Baseline characteristics of patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps and coexisting asthma initiating dupilumab in the AROMA global registry

<bold>Background:</bold> Dupilumab is approved for patients with uncontrolled chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP). Patients with CRSwNP and comorbid asthma have been reported previously to have more severe CRSwNP and more frequent asthma exacerbations. <bold>Aim:</bold> To describe the baseline (BL) characteristics of patients initiating dupilumab for CRSwNP in the AROMA prospective global registry study (<ext-link>NCT04959448</ext-link>). <bold>Methods:</bold> AROMA is enrolling adult patients with CRSwNP initiating dupilumab and following them for up to 36 months. BL assessments include demographics, disease characteristics and severity of type 2 comorbidities including asthma. <bold>Results:</bold> As of February 2023, the study had enrolled 303 patients; 214 (70.6%) had a history of asthma and 210 (69.3%) had ongoing asthma at BL. Of the 214 with a history of asthma, the mean (SD) age of asthma diagnosis was 36.6 (17.3) years. In the year prior to screening, the mean (SD) number of systemic corticosteroid treatment days for severe asthma exacerbation was 2.9 (9.56) days and the mean (SD) number of days of hospitalisation for severe asthma was 0.1 (0.37). Among the entire AROMA population, BL mean (SD) 6-item Asthma Control Questionnaire score (n=168) was 1.36 (1.20) and fractional exhaled nitric oxide (n=51) was 53.3 (63.8) ppb. The mean percent predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) was 88.8% and 92.9% of patients were ≥60% predicted FEV1. <bold>Conclusion:</bold> More than two-thirds of adult patients with CRSwNP initiating dupilumab in the Global AROMA Registry have coexisting asthma, many of whom reported use of systemic corticosteroids for severe asthma exacerbations.