Asthma and rhinitis control in adolescents and young adults: A real‐world <scp>MASK</scp> ‐air study
Bernardo Sousa‐Pinto, Arūnas Valiulis, Erik Melén, Gerard H. Koppelman, Nikolaos G. Papadopoulos, Mika J. Mäkelä, Tari Haahtela, Matteo Bonini, Fulvio Braido, Luisa Brussino, Álvaro A. Cruz, Alessandro Fiocchi, Mattia Giovannini, Bilun Gemicioğlu, Marek Kulus, Piotr Kuna, Maciej Kupczyk, Violeta Kvedarienė, Désirée Larenas‐Linnemann, Renaud Louis, Mário Morais‐Almeida, Marek Niedoszytko, Markus Ollert, Oliver Pfaar, Frederico S. Regateiro, Graham Roberts, Bolesław Samoliński, Marine Savouré, Luís Taborda‐Barata, Sanna Toppila‐Salmi, Maria Teresa Ventura, Marta Vázquez‐Ortiz, Rafael José Vieira, João Fonseca, Arzu Yorgancıoğlu, Torsten Zuberbier, Josep M. Antó, Jean Bousquet, N. Pham‐Thi, the MASK‐air think tank
Abstract
BACKGROUND: In allergic rhinitis and asthma, adolescents and young adult patients are likely to differ from older patients. We compared adolescents, young adults and adults on symptoms, control levels, and medication adherence. METHODS: In a cross-sectional study (2015-2022), we assessed European users of the MASK-air mHealth app of three age groups: adolescents (13-18 years), young adults (18-26 years), and adults (>26 years). We compared them on their reported rhinitis and asthma symptoms, use and adherence to rhinitis and asthma treatment and app adherence. Allergy symptoms and control were assessed by means of visual analogue scales (VASs) on rhinitis or asthma, the combined symptom-medication score (CSMS), and the electronic daily control score for asthma (e-DASTHMA). We built multivariable regression models to compare symptoms or medication accounting for potential differences in demographic characteristics and baseline severity. RESULTS: We assessed 965 adolescent users (15,252 days), 4595 young adults (58,161 days), and 15,154 adult users (258,796 days). Users of all three age groups displayed similar app adherence. In multivariable models, age groups were not found to significantly differ in their adherence to rhinitis or asthma medication. These models also found that adolescents reported lower VAS on global allergy, ocular, and asthma symptoms (as well as lower CSMS) than young adults and adults. CONCLUSIONS: Adolescents reported a better rhinitis and asthma control than young adults and adults, even though similar medication adherence levels were observed across age groups. These results pave the way for future studies on understanding how adolescents control their allergic diseases.