Primary care provider referral patterns and awareness of biologic therapy for uncontrolled asthma

This is the authors' abstract. We don't add key points for this paper.

Background: Asthma is a chronic airway disease associated with substantial morbidity. Most patients with uncontrolled asthma in the United States are managed by primary care providers (PCPs) and not by asthma specialists who are frequently updated on asthma treatment advances, including biologics, which decrease asthma exacerbation rates. Objective: We sought to investigate PCP referral patterns to asthma specialists, their familiarity with asthma biologic therapies, and the use of laboratory tests in asthma management. Methods: < .05 included in multivariable models. Conclusion: Most PCPs delay specialist referrals until patients experience ≥3 annual asthma exacerbations and do not use laboratory tests in asthma management, and many are unfamiliar with asthma biologics. Enhancing communication and education between PCPs and specialists on asthma therapies may help reduce asthma exacerbations.