Korean childhood asthma clusters and the necessity for a longitudinal prospective study

Yu Jinho
Department of Pediatrics, Asan Medical Center
Chang Woo-Sung, Lee Jeom-Kyu
Division of Allergy and Chronic Resipiratory Diseases, Center for Biomedical Science, KNIH, KCDC

Asthma can be classified into heterogeneous groups with various pathophysiologies, and its course and prognosis may differ depending on phenotypes. However, there are no studies that reveal the clinical characteristics and natural course of asthma according to phenotypes. We have been conducting a nationwide pediatric asthma cohort study (Korean childhood Asthma Study, KAS) involving 20 hospitals since July 2016, for which a total of 473 children with asthma were recruited and are currently being tracked. Cluster analysis revealed four clusters (cluster 1: male-dominant atopic asthma; cluster 2: highly atopic asthma with atopic dermatitis; cluster 3: female-dominant, puberty-onset, atopic asthma; cluster 4: relatively non-atopic asthma). These childhood asthma clusters were determined by atopy, sex, puberty, and allergic comorbidities. It is necessary to clarify which clusters exacerbate or progress into uncontrolled asthma, how to prevent such an exacerbation, and how to effectively intervene in the progress of asthma, through longitudinal follow-up study.

Keywords: Childhood asthma, Prospective study, Cluster analysis, Subtype, Phenotype