Clinicians Unaware of Some NIH/NHLBI 2020 Focused Updates of Asthma Guidelines

More than 6 months after release of the National Institutes of Health/National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NIH/NHLBI) 2020 Focused Asthma Guidelines, clinicians remained largely unfamiliar with the significant updates contained in the guidelines, according to survey findings presented at the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI) 2023 Annual Meeting, held in San Antonio, Texas, February 24 to 27.

Investigators sought to assess clinician awareness and understanding of the NIH/NHLBI 2020 Focused Asthma Guidelines.

They conducted a multi-center survey between June 2021 and October 2021 that included 256 clinicians from 8 states (5.1% allergists, 8.2% pulmonologists, 82.8% primary care physicians). Participants completed a survey with 8 questions evaluating their understanding of the NIH/NHLBI 2020 Focused Asthma Guidelines. Questions were framed by 2 members of the 2020 Focused Updates Working Group with different versions for clinicians who primarily treated children or primarily treated adults.

Investigators found the average knowledge score was 45.8% correct answers. Clinicians who scored in the top 20% had greater years in practice (P =.017) and were more likely to be allergists (P =.01). Scoring above the median was predicted by treating adult patients only (P =.027) and practicing for more than 10 years (P =.010).

The majority of participants were unaware of the use of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) as needed in pediatric asthma exacerbations (16.4% correct) and unaware of the use of albuterol and ICS together intermittently for mild asthma (5.5% correct).

Awareness of the Focused Updates was not associated with performance above the mean, and 62.5% reported at least some awareness.

Investigators concluded “Over 6 months after their publication, many clinicians are not familiar with key points from the NIH 2020 Focused Updates to the Asthma Management.” Investigators urge novel implementation strategies.