A Breath of Fresh Air in Pediatric Asthma

Instructions to Participate

You must be a registered attendee of ATS 2021 to participate. Once the participant portal is open, find this webinar and add it to your calendar.

There is no registration fee for attending this program.

This Industry Program presentation at the ATS 2021 International Conference is open to all ATS 2021 International Conference attendees.

This activity is provided by Integritas Communications.

This activity is supported by an independent educational grant from Sanofi Genzyme and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals.

Target Audience

The educational design of this activity addresses the needs of allergists/clinical immunologists, pulmonologists, and other clinicians involved in the management of patients with pediatric asthma.

Program Description

During this 1-hour Engaging the Patient™ program, two asthma specialists will review the consequences and disparities of severe asthma within the pediatric population and share their interpretive insights on its characteristics and underlying pathophysiology as well as the rationale for targeted biologic therapies. Additionally, the latest clinical trial evidence for the use of newer biologic therapies within this pediatric population will be presented along with their positioning within recent published guidelines. Interactive faculty discussions surrounding the management of young patients with severe asthma as well as key elements for shared decision making will support the translation of this information to practice. Lastly, an intimate view of the parents’ perspective will be provided via prerecorded video, highlighting the immense burden of disease and the impact asthma has on patients and their families. Following participation, attendees will be motivated and better prepared to implement timely and effective treatment plans for the management of their young patients with severe asthma.

Statement of Need/Program Overview

Currently, more than 5.5 million children (age <18 years) in the United States have been diagnosed with asthma.¹ An estimated 5% of this pediatric population suffer from severe asthma—disease that necessitates treatment with high-dose inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) plus a second controller and/or oral corticosteroids (OCS) to retain control, or which remains uncontrolled despite this therapy.^2,3 These children are at a heightened risk of death from recurrent, life-threatening asthma exacerbations, increased morbidity, impaired lung function, and reduced health-related quality of life.^4-7 Asthma is the leading cause of emergency department visits and among the top 3 reasons children are hospitalized.⁸ Therefore, there is great urgency not only to prevent the detrimental effects of asthma but to implement timely and effective treatment plans for the management of these young patients.

During this Engaging the Patient™ program, two asthma specialists will share their interpretive insights on the characteristics of pediatric asthma, its underlying pathophysiology, and the rationale for targeted biologic therapies. Faculty will share clinical trial evidence for the use of newer biologic therapies within this pediatric population and detail the positioning of biologics within recently published guidelines. Interactive faculty discussions surrounding the management of young patients with severe asthma as well as key elements for shared decision-making will be included throughout the program, supporting the translation of information to practice. Lastly, prerecorded video vignettes of a parent’s testimonial and follow-up office visit will provide real-life perspectives on the immense burden of disease and the impact asthma has on patients and their families.

References

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/asthma/most_recent_national_asthma_data.htm. Accessed March 16, 2021.
2. Chung KF, et al. Eur Respir J. 2014;43(2):343-373.
3. Lang DM. Allergy Asthma Proc. 2015;36(6):418-424.
4. Moorman JE, et al. Vital Health Stat 3. 2012(35):1-58.
5. Sullivan SD, et al. Allergy. 2007;62(2):126-133.
6. Strine TW, et al. Chest. 2004;126(6):1849-1854.
7. Müllerová H, et al. J Asthma. 2020;1-12.
8. American Lung Association. www.lung.org/lung-health-diseases/lung-disease-lookup/asthma/learn-about-asthma/asthma-children-facts-sheet#:~:text=In%202016%2C%203%2C651%20deaths%20were,adults%20over%2085%
   20years%20old. Accessed March 16, 2021.

Educational Objectives

Upon completion of this activity, participants will be better able to do the following:

1. Discuss pathophysiologic inflammatory processes in pediatric asthma that support phenotypic classification, risk stratification, and targeted treatment
2. Longitudinally evaluate pediatric patients with asthma for disease severity, symptom control, lung function, and disease phenotypes
3. Describe the clinical profiles and evidence for current and emerging biologic treatment options for pediatric asthma
4. Construct individualized treatment regimens for pediatric patients with moderate-to-severe asthma based on symptoms, comorbidities, and shared clinical decision-making