What question did this study set out to answer?

This research aims to understand the characteristics and asthma management of young people transitioning from pediatric to adult care.

May 20, 2026

A60-15 Severe Asthma in Transition: Characteristics of Young People Moving From Paediatric to Adult Care

Key Points

This research aims to understand the characteristics and asthma management of young people transitioning from pediatric to adult care.
Conducted a retrospective analysis of clinical data from YP attending a joint transition clinic from June 2019 to March 2025.
Sample included 80 young people with severe asthma, data extracted from electronic medical records.
Analyzed asthma control, exacerbation rates, and treatment regimens.
80% of young people had documented atopy; 41% had an ACT score < 16 indicating poor control.
Mean annual exacerbation rate was 1.08 (±1.75), with many experiencing frequent exacerbations and persistent airway inflammation.
26.3% were on biologic therapy, showing substantial treatment needs at the transition point.

Abstract

Abstract Rationale Adolescence is a period of physiological and psychosocial change that can significantly influence severe asthma outcomes. Young people (YP) with severe asthma are at increased risk of poor quality of life, suboptimal asthma control, preventable exacerbations, and higher mortality compared with other age groups. The transition from paediatric to adult care remains particularly challenging. We describe the clinical characteristics of YP with severe asthma attending a joint paediatric–adult transition clinic in a large tertiary hospital. Methods We conducted a retrospective analysis of YP attending a joint paediatric–adult severe asthma transition multidisciplinary team clinic between June 2019 and March 2025 at a large tertiary centre. Clinical data were extracted from electronic medical records. Results are presented as mean (standard deviation) for normally distributed variables and median (interquartile range) for non-parametric data. Results 80 YP (41% female) with a mean age of 17.4 years (±4.36) were included. Of these, 80% had documented atopy and 8/80 (10%) were current smokers. Their median Asthma Control Test (ACT) score was 18 (9 - 21); 33/80 (41%) had an ACT score of 16. The mean predicted FEV1% was 89.3% (±13), and the mean FEV1/FVC ratio was 80% (±12.4). The median FeNO was 39 ppb (19-70) and the mean blood eosinophil level was 0.45 x109/L (±0.34). At the point of transition, adolescents had a mean annual exacerbation rate of 1.08 (±1.75). We identified 21/80 (26.3%) were receiving biologic therapy (Omalizumab n = 10; Mepolizumab n = 7; Tezepelumab n = 1; Dupilumab n = 3) and 5/80 (6.25%) were on maintenance daily oral corticosteroid therapy. Conclusion In this real-world single-centre cohort, many adolescents with severe asthma had poor control, persistent airway inflammation, and frequent exacerbations at transition to adult care. One-quarter were on long-term biologic therapy. These findings highlight the need for strengthened transition pathways and enhanced post-transition support to optimize outcomes. This abstract is funded by: None

Mark Helpful

Bookmark

Relay