The Nordic Dataset for Asthma Research

DESCRIPTION OF ASTHMA

Asthma is a heterogeneous, chronic airways disease with large variation in prevalence between geographies. In the Nordic countries, prevalence of asthma has been reported to be 10% in Denmark, 9-11% in Finland, 11-12% in Norway, and 8-10% in Sweden. Poor asthma control is associated with substantial reductions in patient quality of life, higher morbidity and mortality, together with significantly increased direct and indirect costs. Despite good treatment options for most patients, up to 10% of patients have severe, treatment-resistant asthma.

RESEARCH AT QUANTIFY

The NORdic Dataset for aSThmA Research (NORDSTAR) is a Nordic-wide, population-based dataset including individual-level data on asthma patients and provides unique insights into the natural history of asthma and the development of severe asthma. NORDSTAR is a unique multi-party collaboration between Nordic clinical asthma experts, Quantify Research and the pharmaceutical industry. The ambition of NORDSTAR is to improve everyday lives of asthma patients, by providing better understanding of the burden of (severe) asthma, the risk factors for developing severe asthma, and the potential for improving the prognosis in the individual patient.

NORDSTAR currently comprises of more than 3 million asthma patients across Finland, Denmark, Norway and Sweden, with up to 30 years and 50 million person-years of follow-up. The database contains detailed information on hospital visits and admissions, medication use, socioeconomics, as well as dates and cause of death, making it possible to study treatment patterns, asthma-related events (e.g. exacerbations), asthma control and severity, healthcare resource use and mortality.

NORDSTAR website: https://nordstar-nsan.com/

STRATEGY, ECONOMIC MODELING AND HEALTH TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT (HTA)

Quantify has extensive experience in the development of economic models (cost-effectiveness, budget impact) and value demonstration in respiratory diseases such as asthma and COPD. Quantify has also developed a variety of HTA dossiers to support reimbursement activities.

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

  1. Geale, K., H. Darabi, M. Lindh, H. Fues Wahl, O. Strom, H. Cao, L. Alvares, R. Dodge, E. Loefroth, A. Altraja, V. Backer, H. Backman, L. Bjermer, A. Bossios, B. Bogvald Aarli, B. Dahlen, O. Hilberg, C. Janson, H. Kankaanranta, J. Karjalainen, P. Kauppi, M. Kilpelainen, S. Lehmann, L. Lehtimaki, B. Lundback, T. Sandstrom, C. S. Ulrik, A. Sverrild, A. Viinanen, A. von Bulow, V. Yasinska and C. Porsbjerg (2020). “NORDSTAR: paving the way for a new era in asthma research.” Eur Respir J 55(4).
  2. Ortsäter, G., et al., “Incorporating the Environmental Impact into a Budget Impact Analysis: The Example of Adopting RESPIMAT((R)) Re-usable Inhaler.” Appl Health Econ Health Policy (2020).
  3. Ortsäter G, Borgström F, Soulard S, Miltenburger C. A “Budget Impact Model to Estimate the Environmental Impact of Adopting RESPIMAT((R)) Re-usable in the Nordics and Benelux.” Adv Ther. 2019.
  4. Geale, K. et al. Late Breaking Abstract – NORdic Database for aSThmA Research (NORDSTAR): Swedish and Finnish patients. Eur Respir J 2018; 52: Suppl. 62, nbr 1143.
  5. Eklund, O., F. Afzal, F. Borgstrom, J. Flavin, A. Ternouth, M. E. Ojanguren, C. Crespo and M. Baldwin (2016). “Cost-effectiveness of tiotropium versus glycopyrronium in moderate to very severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in Canada, Spain, Sweden, and the UK.” Clinicoecon Outcomes Res 8: 243-252.
  6. Eklund, O., F. Afzal and F. Borgstrom (2015). “Cost-effectiveness of tiotropium versus usual care and glycopyrronium in the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in Sweden.” Cost Eff Resour Alloc 13: 13.
  7. Eklund, O., F. Afzal, F. Borgstrom, M. E. Ojanguren, C. Crespo and M. Baldwin (2015). “Cost-Effectiveness Of Tiotropium Vs Glycopyrronium In Moderate To Very Severe Copd In Spain.” Value Health 18(7): A501.