Clinical Blog
Published: February 15, 2023

Coming to AAAAI 2023: Propeller’s latest asthma research

The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI) has accepted five abstracts examining the latest data from Propeller Health and ResMed.

Our findings on asthma care, which include analyzing the direct and indirect cost-savings associated with a digital intervention in uncontrolled asthma, will be presented at the AAAAI Annual Meeting on February 24-27. Read brief summaries of each abstract below or click the links to view them online.

Direct and indirect cost-savings associated with a digital intervention in uncontrolled asthma: A literature-based estimate

Summary: Uncontrolled asthma is associated with increased morbidity, healthcare utilization, cost, and lost productivity. Digital interventions have shown promise for patients with uncontrolled asthma, but there is limited evidence on cost-savings. Researchers conducted a literature-based analysis of the estimated one-year cost-savings for a clinically-integrated digital asthma program using Propeller’s digital therapeutic platform. Utilizing the findings from the literature-based analysis, it was estimated that a clinically-integrated digital program for uncontrolled asthma may result in annual total savings of approximately $2.25 million per thousand patients, including direct and indirect savings. Further evaluation of real-world costs is being conducted.

View this abstract online.

Short-acting beta-agonist (SABA) use by race and neighborhood socioeconomic status (nSES) among participants enrolled in a digital health program for asthma

Summary: Understanding the effectiveness of digital self-management programs among vulnerable populations living with asthma is an important step in building health equity. Using data on race and neighborhood socioeconomic status, we examined differences in SABA use among Propeller participants and found that there were similar improvements in SABA use, regardless of race or neighborhood socioeconomic status. These results suggest promise in supporting patients in their asthma management regardless of race or socioeconomic status. 

View this abstract online.

Identifying predictors of uncontrolled asthma symptoms despite high controller adherence

Summary: Certain patients may have an increased risk of uncontrolled asthma symptoms despite maintaining high controller adherence. Using inhaler sensor data, researchers assessed inhaler usage in children and adults with asthma over the course of 90 days. Despite being adherent to controller therapy, older patients (> 50 years) were almost twice as likely to have uncontrolled symptoms versus younger patients, and male patients were 50% more likely to have uncontrolled symptoms than females. These results suggest specific patients may require additional interventions to better maintain symptom management.

View this abstract online.

In addition to analyzing outcomes of Propeller patients, we also conducted research among a large, diverse population with asthma to understand trends in the burden of asthma broadly in the U.S. Below are two abstracts exploring adherence and costs among that population.

Adherence to controller therapy among a large, diverse sample of asthma patients in the United States

Summary: People living with persistent asthma often have suboptimal controller medication adherence rates, leading to uncontrolled symptoms and higher economic burden. Within the non-adherence range, reported rates vary dramatically. This is likely because of varying sample sizes, study designs, and data collection methods. To identify adherence trends, we used claims data from a large and diverse sample size of nearly 3 million people in the U.S. living with asthma. We found that while adherence rates ranged widely based on demographic and clinical characteristics, one sure trend is low adherence rates among children and adolescents. During follow-up, similar patterns persisted, although adherence was slightly higher. A better understanding of what drives adherence in varying patient groups is needed to improve asthma management.

View this abstract online.

Healthcare resource use and costs among a large, diverse sample of asthma patients in the United States

Summary: While the economic impact of asthma has been previously studied, burden estimates are outdated. This analysis examined real-world healthcare resource use (HCRU) and costs among a large and diverse sample of U.S. patients with mild, moderate, and severe asthma to determine the specific economic burden. On average, annual all-cause inpatient costs and annual all-cause ER costs were higher among patients with severe asthma than those with mild or moderate asthma. Given the high economic burden of severe asthma, research is needed to identify high-cost patients who may benefit from disease management interventions.

View this abstract online.

For any questions about Propeller’s peer-reviewed clinical research, please reach out to help@propellerhealth.com.

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