D. Caimmi

Pilot study of mobile phone technology in allergic rhinitis in European countries. The MASK-rhinitis study.

The use of Apps running on smartphones and tablets profoundly affects medicine. The MASK‐rhinitis (MACVIA‐ARIA Sentinel NetworK for allergic rhinitis) App (Allergy Diary) assesses allergic rhinitis symptoms, disease control and impact on patients’ lives. It is freely available in 20 countries (iOS and Android platforms).

Work productivity in rhinitis using cell phones: The MASK pilot study.

Allergic rhinitis often impairs social life and performance. The aim of this cross‐sectional study was to use cell phone data to assess the impact on work productivity of uncontrolled rhinitis assessed by visual analogue scale (VAS). A mobile phone app (Allergy Diary, Google Play Store and Apple App Store) collects data from daily visual analogue scales (VAS) for overall allergic symptoms (VAS‐global measured), nasal (VAS‐nasal), ocular (VAS‐ocular) and asthma symptoms (VAS‐asthma) as well as work (VAS‐work). A combined nasal‐ocular score is calculated. The Allergy Diary is available in 21 countries. The app includes the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment Allergic Specific Questionnaire (WPAI:AS) in six EU countries. All consecutive users who completed the VAS‐work from 1 June to 31 October 2016 were included in the study. A total of 1136 users filled in 5818 days of VAS‐work. Symptoms of allergic rhinitis were controlled (VAS‐global <20) in approximately 60% of the days. In users with uncontrolled rhinitis, approximately 90% had some work impairment and over 50% had severe work impairment (VAS‐work >50). There was a significant correlation between VAS‐global calculated and VAS‐work (Rho=0.83, P<0.00001, Spearmans rank test). In 144 users, there was a significant correlation between VAS‐work and WPAI:AS (Rho=0.53, P<0.0001). This pilot study provides not only proof‐of‐concept data on the work impairment collected with the app but also data on the app itself, especially the distribution of responses for the VAS. This supports the interpretation that persons with rhinitis report both the presence and the absence of symptoms.

Validation of the MASK‐rhinitis visual analogue scale on smartphone screens to assess allergic rhinitis control

Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) is a validated tool to assess control in allergic rhinitis patients.

Allergy immunotherapy across the life cycle to promote active and healthy ageing: From research to policies: An AIRWAYS Integrated Care Pathways (ICPs) programme item (Action Plan B3 of the European Innovation Partnership on active and healthy ageing) and the Global Alliance against Chronic Respiratory Diseases (GARD), a World Health Organization GARD research demonstration project

Allergic diseases often occur early in life and persist throughout life. This life-course perspective should be considered in allergen immunotherapy. In particular it is essential to understand whether this al treatment may be used in old age adults. The current paper was developed by a working group of AIRWAYS integrated care pathways for airways diseases, the model of chronic respiratory diseases of the European Innovation Partnership on active and healthy ageing (DG CONNECT and DG Santé). It considered (1) the political background, (2) the rationale for allergen immunotherapy across the life cycle, (3) the unmet needs for the treatment, in particular in preschool children and old age adults, (4) the strategic framework and the practical approach to synergize current initiatives in allergen immunotherapy, its mechanisms and the concept of active and healthy ageing.

The Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma (ARIA) score of allergic rhinitis using mobile technology correlates with quality of life: The MASK study

Mobile technology has been used to appraise allergic rhinitis control, but more data are needed. To better assess the importance of mobile technologies in rhinitis control, the ARIA (Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma) score ranging from 0 to 4 of the Allergy Diary was compared with EQ‐5D (EuroQuol) and WPAI‐AS (Work Productivity and Activity Impairment in allergy) in 1288 users in 18 countries. This study showed that quality‐of‐life data (EQ‐5D visual analogue scale and WPA‐IS Question 9) are similar in users without rhinitis and in those with mild rhinitis (scores 0‐2). Users with a score of 3 or 4 had a significant impairment in quality‐of‐life questionnaires.

CHRODIS criteria applied to the MASK (MACVIA-ARIA Sentinel NetworK) Good Practice in allergic rhinitis: A SUNFRAIL report

A Good Practice is a practice that works well, produces good results, and is recommended as a model. MACVIA-ARIA Sentinel Network (MASK), the new Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma (ARIA) initiative, is an example of axa0Good Practice focusing on the implementation of multi-sectoral care pathways using emerging technologies with real life data in rhinitis and asthma multi-morbidity. The European Union Joint Action on Chronic Diseases and Promoting Healthy Ageing across the Life Cycle (JA-CHRODIS) has developed a checklist of 28 items for the evaluation of Good Practices. SUNFRAIL (Reference Sites Network for Prevention and Care of Frailty and Chronic Conditions in community dwelling persons of EU Countries), a European Union project, assessed whether MASK is in line with the 28 items of JA-CHRODIS. A short summary was proposed for each item and 18 experts, allxa0members of ARIA and SUNFRAIL from 12 countries, assessed the 28 items using a Survey Monkey-based questionnaire. A visual analogue scale (VAS) from 0 (strongly disagree) to 100 (strongly agree) was used. Agreement equal or over 75% was observed for 14 items (50%). MASK is following the JA-CHRODIS recommendations for the evaluation of Good Practices.

Treatment of allergic rhinitis using mobile technology with real world data: The MASK observational pilot study

Large observational implementation studies are needed to triangulate the findings from randomized control trials as they reflect “real‐world” everyday practice. In a pilot study, we attempted to provide additional and complementary insights on the real‐life treatment of allergic rhinitis (AR) using mobile technology.

Work Productivity and Activity Impairment Allergic Specific (WPAI-AS) Questionnaire using Mobile Technology: The MASK study.

J Bousquet, MD , O VandenPlas, MD , M Bewick, MD , S Arnavielhe, PhD , A Bedbrook, BSc , R Murray, PhD , M van Eerd, MSc , J Fonseca, MD , M Morais-Almeida, MD , A Todo Bom, MD , AA Cruz, MD , F Sarquis Serpa, MD, 12 J da Silva, MD, 13 E Menditto, PhD, , G Passalacqua, MD , C Stellato , MD, 16 , MT Ventura, MD , D Caimmi, MD , P Demoly, MD , KC Bergmann, MD , T Keil, MD , L Klimek, MD , R Mösges, MD , S Shamai, MD, 22 T Zuberbier, MD , D Larenas-Linnemann, MD , M Rodriguez Gonzalez, MD, 24 MT Burguete Cabañas, MD, 25 D Ryan, MD , A Sheikh, MD , JM Anto, MD , J Mullol, MD , A Valero, MD 29 ML Kowalski, MD , P Kuna, MD , B Samolinski, MD , PV Tomazic, MD , S Bosnic-Anticevich, PhD , RE OHehir MD, , G De Vries, MSc , D Laune, PhD 5

Daily allergic multimorbidity in rhinitis using mobile technology: a novel concept of the MASK study.

Multimorbidity in allergic airway diseases is well known, but no data exist about the daily dynamics of symptoms and their impact on work. To better understand this, we aimed to assess the presence and control of daily allergic multimorbidity (asthma, conjunctivitis, rhinitis) and its impact on work productivity using a mobile technology, the Allergy Diary.