Our Centre in Severe Asthma will develop helpful toolkits and checklists to help with severe asthma diagnosis, management and treatments. As we continue to develop these outputs, they will be made available through this website page.
The Severe Asthma Toolkit
The Severe Asthma Toolkit is an evidence-based website that has been developed by clinicians for clinicians, led by the Centre of Excellence in Severe Asthma. It provides educational content on topics relevant to severe asthma and practical resources and tools to guide optimal asthma management by health care professionals.
Find out more about the Severe Asthma Toolkit here.
The Severe Asthma Toolkit includes a range of resources to inform clinical practice.
Inflammation Biomarkers in the Assessment and Management of Severe Asthma – Tools and Interpretation:
This document was developed by the Centre of Excellence in Severe Asthma. It provides an overview of fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) and eosinophil numbers as biomarkers to inform asthma management, including assessment approaches and interpretation of findings. Asthma is heterogeneous with different disease phenotypes. Recognition and assessment of phenotypes is necessary for targeted therapy. Biomarkers can provide information about mechanisms underlying symptoms.
Clinical Recommendations For The Use Of Omalizumab In Severe Asthma:
This document was developed by the Centre of Excellence in Severe Asthma. It provides an overview of omalizumab treatment, eligibility criteria, enrolment, precautions/adverse effects and procedures for administration. This document has been developed as a guide only. Any local recommendations and requirements must be considered when implementing these recommendations into practice.
Clinical Recommendations For The Use Of Mepolizumab In Severe Asthma:
This document was developed by the Centre of Excellence in Severe Asthma. It provides an overview of mepolizumab treatment, eligibility criteria, enrolment, precautions/adverse effects and procedures for administration. This document has been developed as a guide only. Any local recommendations and requirements must be considered when implementing these recommendations into practice.
Clinical Recommendations For The Use Of Benralizumab In Severe Asthma:
This document was developed by the Centre of Excellence in Severe Asthma. It provides an overview of benralizumab treatment, eligibility criteria, enrolment, precautions/adverse effects and procedures for administration. This document has been developed as a guide only. Any local recommendations and requirements must be considered when implementing these recommendations into practice.
Clinical Recommendations For The Use Of Dupilumab In Severe Asthma:
This document was developed by the Centre of Excellence in Severe Asthma. It provides an overview of dupilumab treatment, eligibility criteria, enrolment, precautions/adverse effects and procedures for administration. This document has been developed as a guide only. Any local recommendations and requirements must be considered when implementing these recommendations into practice.
Click here to download a printable version of this document (Version 1; 13 May 2022; revised format)
Clinical Recommendations For The Use Of Azithromycin In Severe Asthma:
This document was developed by the Centre of Excellence in Severe Asthma. It provides an overview of azithromycin treatment, dosage, screening, monitoring and precautions/adverse effects. This document has been developed as a guide only. Any local recommendations and requirements must be considered when implementing these recommendations into practice. Note: The use of macrolide antibiotics, including azithromycin, for the treatment of asthma is off-label.
Click here to download a printable version of this document (Version 1; 24 October 2019)
Clinical Recommendations For COVID-19 in Severe Asthma
This document was developed by the Centre of Excellence in Severe Asthma. This clinical recommendation was developed to assist clinicians in the management of severe asthma in the context of COVID-19. This document has been developed as a guide only. Any local recommendations and requirements must be considered when implementing these recommendations into practice.
Click here to download a printable version of this document (Version 2; May 2021)
Clinical management of asthma during bushfire smoke periods
This document was developed by the Centre of Excellence in Severe Asthma. This clinical recommendation was developed to assist clinicians in the management of asthma during periods of bushfire smoke exposure. This document has been developed as a guide only. Any local recommendations and requirements must be considered when implementing these recommendations into practice.
Initiation of Monoclonal Antibodies for Severe Asthma in Primary Care
In some situations, the initiation and continued administration of monoclonal antibodies may be considered in primary care, provided specific conditions are met. This approach may be reasonable where the patient has to travel long distances to the specialist’s clinic or where no ready access to a day procedure unit or outpatient clinic is available. Recommendations on the conditions are included and this information is now included as an Appendix in our Clinical Recommendation documents.
Click here to download a printable version of this document (17 Jan 2019)
Severe Asthma Assessment Checklist:
This checklist is intended to provide a practical structure, which can be used to inform the diagnosis and characterisation of severe asthma in the clinic. This checklist has been developed within our CRE and published by Peter Wark, Mark Hew, Steven Maltby, Vanessa McDonald & Peter Gibson, Expert Review of Respiratory Medicine, 2016.
Newcastle Laryngeal Hypersensitivity Questionnaire:
This questionnaire was developed for clinicians to facilitate assessment of laryngeal hypersensitivity. The worksheet file or automated version quickly and easily calculate the component scores. It was developed by Centre of Excellence members and originally published by Anne Vertigan, Sarah Bone & Peter Gibson, Cough, 2014.
Click here to download the Laryngeal Hypersensitivity Questionnaire excel worksheet
Vocal Hygiene Information Sheet:
This document provides advice on how to reduce irritation that triggers coughing. It includes specific guidance on hydration, breathing, talking and tips for everyday living.
Click here to download the Vocal Hygiene Information Infographic
Chronic Cough Information Sheet:
This document provides information for people who experience chronic cough and excessive throat clearing. It includes important facts about coughing and insight into how speech pathology can help with control of cough.
Click here to download the Chronic Cough Information Infographic
Clinical Domains in the Phenotyping of Severe Refractory Asthma:
This schematic was developed by CRE members and represents 3 clinical domains to consider when phenotyping severe asthma (comorbidity, airways and risk factors).
Chronic Cough – A Tutorial for Speech-Language Pathologists:
This article outlines a treatment approach for speech pathology management of chronic cough. It provides a protocol for management of this condition, including evaluation, treatment, patient education and the importance of motivation and compliance. Originally published in Journal of Medical Speech-Language Pathology, Vol 15, no 3, 2007, pp 189-206.
Protocol for the AustralAsian Severe Asthma Network (ASAN) Severe Asthma Registry (SAWD) & Research Register
This protocol provides an overview of the ASAN Severe Asthma Web-based Database (SAWD) & Research Register.
The AMAZES Study Research Protocol: Asthma and Macrolides – The Azithromycin Efficacy and Safety Study
This research protocol provides insight into the AMAZES study, assessing the effect of macrolide treatment in people with persistent asthma.
