OCS use in people with severe asthma in Australia, insights from the severe asthma registry 2013-2021

In Australia and New Zealand, research has shown that more than a third of severe asthma patients used toxic cumulative doses of OCS in just one year, with further escalation within 2 years.

Data from the Australiasian Severe Asthma Registry between 2013 and 2021 shows that, amongst 924 patients with severe asthma in Australia and new Zealand:
– 23% were taking maintenance OCS at baseline
– 26% were taking biologics at baseline, benefitting from biologics
– 44% received over 500mg cumulative OCS within a year
– 32% received over 1000mg cumulative OCS within a year
– an additional 10% reached 500mg OCS within 2 years
– an additional 9% reached 1000mg OCS within 2 years
– People exceeding the OCS thresholds had poor asthma control
– 12% were identified as potentially benefitting from biologics, of whom only 23% commenced biologics within 12 months

Conclusion: toxic cumulative doses of OCS were reached in just one year in more than a third of severe asthma patients, with further escalation within 2 years.