Cluster analysis of inflammatory biomarker expression in the International Severe Asthma Registry (ISAR)

Funding: ISAR is conducted by Optimum Patient Care Global Ltd, and co-funded by OPC Global Ltd and AstraZeneca.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Impact of pre-biologic impairment on meeting domain-specific biologic responder definitions in patients with severe asthma

The authors acknowledge Mr Aivaras Cepelis for his contribution during the development of the manuscript. The authors thank Ms Pui Yee Lai (M.A.), of the Observational and Pragmatic Research Institute (OPRI), and Ms Andrea Lim (BSc, Hons) of the Observational Pragmatic Research Institute (OPRI) for their editorial and formatting assistance that supported the development of this publication.Peer reviewe

Exploring definitions and predictors of severe asthma clinical remission post-biologic in adults

Peer reviewe

Association between pre-biologic T2-biomaker combinations and response to biologics in patients with severe asthma

Funding This study was conducted by the Observational and Pragmatic Research Institute (OPRI) Pte Ltd and was partially funded by Optimum Patient Care Global (OPCG) and AstraZeneca Ltd. No funding was received by the OPRI for its contribution. The International Severe Asthma Registry (ISAR) is operated by OPCG and co-funded by OPCG and AstraZenecaPeer reviewe

Validation of the Body Concealment Scale for Scleroderma (BCSS): Replication in the Scleroderma Patient-centered Intervention Network (SPIN) Cohort

© 2016 Elsevier Ltd Body concealment is an important component of appearance distress for individuals with disfiguring conditions, including scleroderma. The objective was to replicate the validation study of the Body Concealment Scale for Scleroderma (BCSS) among 897 scleroderma patients. The factor structure of the BCSS was evaluated using confirmatory factor analysis and the Multiple-Indicator Multiple-Cause model examined differential item functioning of SWAP items for sex and age. Internal consistency reliability was assessed via Cronbach's alpha. Construct validity was assessed by comparing the BCSS with a measure of body image distress and measures of mental health and pain intensity. Results replicated the original validation study, where a bifactor model provided the best fit. The BCSS demonstrated strong internal consistency reliability and construct validity. Findings further support the BCSS as a valid measure of body concealment in scleroderma and provide new evidence that scores can be compared and combined across sexes and ages

Characterisation of the Australian adult population living with asthma : Severe exacerbation frequency, long-term OCS use and adverse effects.

Acknowledgements We wish to acknowledge and thank Sheryl Bradley, Rob Campbell, Andrew Davis, Sophie Jones, Chi Ming Lau, Ying Liu, Ian Miles, Marion Magee, Dominique Novic, John Pakos, Frank Postma, Dr Ondrej Rejda, Josephine Samuel-King, David Smallwood, Shay Soremekun, Majella Soumakiyan, Lisa Sugg, and Bruce Willet of the OPCA Improving Asthma outcomes in Australia Research Group for their valuable contributions in making this publication possible. AstraZeneca was given the opportunity to review the manuscript for medical and scientific accuracy, but the authors retained full editorial control. We wish to acknowledge Clare Ghisla, Amanda Baker, and Robin Whiteley for their academic contribution. Writing, editorial support, and/or formatting assistance in the development of this manuscript was provided by Shilpa Suresh, MSc, of the Observational and Pragmatic Research Institute, Singapore.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Severe asthma assessment, management and the organisation of care in Australia and New Zealand: expert forum roundtable meetings

Severe asthma imposes a significant burden on individuals, families and the healthcare system. Treatment is complex, due to disease heterogeneity, comorbidities and complexity in care pathways. New approaches and treatments improve health outcomes for people with severe asthma. However, emerging multidimensional and targeted treatment strategies require a reorganisation of asthma care. Consensus is required on how reorganisation should occur and what areas require further research. The Centre of Excellence in Severe Asthma convened 3 forums between 2015 and 2018, hosting experts from Australia, New Zealand and the UK. The forums were complemented by a survey of clinicians involved in the management of people with severe asthma. We sought to 1) identify areas of consensus among experts, 2) define activities and resources required for the implementation of findings into practice and 3) identify specific priority areas for future research. Discussions identified areas of unmet need including assessment and diagnosis of severe asthma, models of care and treatment pathways, add-on treatment approaches and patient perspectives. We recommend development of education and training activities, clinical resources and standards of care documents, increased stakeholder engagement and public awareness campaigns and improved access to infrastructure and funding. Further, we propose specific future research to inform clinical decision-making and develop novel therapies. A concerted effort is required from all stakeholders (including patients, healthcare professionals and organisations and government) to integrate new evidence-based practices into clinical care and to advance research to resolve questions relevant to improving outcomes for people with severe asthma. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved