Condition

Asthma

Clinical trials and treatment information for Asthma

260.5M
People Affected
150
Active Trials
7.8M
New Cases/Year
436K
Deaths/Year

Treatment Rankings

Ranked by evidence volume first. Medicine has spent centuries ranking things by vibes. This is an improvement.

1
Albuterol
92% Effectiveness• 98% Confidence• 50% Safety• 475 trials• 50K participants
HIGH EvidenceExcellent ValueDose: 2 puffs every 4-6 hours as needed
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Comparative Safety Scale(Higher is safer)

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50
DangerousModerateSafe

Time to Effect

immediate

Duration

as needed

Response Rate

92%

Remission Rate

%

Number Needed to Treat (NNT)

2

Number Needed to Harm (NNH)

1000

Common Side Effects:

Tremor: 15%
Tachycardia/Palpitations: 10%
Headache: 8%

Annual Cost of Care

Drug Cost

$150

Monitoring

$50

Side Effects

$20

Total Annual

$220

Cost-Effectiveness

EXCELLENT
0

Cost per Responder

$239

Treatment Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 second (FEV1)1.8 L (60% of predicted)
+25% (+0.45 L)
Peak Expiratory Flow (PEF)350 L/min (70% of personal best)
+20% (+70 L/min)
Dyspnea (Shortness of Breath) ScoreModified Borg Scale score: 6/10 (moderate-severe)
-50% (-3 points)
Wheezing Severity ScoreVisual Analog Scale for Wheezing: 70/100 mm (moderate)
-40% (-28 mm)
Secondary Benefits
Oxygen Saturation (SpO2)92%
+2.17% (+2 percentage points)
Respiratory Rate24 breaths/min
-16.67% (-4 breaths/min)
Accessory Muscle Use ScoreAccessory Muscle Use Score: 2/3 (moderate)
-50% (-1 point)
Common Side Effects
Tremor
+15%
Tachycardia/Palpitations
+10%
Headache
+8%

Clinical Trial Phases:

Phase 4
2
Fluticasone/Salmeterol
90% Effectiveness• 95% Confidence• 55% Safety• 189 trials• 75K participants
HIGH EvidenceExcellent ValueDose: 100/50 mcg - 500/50 mcg twice daily
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Comparative Safety Scale(Higher is safer)

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55
DangerousModerateSafe

Time to Effect

1-2 weeks

Duration

lifetime

Response Rate

85%

Remission Rate

45%

Number Needed to Treat (NNT)

10

Number Needed to Harm (NNH)

1000

Common Side Effects:

Headache: 15%
Upper respiratory tract infection: 12%
Pharyngitis: 8%
Oropharyngeal candidiasis (thrush): 7%
Tremor: 3%

Annual Cost of Care

Drug Cost

$900

Monitoring

$550

Side Effects

$75

Total Annual

$1,525

Cost-Effectiveness

EXCELLENT

QALYs Gained

0.05

ICER

$30,000/QALY

Cost per Remission

$3,389

Cost per Responder

$1,794

Treatment Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 second (FEV1)2.5 L (65% predicted)
+15% (+0.38 L)
Annualized Asthma Exacerbation Rate1.8 exacerbations/year
-35% (-0.63 exacerbations/year)
Asthma Control Test (ACT) Score15/25
+20% (+3 points)
Daily Rescue Medication Use3.5 puffs/day
-40% (-1.4 puffs/day)
Secondary Benefits
Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (AQLQ) Score4.5/7
+11% (+0.5 points)
Morning Peak Expiratory Flow (PEF)350 L/min
+7% (+25 L/min)
Nights with Waking Due to Asthma3 nights/week
-50% (-1.5 nights/week)
Common Side Effects
Headache
+15%
Upper respiratory tract infection
+12%
Pharyngitis
+8%

Clinical Trial Phases:

Phase 4
3
Fluticasone propionate
85% Effectiveness• 95% Confidence• 50% Safety• 394 trials• 100K participants
HIGH EvidenceExcellent ValueDose: 88-440 mcg daily
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Comparative Safety Scale(Higher is safer)

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50
DangerousModerateSafe

Time to Effect

1-2 weeks

Duration

lifetime

Response Rate

75%

Remission Rate

35%

Number Needed to Treat (NNT)

6

Number Needed to Harm (NNH)

100

Common Side Effects:

Oropharyngeal candidiasis (thrush): 7%
Hoarseness/Dysphonia: 7%
Cough: 5%

Annual Cost of Care

Drug Cost

$450

Monitoring

$500

Side Effects

$50

Total Annual

$1,000

Cost-Effectiveness

EXCELLENT

QALYs Gained

0.1

ICER

$15,000/QALY

Cost per Remission

$2,857

Cost per Responder

$1,333

Treatment Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 second (FEV1)2.5 L
+12% (+0.3 L)
Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ-5) Score2.8/6
-35.7% (-1.0 points)
Annualized Asthma Exacerbation Rate1.2 per year
-40% (-0.48 per year)
Weekly Rescue Bronchodilator Use6 puffs/week
-40% (-2.4 puffs/week)
Secondary Benefits
Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (AQLQ-SF) Score4.8/7
+16.7% (+0.8 points)
Morning Peak Expiratory Flow (PEF)420 L/min
+8% (+33.6 L/min)
Weekly Nocturnal Awakenings due to Asthma2.5 per week
-50% (-1.25 per week)
Common Side Effects
Oropharyngeal candidiasis (thrush)
+7%
Hoarseness/Dysphonia
+7%
Cough
+5%

Clinical Trial Phases:

Phase 4
4
Omalizumab
80% Effectiveness• 90% Confidence• 60% Safety• 112 trials• 10K participants
HIGH EvidencePoor ValueDose: 75-375 mg every 2 or 4 weeks
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Comparative Safety Scale(Higher is safer)

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60
DangerousModerateSafe

Time to Effect

3-6 months

Duration

long-term

Response Rate

65%

Remission Rate

15%

Number Needed to Treat (NNT)

5

Number Needed to Harm (NNH)

750

Common Side Effects:

Injection site reactions: 15%
Upper respiratory tract infection: 15%
Headache: 12%
Anaphylaxis: 0.2%
Malignancy: 0.5%

Annual Cost of Care

Drug Cost

$25,000

Monitoring

$1,000

Side Effects

$200

Total Annual

$26,200

Cost-Effectiveness

POOR

QALYs Gained

0.1

ICER

$150,000/QALY

Cost per Remission

$174,667

Cost per Responder

$40,308

Treatment Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Asthma Exacerbation Rate1.2 exacerbations/year
-40% (-0.48 exacerbations/year)
Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ-5) ScoreACQ-5 score: 3.0 (scale 0-6)
-33.3% (-1.0 point)
Oral Corticosteroid (OCS) Dose ReductionAverage daily OCS dose: 10 mg Prednisone equivalent
-70% (-7 mg Prednisone equivalent)
FEV1 (Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 second)FEV1: 65% of predicted (approx. 1.5 L)
+10% (+0.15 L)
Secondary Benefits
Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (AQLQ) ScoreAQLQ score: 4.5 (scale 1-7)
+17.8% (+0.8 points)
Asthma-Related Emergency Room Visits0.5 visits/year
-50% (-0.25 visits/year)
Rescue Inhaler Use3 puffs/day
-50% (-1.5 puffs/day)
Common Side Effects
Injection site reactions
+15%
Upper respiratory tract infection
+15%
Headache
+12%

Clinical Trial Phases:

Phase 4
5
Tiotropium
75% Effectiveness• 90% Confidence• 65% Safety• 53 trials• 20K participants
HIGH EvidenceGood ValueDose: 2.5 mcg (2 puffs) once daily
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Comparative Safety Scale(Higher is safer)

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65
DangerousModerateSafe

Time to Effect

1-2 weeks

Duration

lifetime

Response Rate

65%

Remission Rate

25%

Number Needed to Treat (NNT)

12

Number Needed to Harm (NNH)

500

Common Side Effects:

Dry mouth: 15%
Upper respiratory tract infection: 8%
Cough: 5%
Urinary retention: 0.5%

Annual Cost of Care

Drug Cost

$5,400

Monitoring

$550

Side Effects

$50

Total Annual

$6,000

Cost-Effectiveness

GOOD

QALYs Gained

0.02

ICER

$60,000/QALY

Cost per Remission

$24,000

Cost per Responder

$9,231

Treatment Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Trough FEV1 (Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 second)1.8 L
+8.3% (+0.15 L)
Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ-7) Score2.1 (Scale 0-6, higher means worse control)
-23.8% (-0.5 units)
Annualized Rate of Severe Asthma Exacerbations0.8 exacerbations/patient/year
-25% (-0.2 exacerbations/patient/year)
Morning Peak Expiratory Flow (PEF)320 L/min
+6.3% (+20 L/min)
Secondary Benefits
Asthma-related Quality of Life Questionnaire (AQLQ) Score4.5 (Scale 1-7, higher means better quality of life)
+11.1% (+0.5 units)
Percentage of Asthma Symptom-Free Days40%
+25% (+10 percentage points)
Daily Use of Rescue Medication (Puffs of SABA)3.5 puffs/day
-28.6% (-1.0 puff/day)
Common Side Effects
Dry mouth
+15%
Upper respiratory tract infection
+8%
Cough
+5%

Clinical Trial Phases:

Phase 4
6
Montelukast
65% Effectiveness• 90% Confidence• 75% Safety• 178 trials• 30K participants
MODERATE EvidenceExcellent ValueDose: 10 mg daily
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Comparative Safety Scale(Higher is safer)

Cyanide☠️
Meth💀
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Chemo☢️
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Water💧
75
DangerousModerateSafe

Time to Effect

1-2 weeks

Duration

lifetime

Response Rate

55%

Remission Rate

15%

Number Needed to Treat (NNT)

12

Number Needed to Harm (NNH)

1000

Common Side Effects:

Headache: 12%
Abdominal pain: 5%
Neuropsychiatric events: 0.5%

Annual Cost of Care

Drug Cost

$180

Monitoring

$500

Side Effects

$25

Total Annual

$705

Cost-Effectiveness

EXCELLENT

QALYs Gained

0.02

ICER

$25,000/QALY

Cost per Remission

$4,700

Cost per Responder

$1,282

Treatment Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
FEV1 (Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 second)2.5 L
+7% (+0.175 L)
Daytime Asthma Symptom Score1.8 (on a 0-3 scale, 0=no symptoms)
-22.2% (-0.4 points)
Nighttime Awakenings due to Asthma2.5 nights/week
-40% (-1.0 nights/week)
Use of Rescue Inhaler (SABA)3.5 puffs/day
-28.6% (-1.0 puffs/day)
Secondary Benefits
Asthma Control Test (ACT) Score17 (on a 5-25 scale, higher is better)
+11.8% (+2 points)
Asthma-Related Quality of Life (AQLQ)4.5 (on a 1-7 scale, higher is better)
+13.3% (+0.6 points)
Peripheral Blood Eosinophil Count350 cells/µL
-15% (-52.5 cells/µL)
Common Side Effects
Headache
+12%
Abdominal pain
+5%
Neuropsychiatric events
+0.5%

Clinical Trial Phases:

Phase 4