Development and validation of a risk prediction model for severe exacerbations in patients with severe asthma

Asthma is a common disease of airways affecting 339 million people worldwide. About 5-10% of asthma patients have severe asthma, which is associated with disproportionately high risk of exacerbations (‘lung attacks’) and death. It also contributes to nearly 50% of asthma-related healthcare spending. In particular, exacerbations are a major source of burden in severe asthma. While advanced treatments can substantially reduce the risk of exacerbations, they are among the most expensive treatment. Current guidelines for making treatment decisions often ignore variation in patient’s response to treatment and can subsequently impose substantial burden on patients if the right treatment is not chosen.

To tailor treatment for patients with severe asthma, my project goals are two-fold: 1) develop and validate an individualized risk prediction tool and 2) assess the clinical utility of this tool in a real-world setting. The risk tool will be made available to the public as a web application.

Faculty Supervisor:

Mohsen Sadatsafavi

Student:

Partner:

National University of Singapore

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Education

University:

The University of British Columbia

Program: