scholarly journals Clinical profile of patients with adult-onset eosinophilic asthma

2016 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 00100-2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jantina C. de Groot ◽  
Huib Storm ◽  
Marijke Amelink ◽  
Selma B. de Nijs ◽  
Edwin Eichhorn ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Practice ◽  
Inhaled Corticosteroids ◽  
Early Recognition ◽  
Airflow Limitation ◽  
Blood Eosinophil ◽  
Adult Onset ◽  
Air Trapping ◽  
Eosinophilic Asthma ◽  
Computed Tomography Scanning ◽  
Blood Eosinophils

Adult-onset eosinophilic asthma is increasingly recognised as a severe and difficult-to-treat subtype of asthma. In clinical practice, early recognition of patients with this asthma subtype is important because it may have treatment implications. Therefore, physicians need to know the distinct characteristics of this asthma phenotype. The objective of the present study was to determine the characteristic profile of patients with adult-onset eosinophilic asthma.130 patients with adult-onset (>18 years of age) asthma and high blood eosinophil counts (≥0.3×109 L−1) were compared with 361 adult-onset asthma patients with low (<0.3×109 L−1) blood eosinophils. Measurements included a series of clinical, functional and imaging parameters.Patients with high blood eosinophils were more often male, had less well controlled asthma and higher exacerbation rates, despite the use of higher doses of inhaled corticosteroids. They had higher levels of total IgE without more sensitisation to common inhaled allergens. In addition, these patients had worse lung function, and more often showed fixed airflow limitation, air trapping, nasal polyposis and abnormalities on sinus computed tomography scanning. Chronic rhinosinusitis, air trapping and male sex were three independent factors associated with blood eosinophilia (adjusted OR 3.8 (95% CI 1.7–8.1), 3.0 (95% CI 1.1–8.1) and 2.4 (95% CI 1.3–4.4), respectively).Patients with adult-onset asthma with elevated blood eosinophils exhibit a distinct profile, which can readily be recognised in clinical practice.

Diagnosis and Management of Severe Asthma

2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (01) ◽  
pp. 091-099 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kian Fan Chung
Keyword(s):  
Severe Asthma ◽  
Inhaled Corticosteroids ◽  
Immunoglobulin E ◽  
High Dose ◽  
Blood Eosinophil ◽  
Exhaled Breath ◽  
Eosinophilic Asthma ◽  
Severe Eosinophilic Asthma ◽  
Asthma Patients ◽  
Long Acting

AbstractSevere therapy-resistant asthma has been defined as “asthma which requires treatment with high dose inhaled corticosteroids (ICSs) plus a second controller (and/or systemic corticosteroids) to prevent it from becoming ‘uncontrolled’ or which remains ‘uncontrolled’ despite this therapy”. Patients who usually present with ‘difficult-to-treat asthma’ should first be assessed to determine whether he/she has asthma with the exclusion of other diagnoses and if so, whether the asthma can be classified as severe therapy-resistant. This necessitates an assessment of adherence to medications, confounding factors, and comorbidities. Increasingly, management of severe therapy-resistant asthma will be helped by the determination of phenotypes to optimize responses to existing and new therapies. Severe asthma patients are usually on a combination of high dose ICS and long-acting β-agonist (LABA) and, in addition, are often on a maintenance dose of oral corticosteroids. Phenotyping can be informed by measuring blood eosinophil counts and the level of nitric oxide in exhaled breath, and the use of sputum granulocytic counts. Severe allergic asthma and severe eosinophilic asthma are two defined phenotypes for which there are efficacious targeted biologic therapies currently available, namely anti-immunoglobulin E (IgE) and anti-interleukin (IL)-5 antibodies, respectively. Further progress will be realized with the definition of noneosinophilic or non-T2 phenotypes. It will be important for patients with severe asthma to be ultimately investigated and managed in specialized severe asthma centers.

scholarly journals Long-term adherence to inhaled corticosteroids and asthma control in adult-onset asthma

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 00715-2020
Author(s):  
Iida Vähätalo ◽  
Hannu Kankaanranta ◽  
Leena E. Tuomisto ◽  
Onni Niemelä ◽  
Lauri Lehtimäki ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Asthma Control ◽  
Inhaled Corticosteroids ◽  
Early Recognition ◽  
Forced Expiratory Volume ◽  
Rapid Decline ◽  
Adult Onset ◽  
Lung Function Decline ◽  
Adult Asthma ◽  
Asthma Patients

BackgroundIn short-term studies, poor adherence to inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) has been associated with worse asthma control, but the association of long-term adherence and disease control remains unclear.ObjectiveTo assess the relationship between 12-year adherence to ICS and asthma control in patients with adult-onset asthma.MethodsAs part of the Seinäjoki Adult Asthma Study, 181 patients with clinically confirmed new-onset adult asthma and regular ICS medication were followed-up for 12 years. Adherence (%) to ICS was assessed individually ((µg dispensed/µg prescribed)×100) during the follow-up. Asthma control was evaluated after 12 years of treatment according to the Global Initiative for Asthma 2010 guideline.ResultsAsthma was controlled in 31% and not controlled (partly controlled or uncontrolled) in 69% of the patients. Patients with not-controlled asthma were more often male, older, nonatopic and used higher doses of ICS than those with controlled disease. The mean±sd 12-year adherence to ICS was 63±38% in patients with controlled asthma and 76±40% in patients with not-controlled disease (p=0.042). Among patients with not-controlled asthma, those with lower 12-year adherence (<80%) had more rapid decline in forced expiratory volume in 1 s (−47 mL·year−1) compared to patients with better adherence (≥80%) (−40 mL·year−1) (p=0.024). In contrast, this relationship was not seen in patients with controlled asthma.ConclusionsIn adult-onset asthma, patients with not-controlled disease showed better 12-year adherence to ICS treatment than those with controlled asthma. In not-controlled disease, adherence <80% was associated with more rapid lung function decline, underscoring the importance of early recognition of such patients in routine clinical practice.

scholarly journals Effects of the first three doses of benralizumab on symptom control, lung function, blood eosinophils, oral corticosteroid intake, and nasal polyps in a patient with severe allergic asthma

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. 2050313X2090696 ◽  
Author(s):  
Corrado Pelaia ◽  
Maria Teresa Busceti ◽  
Alessandro Vatrella ◽  
Marco Ciriolo ◽  
Eugenio Garofalo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nasal Polyps ◽  
Oral Corticosteroid ◽  
Inhaled Corticosteroids ◽  
Symptom Control ◽  
Serum Levels ◽  
Forced Expiratory Volume ◽  
High Serum ◽  
Asthma Control Test ◽  
Eosinophilic Asthma ◽  
Blood Eosinophils

Severe allergic eosinophilic asthma can be characterized by inadequate control, despite the regular use of high dosages of inhaled corticosteroids/long-acting β2-adrenergic agonists combinations, and the very frequent utilization of oral corticosteroids. Therefore, under these circumstances, an add-on biological treatment with monoclonal antibodies directed against suitable molecular targets, involved in the pathobiology of type-2 airway inflammation, is very useful. Within such a context, our case report refers to a 46-year-old woman with severe allergic eosinophilic asthma and relapsing nasal polyps, not eligible to add-on biological therapy with omalizumab because of her very high serum levels of immunoglobulins E (IgE). She is currently under treatment with the humanized monoclonal antibody benralizumab (30 mg subcutaneous injection, administered every 4 weeks for the first three doses, and every 8 weeks thereafter), an eosinophil-depleting anti-interleukin-5-receptor biologic. Our patient experienced relevant clinical and functional improvements already after the first dose, and subsequently striking changes were recorded after the second and third doses, including remarkable increases in asthma control test scores and forced expiratory volume in 1 s values, associated with a complete depletion of blood eosinophils and the interruption of oral corticosteroid intake, as well as with the concomitant disappearance of nasal polyps after the second dose. In conclusion, this case study suggests that benralizumab can exert a very rapid and effective therapeutic action in patients with severe eosinophilic asthma and nasal polyposis.

scholarly journals Eosinophils Target Therapy for Severe Asthma: Critical Points

2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Brussino ◽  
E. Heffler ◽  
C. Bucca ◽  
S. Nicola ◽  
G. Rolla
Keyword(s):  
Severe Asthma ◽  
Eosinophil Count ◽  
Inhaled Corticosteroids ◽  
Response To Treatment ◽  
High Dose ◽  
Blood Eosinophil ◽  
Moderate Increase ◽  
Eosinophilic Asthma ◽  
Peripheral Blood Eosinophil ◽  
Blood Eosinophil Count

Asthma is a chronic and heterogeneous disease, which is defined as severe disease whenever it requires treatment with a high dose of inhaled corticosteroids plus a second controller and/or systemic corticosteroids to prevent it from becoming ‘‘uncontrolled’’ or if it remains ‘‘uncontrolled’’ despite this therapy. Severe asthma is a heterogeneous condition consisting of phenotypes such as eosinophilic asthma, which is characterized by sputum eosinophilia, associated with mild to moderate increase in blood eosinophil count, frequently adult-onset, and associated with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps in half of the cases. Eosinophilic asthma is driven by T2 inflammation, characterized, among the others, by interleukin-5 production. IL-5 plays a key role in the differentiation, survival, migration, and activation of eosinophils, and it has become an appealing therapeutic target for eosinophilic asthma. In recent years two monoclonal antibodies (mepolizumab and reslizumab) directed against IL-5 and one monoclonal antibody directed against the alpha-subunit of the IL-5 receptor (benralizumab) have been developed. All these IL-5 target drugs have been shown to reduce the number of exacerbation in patients with severe asthma selected on the basis of peripheral blood eosinophil count. There are still a number of unresolved issues related to the anti-IL5 strategy in eosinophilic asthma, which are here reviewed. These issues include the effects of such therapy on airway obstruction and asthmatic symptoms, the level of baseline eosinophils that predicts a response to treatment, the relationship between blood and airway eosinophilia, and, perhaps most importantly, how to elucidate the pathogenetic role played by eosinophils in the individual patient with severe eosinophilic asthma.

scholarly journals Blood Eosinophils Subtypes and Their Survivability in Asthma Patients

Cells ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 1248 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrius Januskevicius ◽  
Egle Jurkeviciute ◽  
Ieva Janulaityte ◽  
Virginija Kalinauskaite-Zukauske ◽  
Skaidrius Miliauskas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Beads ◽  
Allergen Challenge ◽  
Annexin V ◽  
Surface Protein ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Blood Eosinophil ◽  
Eosinophilic Asthma ◽  
Asthma Patients ◽  
Surface Protein Expression ◽  
Blood Eosinophils

Eosinophils subtypes as lung-resident (rEOS) and inflammatory (iEOS) eosinophils are different in surface protein expression, functions, response to IL-5 and localization in lungs. rEOS- and iEOS-like eosinophils are found in blood; thus, we aimed to investigate their quantity and survivability in asthma patients. A total of 40 individuals were included: 10 steroid-free non-severe allergic asthma (AA), and 18 severe non-allergic eosinophilic asthma (SNEA) patients, the control group consisted of 12 healthy non-smoking subjects (HS). A bronchial challenge with Dermatophagoides pteronysinnus allergen was performed for AA patients and HS. Blood eosinophils subtyping was completed with magnetic beads’ conjugated antibodies against surface CD62L. Eosinophils adhesion to hTERT airway smooth muscle (ASM) cells was measured by evaluating their peroxidase activity and viability by annexin V and propidium iodide staining. We found that the predominant blood eosinophil subtype in AA patients was iEOS, while rEOS prevailed in SNEA patients (p < 0.05). Moreover, rEOS demonstrated higher adhesion intensity compared with iEOS in all investigated groups. Both eosinophils subtypes of SNEA patients had higher survivability over the AA group. However, iEOS survivability from AA and SNEA groups was higher compared with rEOS under standard conditions, when rEOS survivability increased after their incubation with ASM cells. Bronchial allergen challenge abolished the dominance of blood iEOS in AA patients and prolonged only iEOS survivability. Though the challenge did not affect the adhesion of any eosinophils subtypes, the direct dependence of rEOS and iEOS survivability on their interaction with ASM cells was revealed (p < 0.05). These findings provide the premise for eosinophils subtype-oriented asthma treatment.

scholarly journals Asthma-Like Features and Anti-Asthmatic Drug Prescription in Children with Non-CF Bronchiectasis

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. 4009
Author(s):  
Konstantinos Douros ◽  
Olympia Sardeli ◽  
Spyridon Prountzos ◽  
Angeliki Galani ◽  
Dafni Moriki ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Inhaled Corticosteroids ◽  
Drug Prescription ◽  
Ct Scans ◽  
Total Serum ◽  
Blood Eosinophil ◽  
Mosaic Pattern ◽  
Air Trapping ◽  
Serum Ige ◽  
Skin Prick Tests ◽  
Eosinophil Counts

Bronchiectasis and asthma may share some characteristics and some patients may have both conditions. The present study aimed to examine the rationale of prophylactic inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) prescription in children with bronchiectasis. Data of children with radiologically established bronchiectasis were retrospectively reviewed. Episodes of dyspnea and wheezing, spirometric indices, total serum IgE, blood eosinophil counts, sensitization to aeroallergens, and air-trapping on expiratory CT scans, were recorded. The study included 65 children 1.5–16 years old, with non-CF bronchiectasis. Episodes of dyspnea or wheezing were reported by 22 (33.8%) and 23 (35.4%), respectively. Skin prick tests to aeroallergens (SPTs) were positive in 15 (23.0%) patients. Mosaic pattern on CT scans was observed in 37 (56.9%) patients. Dyspnea, presence of mosaic pattern, positive reversibility test, and positive SPTs were significantly correlated with the prescription of ICS. The prescription of ICS in children with bronchiectasis is more likely when there are certain asthma-like characteristics. The difficulty to set the diagnosis of real asthma in cases of bronchiectasis may justify the decision of clinicians to start an empirical trial with ICS in certain cases.

scholarly journals Bronchial Thermoplasty in the Treatment of Severe Asthma

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Nightingale Syabbalo ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Severe Asthma ◽  
Inhaled Corticosteroids ◽  
Airway Disease ◽  
Airflow Limitation ◽  
Response To Treatment ◽  
High Dose ◽  
Eosinophilic Asthma ◽  
Bronchial Thermoplasty ◽  
Long Acting ◽  
Refractory Asthma

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory airway disease with several distinct phenotypes, characterized by different immunopathological pathways, clinical presentation, severity of the disease, and response to treatment. The phenotypes of asthma include eosinophilic, neutrophilic, mixed granulocytic, and paucigranulocytic asthma. Approximately 3.6-10% of patients with asthma have severe refractory disease, which is unresponsive to high dose inhaled corticosteroids (ICS), and long-acting β2-agonists (LABA). Most patients with eosinophilic asthma are responsive to corticosteroids, and interleukintargeted biologics, whereas, patients from other phenotypes, such as neutrophillic and paucigranullocytic asthma are resistant to treatment with ICS and biotherapeutics. The hallmark of severe refractory asthma is airway hyperresponsiveness, and remodeling. Histopathologically, patients with severe asthma have airway smooth muscle (ASM) hyperplasia and hypertrophy; subepithelial basement membrane thickening and fibrosis; all which contribute to fixed airflow limitation. Severe refractory asthma is very difficult to treat pharmacologically. It requires innovative therapies, such as bronchial thermoplasty which reduces the hypertrophied ASM mass and relieves the AHR, and broncoconstriction. Bronchial thermoplasty has been shown to improve asthma control, reduce severe exacerbations, hospitalizations, emergency room visits, and improve the quality of life, which persist up to 5 years following the procedure

Impact of an increase in the inhaled corticosteroid dose on blood eosinophils in asthma

Thorax ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 74 (4) ◽  
pp. 417-418 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marek Lommatzsch ◽  
Maria Klein ◽  
Paul Stoll ◽  
Johann Christian Virchow
Keyword(s):  
Inhaled Corticosteroids ◽  
Normal Values ◽  
High Dose ◽  
Blood Eosinophil ◽  
Inhaled Corticosteroid ◽  
Corticosteroid Dose ◽  
Interleukin 5 ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Blood Eosinophils

Here, we report that increasing treatment with inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) in patients with not well-controlled asthma from a medium to a high dose results in a profound reduction of blood eosinophils (median fall in blood eosinophil concentrations from 560 to 320 cells/µL). Therefore, ‘normal values’ of blood eosinophils in patients with asthma need to be considered in view of the individual ICS doses of the patients. In addition, increases in the dose of ICS may result in blood eosinophil concentrations which would formally preclude treatment with biologics targeting the interleukin-5 pathway.

Bronchiectasis in Severe Asthma: Does It Make a Difference?

Respiration ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Sarah Alice Bendien ◽  
Stephanie van Loon-Kooij ◽  
Gerdien Kramer ◽  
Willemijn Huijgen ◽  
Josje Altenburg ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Severe Asthma ◽  
Early Recognition ◽  
Distinct Group ◽  
Asthma Severity ◽  
Adult Onset ◽  
Tertiary Referral ◽  
Eosinophilic Asthma ◽  
Asthma Phenotype ◽  
Tertiary Referral Center ◽  
Single Center Study

<b><i>Background:</i></b> Asthma and bronchiectasis are 2 heterogeneous diseases that frequently coexist, particularly in severe asthma. Recognition of this co-diagnosis may importantly affect treatment decisions and outcome. Previous studies in asthma with bronchiectasis show inconsistent outcomes, probably due to the heterogeneity of the included asthma cohorts. <b><i>Objectives:</i></b> We hypothesized that bronchiectasis contributes to asthma severity and that patients with severe asthma and bronchiectasis present with distinct characteristics resulting in different treatable traits. In addition, we explored whether bronchiectasis in severe asthma is more common in a specific phenotype. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> This is a single-center study consecutively including patients with severe asthma from a tertiary referral center. Severe asthma was diagnosed according to the ATS/ERS guidelines. Asthma and infectious exacerbations were defined by the attending specialist as respiratory symptoms requiring treatment with systemic steroids or antibiotics, respectively. Two independent blinded radiologists evaluated each CT. <b><i>Results:</i></b> 19% of patients with severe asthma showed bronchiectasis on CT. Patients with bronchiectasis had a lower FEV1% predicted (<i>p</i> = 0.02) and FEV1/FVC (<i>p</i> = 0.004) and more infectious exacerbations (<i>p</i> = 0.003) compared to patients without bronchiectasis. Bronchiectasis is more common in patients with a longer duration of asthma, sensitization to <i>A. fumigatus</i> or a positive sputum culture. Sputum cultures of patients with severe asthma and bronchiectasis revealed more <i>P. aeruginosa</i>, <i>S. maltophilia</i>, <i>H. parainfluenzae,</i> and <i>A. fumigates</i> compared to the non-bronchiectasis group. The adult-onset, eosinophilic asthma phenotype showed the highest prevalence of bronchiectasis (29.4%). <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> Patients with severe asthma and coexisting bronchiectasis were found to represent a distinct group, in terms of disease severity, microbiology, and asthma phenotype. Performing (HR)CT and sputum cultures can help to identify these patients. These results can possibly contribute to early recognition and targeted treatment of this patient group.

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