DescRiption and charactErisation of asthmatiCs eligible for biolOGic therapy referral amoNg prImary and secondary care SEttings in Europe (RECOGNISE) study design, German part

Severe asthma is difficult to treat, and identifying patients who may be suitable for specific biologic therapy through the development of high quality severe asthma care pathways will be a key factor in managing patients appropriately.

Description and characterisation of asthmatics eligible for biologic therapy referral among primary and secondary care settings in Europe (RECOGNISE, NCT03629782) is a large, European, observational, cross-sectional study that will generate real-life data on the characteristics of severe asthma patients, eligible for biologic therapy referral.

RECOGNISE compares the clinical and biologic characteristics of patients identified as eligible vs. those non-eligible for biologic therapy, describes the characteristics of patients dependent on oral corticosteroids, and compares the agreement level between objective measurement and physician judgment on patient eligibility for biologic therapy referral. Direct costs associated with severe asthma over the previous 12 months are also evaluated. Data is collected at one visit and includes: patient demographics, comorbidities, detailed list of asthma medications, exacerbations and healthcare use (last 12 months), investigator-assessed medication adherence, Health-related quality of life and level of asthma control (St Georgeʼs Respiratory Questionnaire, Asthma Control Questionnaire 6).

Recruitment for RECOGNISE across primary and secondary care centres in Europe is ongoing, aiming to recruit approximately 2,000 patients from 17 countries, 200 of those will be recruited in Germany (approx. 50 centres).

RECOGNISE captures the Proportion and the distribution of severe asthma patients in referral centres in a real-world setting, including patients with comorbidities under routine care in contrast to typical randomised controlled trials, and will provide much-needed insights into factors associated with referrals for biologic therapy.

Funding: AstraZeneca