Correction to: Vilnius Declaration on chronic respiratory diseases: multisectoral care pathways embedding guided self-management, mHealth and air pollution in chronic respiratory diseases.

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via the original article.

Vilnius Declaration on chronic respiratory diseases: multisectoral care pathways embedding guided self-management, mHealth and air pollution in chronic respiratory diseases.

BACKGROUND: Over 1 billion people suffer from chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma, COPD, rhinitis and rhinosinusitis. They cause an enormous burden and are considered as major non-communicable diseases. Many patients are still uncontrolled and the cost of inaction is unacceptable. A meeting was held in Vilnius, Lithuania (March 23, 2018) under the patronage of the Ministry of Health and several scientific societies to propose multisectoral care pathways embedding guided self-management, mHealth and air pollution in selected chronic respiratory diseases (rhinitis, chronic rhinosinusitis, asthma and COPD). The meeting resulted in the Vilnius Declaration that was developed by the participants of the EU Summit on chronic respiratory diseases under the leadership of Euforea. CONCLUSION: The Vilnius Declaration represents an important step for the fight against air pollution in chronic respiratory diseases globally and has a clear strategic relevance with regard to the EU Health Strategy as it will bring added value to the existing public health knowledge.

European symposium on the awareness of allergy: report of the promotional campaign in the European Parliament (26-28 April 2016).

From 26 to 28 of April 2016, an allergy awareness campaign was organized by the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology and the European Federation of Allergy and Airway Diseases Patients Associations in the European Parliament in Brussels, with support of the European Parliament's Interest group on Allergy and Asthma and was co-hosted by the Members of the European Parliament David Borrelli, Sirpa Pietikainen and Nessa Childers. Skin prick tests (SPTs) were performed to gain attention for the increasing prevalence of allergic airway diseases in Europe. Since more than 30% of the total European population suffers from airway allergies and asthma, reaching a higher level of awareness and elaboration of an active prevention plan is mandatory. Of the 406 individuals undergoing SPT in the European Parliament, 211 participants (52%) reported to have suffered from an allergy in the past, with allergic symptoms being present in the nose and eyes (40% and 36%, respectively), the skin (27%), lower airways (14%) and the gut (8%). Of the 381 SPT with reliable results, cutaneous hypersensitivity was found in 201 (53%) participants. Of those with positive SPT (n = 201), 70 participants (35%) were monosensitized while 131 participants (65%) were polysensitized. The positive skin reactions were found mostly for grass pollen (n = 108), followed by Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (n = 105), Dermatophagoides farina (n = 96) and birch pollen (n = 85). Of note, 54 individuals (14% of the total tested population) without reported allergy or allergic symptoms showed a positive SPT without clinical relevance. This report summarizes the main idea and goals of the symposium: chronic airway diseases are a major and growing health problem in Europe. Therefore, a joint preventive action plan needs to be developed for a better health status of European citizens.

European Symposium on Precision Medicine in Allergy and Airways Diseases: Report of the European Union Parliament Symposium (October 14, 2015).

The European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI), the European Rhinologic Society (ERS), and the European Medical Association (EMA) organized, on October 14, 2015, a symposium in the European Parliament in Brussels on Precision Medicine in Allergy and Airways Diseases, hosted by MEP David Borrelli, and with active participation of the EU Commissioner for Health and Food Safety Vytenis Andriukaitis, MEP Sirpa Pietikainen, Chair of the European Parliament Interest Group on Allergy and Asthma, the European Respiratory Society (ERS), the European Federations of Allergy and Airways Diseases Patients Associations (EFA), the Global Allergy and Asthma European Network (Ga2len), Allergic Rhinitis and Its Impact on Asthma (ARIA), and the Respiratory Effectiveness Group (REG). The socioeconomic impact of allergies and chronic airways diseases cannot be underestimated, as they represent the most frequently diagnosed chronic noncommunicable diseases in the EU; 30% of the total European population is suffering from allergies and asthma, and more than half are deprived from adequate diagnosis and treatment. Precision medicine represents a novel approach, embracing four key features: personalized care based on molecular, immunologic, and functional endotyping of the disease, with participation of the patient in the decision-making process of therapeutic actions, and considering predictive and preventive aspects of the treatment. Implementation of precision medicine into clinical practice may help to achieve the arrest of the epidemic of allergies and chronic airways diseases. Participants underscored the need for optimal patient care in Europe, supporting joint action plans for disease prevention, patient empowerment, and cost-effective treatment strategies.

European symposium on precision medicine in allergy and airways diseases: report of the European Union parliament symposium (October 14, 2015).

On 14 October 2015, the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI), the European Rhinologic Society (ERS) and the European Medical Association (EMA) organized a symposium in the European Parliament in Brussels on Precision Medicine in Allergy and Airways Diseases, hosted by MEP David Borrelli and with active participation of the European Respiratory Society (ERS), the European Federations of Allergy and Airways Diseases Patients Associations (EFA), the Global Allergy and Asthma European Network (Ga2len), Allergic Rhinitis and Its Impact on Asthma (ARIA) and the Respiratory Effectiveness Group (REG). MEP Sirpa Pietikainen, Chair of the European Parliament Interest Group on Allergy and Asthma, underlined the importance of the need for a better diagnostic and therapeutic approach for patients with Allergies and Chronic Airways Diseases, and encouraged a joint initiative to control the epidemic of Allergy and Asthma in Europe. The socio-economic impact of allergies and chronic airways diseases cannot be underestimated, as they represent the most frequently diagnosed chronic non-communicable diseases in the EU. Despite the fact that 30% of the total European population is nowadays suffering from allergies and asthma, more than half of these patients are deprived from adequate diagnosis and treatment. Precision Medicine represents a novel approach in medicine, embracing 4 key features: personalized care based on molecular, immunologic and functional endotyping of the disease, with participation of the patient in the decision making process of therapeutic actions, and taking into account predictive and preventive aspects of the treatment. Implementation of Precision Medicine into clinical practice may help to achieve the arrest of the Epidemic of Allergies and Chronic Airways Diseases. This report summarizes the key messages delivered during the symposium by the speakers, including the EU Commissioner for Health and Food Safety Vitenys Andriukaitis. The Commissioner underscored the need for optimal patient care in Europe, supporting joint action plans for disease prevention, patient empowerment and cost-effective treatment strategies leading to a better health status of European citizens.