Abstract
Background Severe Asthma affects working life of millions of people worldwide. IL-5/anti-IL-5Rα antibodies are highly effective in reducing symptoms in patients with severe eosinophilic asthma (SEA). We analysed effects of anti-IL-5/anti-IL-5Rα treatment on self-reported productivity and absenteeism at work in patients with SEA.
Methods In this prospective single centre study, patients with SEA received a questionnaire assessing the actual occupational status, the influence asthma has on their work life, productivity and missed days at work prior to initiation of antibody treatment and after 6 and 12 months of therapy. Among others the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment Questionnaire: Specific Health Problem (WPAI:SHP) was used.
Results Out of 54 patients with a median age of 60 years, 27 (50%) were employed. In addition to an increase in asthma control and lung function, self-reported productivity increased significantly with a decrease on the WPAI:SHP from 30% [IQR 20–50] to 10% [IQR 0–27.5] under treatment, p=0.001. Furthermore, self-reported missed days at work were reduced from 2 missed days/month (IQR 1.75–6) to 0 days (IQR 0–2), p=0.067. At baseline 22 (81%) employed patients stated to be negatively affected at work by their asthma, after 12 months of treatment, this number decreased to 8 (30%), p=0.038.
Conclusions This prospective analysis could prove the substantial impact severe asthma has on patients’ working life. Anti-IL-5/anti-IL-5Rα treatment in patients with SEA leads to a significant increase of self-reported productivity at work and after 12 months of treatment patients state substantially fewer negative effects on their working situation.
Footnotes
This manuscript has recently been accepted for publication in the ERJ Open Research. It is published here in its accepted form prior to copyediting and typesetting by our production team. After these production processes are complete and the authors have approved the resulting proofs, the article will move to the latest issue of the ERJOR online. Please open or download the PDF to view this article.
Conflict of interest: F.A.M, C.D, G.M are employees of ENA Respiratory Pty Ltd, receive an annual salary and other benefits. In addition, they have shares and share options and are named inventors on numerous granted or pending patent applications controlled by ENA.
Conflict of interests N. Drick reports speaker fees for AstraZeneca. H. Suhling reports speaker fees for AstraZeneca, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and Novartis. J. Fuge reports speaker fees for AstraZeneca. T. Welte reports personal fees from AstraZeneca, GSK and Sanofi Aventis and his institution has received research grants from the German Ministry of Research and Education. L. Brinkmann has no relevant conflicts of interest.
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- Received April 12, 2024.
- Accepted June 12, 2024.
- Copyright ©The authors 2024
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