The Use of FKBP51 in the Identification of Non-adherence to Inhaled Corticosteroids in Difficult Asthma

Inclusion Criteria

• •This pilot study will investigate the following groups (n=10 per group):
• •1. Healthy volunteers.
• •2. Steroid naïve asthmatics.
• •3. Refractory asthmatics adherent to high dose inhaled steroids.
• •4. Non-adherent asthmatics.
• •For inclusion into this study all participants must:
• •be 16 years old or older
• •give written informed consent
• •Healthy volunteers must:
• •be in good general health as determined by past medical history and physical.
• •have no other significant medical history and specifically no prior history of asthma or persistent respiratory symptoms.
• •normal spirometry.
• •Steroid naïve subjects
• •have a diagnosis of asthma
• •receiving treatment at Step 1 BTS/SIGN Guidelines i.e. no inhaled steroid
• •Non-adherent subjects must
• •have a diagnosis of asthma
• •be non-adherent to ICS as determined by ICS prescription filling of \</=50% in the previous 6 months
• •Refractory asthmatic adherent subjects must:
• •have a diagnosis of asthma receiving high dose ICS treatment (beclomethasone equivalent dose \> 1000 µg per day)
• •be adherent to ICS as determined by ICS prescription filling \>75% in the previous 6 months