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Plavsic A, Bonaci-Nikolic B, Milenkovic B, Miskovic R, Kusic N, Dimitrijevic M, Arandjelovic S, Milosevic K, Buha I, Tomic Spiric V. Asthma Inflammatory Phenotypes: How Can We Distinguish Them? J Clin Med 2024; 13:526. [PMID: 38256660 PMCID: PMC10816410 DOI: 10.3390/jcm13020526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2023] [Revised: 01/07/2024] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES induced sputum is used to assess different inflammatory phenotypes in asthma, but is not used routinely. We aimed to determine the proportion of inflammatory asthma phenotypes based on induced sputum, to find biomarkers that can discriminate between phenotypes, and to evaluate biomarkers in patients with and without biological therapy in different inflammatory asthma phenotypes. MATERIALS AND METHODS this cross-sectional study investigated clinical characteristics, asthma control tests, skin prick test, impulse oscillometry (IOS), spirometry, induced sputum, biomarkers (IgE, eosinophils, fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO), serum periostin, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8, IL-17A, IL-33) in 80 asthmatics. A total of 17/80 patients were treated with biologics (10 with omalizumab, 7 with benralizumab). RESULTS a total of 31% of patients had eosinophilic asthma (EA), 30% had mixed granulocytic asthma (MGA), 24% had paucigranulocytic asthma (PGA), and 15% had neutrophilic asthma (NA). The difference was found in blood eosinophils (p = 0.002), the highest observed in EA. The cut-off ≥ 240/μL eosinophils, with 64% sensitivity and 72.7% specificity, identified EA (AUC = 0.743, p = 0.001). A higher IL-8 level was associated with NA (p = 0.025). In 63 non-biologic asthma group, eosinophils were higher in EA than in NA, MGA, and PGA (p = 0.012, p = 0.028, and p = 0.049, respectively). A higher IL-17A was associated with EA without biologics (p = 0.004). A significantly higher IL-5 was found in EA treated with biologics, in comparison with EA without biologics (p = 0.043). The number of leucocytes and neutrophils was higher in MGA without biologics (p = 0.049, p = 0.019), while IL-5, IL-6, and IL-8 levels were higher in MGA treated with biologics (p = 0.012, p = 0.032, p = 0.038, respectively). CONCLUSIONS EA and MGA were the most prevalent asthma phenotypes. Blood eosinophils can identify EA, both in patients with and without biologics. Apart from the clinical profile, a broad spectrum of biomarkers for assessing inflammatory phenotypes is necessary for an adequate therapy approach to patients with asthma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksandra Plavsic
- Clinic for Allergy and Immunology, University Clinical Centre of Serbia, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia; (B.B.N.); (R.M.)
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia; (B.M.)
| | - Branka Bonaci-Nikolic
- Clinic for Allergy and Immunology, University Clinical Centre of Serbia, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia; (B.B.N.); (R.M.)
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia; (B.M.)
| | - Branislava Milenkovic
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia; (B.M.)
- Clinic for Pulmonology, University Clinical Centre of Serbia, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Rada Miskovic
- Clinic for Allergy and Immunology, University Clinical Centre of Serbia, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia; (B.B.N.); (R.M.)
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia; (B.M.)
| | - Natasa Kusic
- Clinic for Allergy and Immunology, University Clinical Centre of Serbia, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia; (B.B.N.); (R.M.)
| | - Milan Dimitrijevic
- Clinic for Allergy and Immunology, University Clinical Centre of Serbia, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia; (B.B.N.); (R.M.)
| | - Snezana Arandjelovic
- Clinic for Allergy and Immunology, University Clinical Centre of Serbia, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia; (B.B.N.); (R.M.)
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia; (B.M.)
| | - Katarina Milosevic
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia; (B.M.)
- Department of Pulmonology and Allergology, University Children’s Hospital, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Ivana Buha
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia; (B.M.)
- Clinic for Pulmonology, University Clinical Centre of Serbia, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Vesna Tomic Spiric
- Clinic for Allergy and Immunology, University Clinical Centre of Serbia, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia; (B.B.N.); (R.M.)
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia; (B.M.)
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Saglani S, Yates L, Lloyd CM. Immunoregulation of asthma by type 2 cytokine therapies: Treatments for all ages? Eur J Immunol 2023; 53:e2249919. [PMID: 36932669 DOI: 10.1002/eji.202249919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Revised: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2023]
Abstract
Asthma is classically considered to be a disease of type 2 immune dysfunction, since many patients exhibit the consequences of excess secretion of cytokines such as IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13 concomitant with inflammation typified by eosinophils. Mouse and human disease models have determined that many of the canonical pathophysiologic features of asthma may be caused by these disordered type 2 immune pathways. As such considerable efforts have been made to develop specific drugs targeting key cytokines. There are currently available multiple biologic agents that successfully reduce the functions of IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13 in patients, and many improve the course of severe asthma. However, none are curative and do not always minimize the key features of disease, such as airway hyperresponsiveness. Here, we review the current therapeutic landscape targeting type 2 immune cytokines and discuss evidence of efficacy and limitations of their use in adults and children with asthma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sejal Saglani
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Laura Yates
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Clare M Lloyd
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK
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