Abstract Rationale Brazil has a universal public healthcare system (SUS) used by approximately 75% of its population. Despite the high burden of asthma and the availability of a comprehensive national administrative health database, there are no published real-world analyses specifically describing the demographic profile and treatment patterns of asthma patients within this system. Objectives To characterize asthma patients treated in the Brazilian public health system, including demographic patterns, disease severity, healthcare utilization, medication use, and uptake of biologic therapies. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted using the national public health database (DATASUS). Individuals diagnosed with asthma between 1996 and 2025 were identified using ICD-10 codes J45.0-J45.9. Variables evaluated included sex, age, region of care, hospitalization, and pharmacologic treatment patterns. Disease severity was inferred using GINA step-based maintenance medication categories. Uptake of biologics following its availability in the public system was assessed. Results An estimated 23.2% of individuals in the public system population had recorded asthma diagnoses, with variation across regions and age groups (19.8%-24.9%). Outpatient visits exceeded 250,000 in a single year and demonstrated seasonal patterns, related to younger age groups (analysis between 2020 and 2025). Severe asthma prevalence ranged from 7% to 17% varying by region and age category. Budesonide-formoterol was the most frequently prescribed controller medication. Between 2010 and 2020, 84,600 asthma-associated deaths were recorded, with higher frequency in women. Anti-IL-5 biologic therapy became available in the public system in 2022, and its use increased by 4,800% within one year. Conclusions Asthma represents a substantial burden within Brazil’s public health system. Despite eligibility for advanced therapies, at least 7% of asthma patients appear to have severe disease and yet remain under-identified for biologic treatment. Brazil’s large, diverse population and comprehensive national healthcare data infrastructure represent an important real-world environment for evaluating asthma management and informing public health strategies. This abstract is funded by: Astrazeneca Brazil
Martins et al. (Fri,) studied this question.