Increased versus stable dose of inhaled corticosteroids for asthma exacerbations: A systematic review and meta-analysis

One-day systemic corticosteroid administration for asthma and future "short bursts" risk in real clinical practice

OBJECTIVE

Systemic corticosteroid administration, also called short bursts (SB), is harmful for patients with asthma; however, the actual burden of one-day SB remains unsolved. This study aimed to elucidate the characteristics of patients requiring one-day SB against asthma in clinical practice.

METHODS

Consecutive patients who regularly visited our hospital for asthma treatment between January 2019 and December 2020 were reviewed and followed for one year. SB was defined as ≥3 days of systemic corticosteroid treatment for an exacerbation. One-day SB was defined as one-day of systemic corticosteroid to treat an exacerbation. The one-day SB group included patients who received only one-day SB but no SB during the preceding year. Frequent SB was defined as that occurring ≥2 times/year.

RESULTS

Data on 229 patients were analyzed. Among them, 2.6% (95% confidence interval 1.2-5.6%) were in the one-day SB group. The one-day SB group was female-dominant, obese, non-eosinophilic, and non-atopic. The median one-day SB was 1.5 times/year and almost half of one-day SB were performed by patients themselves. Independent of the low pulmonary function, high blood eosinophil count, and inhaled corticosteroid dose, one-day SB was associated with future frequent SB (adjusted odds ratio = 18.2, 95% confidence interval 1.1-288, P = 0.040, compared to the no SB group).

CONCLUSIONS

Although one-day SB was not frequently experienced, even one-day SB without conventional SB was associated with future frequent SB. It is important to grasp the actual condition of one-day SB and to reinforce the treatment used.

Maintenance Therapy for Children and Adolescents with Asthma: Guidelines and Recommendations from the Emilia-Romagna Asthma (ERA) Study Group

Asthma is the most frequent chronic disease of childhood, affecting up to 20% of children worldwide. The main guidelines on asthma maintenance therapy in pediatrics suggest different approaches and describe different stages of asthma to determine the most appropriate treatment. This project aims to summarize the most recent evidence regarding maintenance therapy for asthma in children and adolescents. A multidisciplinary panel of experts was asked clinical questions regarding the treatment of children and adolescents with asthma. Overall, 10 clinical questions were addressed, and the search strategy included accessing electronic databases and a manual search of gray literature published in the last 25 years. After data extraction and narrative synthesis of results, recommendations were developed using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations (GRADE) methodology. Results showed that the choice of medication depends on the severity of the child's asthma, phenotype, age, preference, and individual factors. In addition to medications, the identification of comorbidities and modifiable factors is crucial to obtaining good control. Asthma in children is heterogeneous, and its evolution varies over time. Since most recommendations for asthma management in childhood are extrapolated from clinical studies performed in adults, more clinical trials specifically designed for young children should be conducted.

The burden of systemic corticosteroid use in asthma management in Asia

For most patients, asthma can be effectively managed using inhaled medications. However, patients who have severe and/or uncontrolled asthma, or who experience exacerbations, may require systemic corticosteroids (SCSs) to maintain asthma control. Although SCS are highly effective in this regard, even modest exposure to these medications can increase the risk for long-term, adverse health outcomes, such as type 2 diabetes, renal impairment, cardiovascular disease and overall mortality. Clinical and real-world data from studies investigating asthma severity, control and treatment practices around the globe have suggested that SCS are overused in asthma management, adding to the already substantial healthcare burden experienced by patients. Throughout Asia, although data on asthma severity, control and SCS usage are limited and vary widely among countries, available data strongly suggest a pattern of overuse consistent with the broader global trend. Coordinated changes at the patient, provider, institutional and policy levels, such as increasing disease awareness, promoting better adherence to treatment guidelines and increasing availability of safe and effective alternatives to SCS, are likely necessary to reduce the SCS burden for patients with asthma in Asia.

The use of systemic corticosteroids in asthma management in Latin American countries

The stepwise treatment approach recommended by the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) includes systemic corticosteroids (SCS) suggested as a final step if asthma is severe and/or difficult to treat. Yet, despite the effectiveness of SCS, they are also associated with potentially irreversible adverse outcomes such as type 2 diabetes, adrenal suppression, and cardiovascular disease. Based on recent data indicating that the risk of developing these conditions can increase after as few as 4 short-term (burst) courses of SCS, even patients with mild asthma who receive SCS occasionally for exacerbations are also at risk of these events. As a result, recent updates by GINA and the Latin American Thoracic Society recommend decreasing SCS use by optimizing administration of non-SCS therapies and/or increasing the use of alternatives, such as biologic agents. Recent and ongoing studies characterizing treatment patterns among patients with asthma have revealed alarming trends suggesting the widespread overuse of SCS around the world. In Latin America, asthma prevalence is approximately 17%, and data suggest that the majority of patients have uncontrolled disease. In this review, we summarize currently available data on asthma treatment patterns in Latin America, which indicate that SCS are prescribed to 20-40% of patients with asthma considered to be well controlled and over 50% of patients with uncontrolled disease. We also offer potential strategies to help reduce SCS use for asthma in everyday clinical practice.

Effectiveness and tolerability of dual and triple combination inhaler therapies compared with each other and varying doses of inhaled corticosteroids in adolescents and adults with asthma: a systematic review and network meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Current guidelines recommend a higher-dose inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) or adding a long-acting muscarinic antagonist (LAMA) when asthma is not controlled with medium-dose (MD) ICS/long-acting beta2-agonist (LABA) combination therapy.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the effectiveness and safety of dual (ICS/LABA) and triple therapies (ICS/LABA/LAMA) compared with each other and with varying doses of ICS in adolescents and adults with uncontrolled asthma.

SEARCH METHODS

We searched multiple databases for pre-registered randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of at least 12 weeks of study duration from 2008 to 18 February 2022.

SELECTION CRITERIA

We searched studies, including adolescents and adults with uncontrolled asthma who had been treated with, or were eligible for, MD-ICS/LABA, comparing dual and triple therapies. We excluded cluster- and cross-over RCTs.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

We conducted a systematic review and network meta-analysis according to the previously published protocol. We used Cochrane's Screen4ME workflow to assess search results and Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) to assess the certainty of evidence. The primary outcome was steroid-requiring asthma exacerbations and asthma-related hospitalisations (moderate to severe and severe exacerbations).

MAIN RESULTS

We included 17,161 patients with uncontrolled asthma from 17 studies (median duration 26 weeks; mean age 49.1 years; male 40%; white 81%; mean forced expiratory volume in 1 second (MEF 1)1.9 litres and 61% predicted). The quality of included studies was generally good except for some outcomes in a few studies due to high attrition rates. Medium-dose (MD) and high-dose (HD) triple therapies reduce steroid-requiring asthma exacerbations (hazard ratio (HR) 0.84 [95% credible interval (CrI) 0.71 to 0.99] and 0.69 [0.58 to 0.82], respectively) (high-certainty evidence), but not asthma-related hospitalisations, compared to MD-ICS/LABA. High-dose triple therapy likely reduces steroid-requiring asthma exacerbations compared to MD triple therapy (HR 0.83 [95% CrI 0.69 to 0.996], [moderate certainty]). Subgroup analyses suggest the reduction in steroid-requiring exacerbations associated with triple therapies may be only for those with a history of asthma exacerbations in the previous year but not for those without. High-dose triple therapy, but not MD triple, results in a reduction in all-cause adverse events (AEs) and likely reduces dropouts due to AEs compared to MD-ICS/LABA (odds ratio (OR) 0.79 [95% CrI 0.69 to 0.90], [high certainty] and 0.50 [95% CrI 0.30 to 0.84], [moderate certainty], respectively). Triple therapy results in little to no difference in all-cause or asthma-related serious adverse events (SAEs) compared to dual therapy (high certainty). The evidence suggests triple therapy results in little or no clinically important difference in symptoms or quality of life compared to dual therapy considering the minimal clinically important differences (MCIDs) and HD-ICS/LABA is unlikely to result in any significant benefit or harm compared to MD-ICS/LABA.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

Medium-dose and HD triple therapies reduce steroid-requiring asthma exacerbations, but not asthma-related hospitalisations, compared to MD-ICS/LABA especially in those with a history of asthma exacerbations in the previous year. High-dose triple therapy is likely superior to MD triple therapy in reducing steroid-requiring asthma exacerbations. Triple therapy is unlikely to result in clinically meaningful improvement in symptoms or quality of life compared to dual therapy considering the MCIDs. High-dose triple therapy, but not MD triple, results in a reduction in all-cause AEs and likely reduces dropouts due to AEs compared to MD-ICS/LABA. Triple therapy results in little to no difference in all-cause or asthma-related SAEs compared to dual therapy. HD-ICS/LABA is unlikely to result in any significant benefit or harm compared to MD-ICS/LABA, although long-term safety of higher rather than MD- ICS remains to be demonstrated given the median duration of included studies was six months. The above findings may assist deciding on a treatment option when asthma is not controlled with MD-ICS/LABA.

Pediatric asthma: The REGAP consensus

Asthma is one of the main chronic diseases in childhood, due to its high prevalence and its social and health costs. This document is a summary of a consensus guideline approved by 6 Spanish pediatric societies related to asthma and endorsed by the Spanish Pediatric Association. Asthma is easily identifiable by clinical criteria in most patients. Spirometry and other tests are helpful for diagnosis, especially in atypical cases. Asthma exacerbation is a frequent manifestation of the disease and must be identified and treated promptly. When asthma symptoms are frequent and the quality of life is affected, maintenance treatment must be instituted to achieve control of the disease. Low-dose inhaled corticosteroids are effective and safe for long-term use. Education of the patient with asthma is essential for good control. The main reason for poor asthma control is non-compliance with treatment, either due to its erratic and insufficient administration, or due to poor application technique of inhaled drugs. If control is not obtained despite adequate treatment, the diagnosis must be reconsidered, as well as the factors or comorbidities that make control difficult. Other drugs can be added to avoid high doses of inhaled corticosteroids, notably montelukast or long-acting β2 adrenergic agonists. Severe or difficult-to-control asthma, which does not respond to the usual treatments, should be managed in specialized units.

[Pediatric asthma: The REGAP consensus]

Asthma is one of the main chronic diseases in childhood, due to its high prevalence and its social and health costs. This document is a summary of a consensus guideline approved by 6 Spanish pediatric societies related to asthma and endorsed by the Spanish Pediatric Association. Asthma is easily identifiable by clinical criteria in most patients. Spirometry and other tests are helpful for diagnosis, especially in atypical cases. Asthma exacerbation is a frequent manifestation of the disease and must be identified and treated promptly. When asthma symptoms are frequent and the quality of life is affected, maintenance treatment must be instituted to achieve control of the disease. Low-dose inhaled corticosteroids are effective and safe for long-term use. Education of the patient with asthma is essential for good control. The main reason for poor asthma control is non-compliance with treatment, either due to its erratic and insufficient administration, or due to poor application technique of inhaled drugs. If control is not obtained despite adequate treatment, the diagnosis must be reconsidered, as well as the factors or comorbidities that make control difficult. Other drugs can be added to avoid high doses of inhaled corticosteroids, notably montelukast or long-acting β2 adrenergic agonists. Severe or difficult-to-control asthma, which does not respond to the usual treatments, should be managed in specialized units.

[Are inhaled corticosteroids effective in asthma exacerbations? Evidentia praxis]

A clinical scenario is presented, from which a structured clinical question arises: In asthmatic children or adolescents with exacerbation symptoms, does the use of inhaled corticosteroids (newly instituted or base dose increased) reduce the risk of exacerbations that require systemic steroids and/or hospitalization? To answer it, we carried out a bibliographic search, with selection, evaluation and graduation of the evidence, following GRADE criteria. We did not find sufficient evidence to consider intermittent inhaled steroids as an alternative to maintenance inhaled steroids to avoid exacerbations that require the use of systemic steroids. The use of a combination of inhaled steroids with formoterol, as a rescue treatment at the onset of symptoms, is only effective when used by patients with this maintenance treatment, compared to those who only have inhaled steroids and rescue with beta2-agonists of short action; when patients already take maintenance combined therapy, combined rescue does not reduce the risk. In patients with asthma attacks attended in the emergency department, inhaled steroids compared to placebo reduce the risk of admission, but not when compared to systemic corticosteroids.

Ozone Inhalation Attenuated the Effects of Budesonide on Aspergillus fumigatus-Induced Airway Inflammation and Hyperreactivity in Mice

Inhaled glucocorticoids form the mainstay of asthma treatment because of their anti-inflammatory effects in the lung. Exposure to the air pollutant ozone (O₃) exacerbates chronic airways disease. We and others showed that presence of the epithelial-derived surfactant protein-D (SP-D) is important in immunoprotection against inflammatory changes including those induced by O₃ inhalation in the airways. SP-D synthesis requires glucocorticoids. We hypothesized here that O₃ exposure impairs glucocorticoid responsiveness (including SP-D production) in allergic airway inflammation. The effects of O₃ inhalation and glucocorticoid treatment were studied in a mouse model of allergic asthma induced by sensitization and challenge with Aspergillus fumigatus (Af) in vivo. The role of O₃ and glucocorticoids in regulation of SP-D expression was investigated in A549 and primary human type II alveolar epithelial cells in vitro. Budesonide inhibited airway hyperreactivity, eosinophil counts in the lung and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and CCL11, IL-13, and IL-23p19 release in the BAL of mice sensitized and challenged with Af (p < 0.05). The inhibitory effects of budesonide were attenuated on inflammatory changes and were completely abolished on airway hyperreactivity after O₃ exposure of mice sensitized and challenged with Af. O₃ stimulated release of pro-neutrophilic mediators including CCL20 and IL-6 into the airways and impaired the inhibitory effects of budesonide on CCL11, IL-13 and IL-23. O₃ also prevented budesonide-induced release of the immunoprotective lung collectin SP-D into the airways of allergen-challenged mice. O₃ had a bi-phasic direct effect with early (<12 h) inhibition and late (>48 h) activation of SP-D mRNA (sftpd) in vitro. Dexamethasone and budesonide induced sftpd transcription and translation in human type II alveolar epithelial cells in a glucocorticoid receptor and STAT3 (an IL-6 responsive transcription factor) dependent manner. Our study indicates that O₃ exposure counteracts the effects of budesonide on airway inflammation, airway hyperreactivity, and SP-D production. We speculate that impairment of SP-D expression may contribute to the acute O₃-induced airway inflammation. Asthmatics exposed to high ambient O₃ levels may become less responsive to glucocorticoid treatment during acute exacerbations.