SANI clinical remission definition: a useful tool in severe asthma management
Giorgio Walter Canonica, Diego Bagnasco, Benedetta Bondi, Gilda Varricchi, Giovanni Paoletti, Francesco Blasi, Pierluigi Paggiaro, Fulvio Braido, on behalf of the SANI study group
Abstract
In the field of severe asthma, the concept of disease control has recently been integrated by the one of clinical remission. With this new concept, we move on to analyze the efficacy of therapy on multiple parameters simultaneously, starting with the mandatory discontinuation of the systemic glucocorticoids, to which is added the effect on exacerbations, respiratory function, and symptoms control. The Italian severe asthma registry SANI (Severe Asthma Network Italy) drafted criteria for the definition of disease remission, allowing patients to be classified into two groups, partial and complete remission. The greater dynamism of the definition, provided by SANI, allows us to hypothesize its practical use, concerning therapy management of severe asthma patients, starting from the level of remission, with the aim to facilitate the clinical decision on replacement, continuation or modulation of patients' therapy.