patients), allergic rhinitis (58%), gastroesophageal reflux (reported 16%, proven 8%).
The diagnostic work-up included a chest CT scan in 37% of cases and a bronchoscopy in 24% (from 13% to 83% and from 0% to 89%, respectively, in centres that recruited at least 6 patients).
Median FEV1 was 90%pred (IQR 80-97); 25% of children had a FEV1 <80%pred and 18% showed reversibility (FEV1 change >12%).
When recruited, 132 patients were on biologics. 68/132 had been treated for > 1 year and only 7 (11%) of them were uncontrolled based on GINA and/or had >2 exacerbations. 13/132 patients (10%) had been previously treated with a different biologic (table), in 12/13 for poor response
In conclusion, the diagnostic workup greatly varied among centres. Most patients were treated with biologics, with a good control in 89%; few had been previously switched to a different biologic, mainly for poor clinical response.
Biologic | N | Months of therapy (median, IQR) | N previously on omalizumab | N previously on dupilumab | N previously on mepolizumab |
omalizumab | 76 | 18.5 (5-35) | -- | 0 | 2 |
dupilumab | 38 | 7.5 (1-14) | 7 | -- | 2 |
mepolizumab | 18 | 7.0 (4-13) | 1 | 1 | -- |