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Jenkins CR. Mild asthma: Conundrums, complexities and the need to customize care. Respirology 2024; 29:94-104. [PMID: 38143421 DOI: 10.1111/resp.14646] [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: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023]
Abstract
Mild and moderate asthma cover a wide range of asthma presentations, phenotypes and symptom burden, and account for the majority of people with asthma worldwide. Mild asthma has been difficult to define because of its heterogeneity and wide spectrum of impact and outcomes, including being associated with severe exacerbations. Assessment of mild-moderate asthma is best made by combining asthma symptom control and exacerbation risk as the principle means by which to determine treatment needs. Incontrovertible evidence and guidelines support treatment initiation with anti-inflammatory medication, completely avoiding reliever-only treatment of mild asthma. Shared decision making with patients and a treatable traits approach will ensure that a holistic approach is taken to maximize patient outcomes. Most importantly, mild asthma should be regarded as a reversible, potentially curable condition, remaining in long-term remission through minimizing triggers and optimizing care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine R Jenkins
- Respiratory Medicine UNSW, Sydney and The George Institute for Global Health, The George Institute for Global Health, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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Loh ZC, Hussain R, Ong SC, Saini B, Muneswarao J, Ur-Rehman A, Babar ZUD. Over-the-counter use of short-acting beta-2 agonists: a systematic review. J Pharm Policy Pract 2023; 16:119. [PMID: 37814312 PMCID: PMC10561505 DOI: 10.1186/s40545-023-00627-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/11/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The widespread use of short-acting beta-2 agonists (SABA) as an as-needed treatment for asthma is well-established. However, excessive use of SABA has been linked to undesirable outcomes such as increased risk of asthma attacks, exacerbations, and even death. The availability of SABA as an over-the-counter (OTC) medication has contributed to their overuse, leading to undertreated asthma and reduced access to asthma education. OBJECTIVE This systematic review aimed to summarize the prevalence, characteristic features of, and factors contributing to over-the-counter SABA purchase or overuse. METHODS The databases searched included PubMed, Scopus, Springer Link, Google Scholar, CINAHL, and APA PsycArticles. Original research articles reporting the prevalence, characteristics features, and factors regarding over-the-counter SABA use, available as full text, published in English language between the year 2000 and April 2023 were included in this review. Commentaries, letters to editor, review articles, qualitative studies, clinical trials, and conference proceedings were excluded. Data extraction was followed by a review of the quality of studies included and data were then synthesized for meaningful findings. This systematic review had been registered in the PROSPERO with registration number CRD42023421007. RESULTS A total of 18 articles were included. The prevalence range of OTC SABA users in populations were 1.4% to 39.6% and SABA over-users among OTC users were 14% to 66.4%. Factors mostly associated with this behavior were moderate-severe asthma, and less use of preventers. On top of that, not understanding the risk of SABA overuse was clear in many studies that explored this factor. CONCLUSION Over-the-counter purchase and overuse of SABA medication is a common problem, leading to adverse consequences such as uncontrolled asthma and increased healthcare utilization. Addressing these issues requires improved patient education about their conditions and adequate information regarding the potential long-term effects of SABA use by the healthcare providers. Management and education of asthma patients, including regular monitoring and follow-up, can help reduce overuse of SABA medication and prevent negative consequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhe Chi Loh
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800, Gelugor, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
| | - Rabia Hussain
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800, Gelugor, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia.
| | - Siew Chin Ong
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800, Gelugor, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
| | - Bandana Saini
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney School of Pharmacy, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - Jaya Muneswarao
- Pharmacy Department, Hospital Pulau Pinang, 10990, George Town, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
| | | | - Zaheer-Ud-Din Babar
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Huddersfield, Huddersfield, HD1 3DH, UK
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3
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Castagnoli R, Brambilla I, Giovannini M, Marseglia GL, Licari A. New approaches in childhood asthma treatment. Curr Opin Allergy Clin Immunol 2023; 23:319-326. [PMID: 37357774 PMCID: PMC10317303 DOI: 10.1097/aci.0000000000000922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/27/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW This review aims to summarize the most recent advances in asthma management, focusing on novel approaches to pediatric asthma. RECENT FINDINGS In recent years, the therapeutic tools for pediatric asthma have expanded significantly for both the nonsevere and severe forms. The use of anti-inflammatory treatment, even for the mildest cases, and the withdrawal of symptomatic bronchodilation as monotherapy have been included in the most recent guidelines. Also, different biological therapies have revolutionized the therapeutical approach for severe uncontrolled asthma in children and adolescents. SUMMARY With the expanding landscape of novel therapeutic approaches for pediatric asthma, further evidence is needed to help clinicians choose the best option for patients, particularly those with severe asthma. The identification of novel predictive biomarkers may also help pediatricians in selecting children and adolescents for innovative therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riccardo Castagnoli
- Pediatric Unit, Department of Clinical, Surgical, Diagnostic and Pediatric Sciences, University of Pavia
- Pediatric Clinic, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia
| | - Ilaria Brambilla
- Pediatric Unit, Department of Clinical, Surgical, Diagnostic and Pediatric Sciences, University of Pavia
- Pediatric Clinic, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia
| | - Mattia Giovannini
- Allergy Unit, Meyer Children's Hospital IRCCS
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Gian Luigi Marseglia
- Pediatric Unit, Department of Clinical, Surgical, Diagnostic and Pediatric Sciences, University of Pavia
- Pediatric Clinic, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia
| | - Amelia Licari
- Pediatric Unit, Department of Clinical, Surgical, Diagnostic and Pediatric Sciences, University of Pavia
- Pediatric Clinic, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia
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Castagnoli R, Brambilla I, Giudice MMD, Marseglia GL, Licari A. Applying the new guidelines to asthma management in children. Curr Opin Allergy Clin Immunol 2023; 23:132-136. [PMID: 36637070 DOI: 10.1097/aci.0000000000000892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW This review aims to provide paediatricians with novel concepts from scientific evidence applicable to treating children with asthma. The latest guideline updates on paediatric asthma are discussed here, with a focus on the 2022 update of the GINA document. RECENT FINDINGS Mild asthma remains to be an important challenge for the paediatrician, and the introduction of new evidence-based treatment strategies, particularly those symptom-driven, could have a significant impact on the paediatric population. The identification of predictive biomarkers, the definition of biological treatment response, the possible duration of these therapies in this age group, as well as their potential action on airway remodelling are desirable in the short term. As the number of available biological treatment options expands, paediatricians should be supported by further evidence in decision-making. SUMMARY There is an urgent need to implement at multiple levels the latest therapeutic strategies proposed for asthma at all severities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riccardo Castagnoli
- Pediatric Unit, Department of Clinical, Surgical, Diagnostic and Pediatric Sciences, University of Pavia
- Pediatric Clinic, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia
| | - Ilaria Brambilla
- Pediatric Unit, Department of Clinical, Surgical, Diagnostic and Pediatric Sciences, University of Pavia
- Pediatric Clinic, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia
| | - Michele Miraglia Del Giudice
- Department of Woman, Child and General and Specialized Surgery, University of Campania 'Luigi Vanvitelli', Napoli, Italy
| | - Gian Luigi Marseglia
- Pediatric Unit, Department of Clinical, Surgical, Diagnostic and Pediatric Sciences, University of Pavia
- Pediatric Clinic, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia
| | - Amelia Licari
- Pediatric Unit, Department of Clinical, Surgical, Diagnostic and Pediatric Sciences, University of Pavia
- Pediatric Clinic, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia
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Krings JG, Gerald JK, Blake KV, Krishnan JA, Reddel HK, Bacharier LB, Dixon AE, Sumino K, Gerald LB, Brownson RC, Persell SD, Clemens CJ, Hiller KM, Castro M, Martinez FD. A Call for the United States to Accelerate the Implementation of Reliever Combination Inhaled Corticosteroid-Formoterol Inhalers in Asthma. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2023; 207:390-405. [PMID: 36538711 PMCID: PMC9940146 DOI: 10.1164/rccm.202209-1729pp] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- James G. Krings
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine
| | - Joe K. Gerald
- Department of Community Environment and Policy, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health
- Asthma & Airway Disease Research Center, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
| | - Kathryn V. Blake
- Center for Pharmacogenomics and Translational Research, Nemours Children’s Health, Jacksonville, Florida
| | | | - Helen K. Reddel
- The Woolcock Institute of Medical Research and The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Leonard B. Bacharier
- Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Anne E. Dixon
- Division of Pulmonary Critical Care, Department of Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont
| | - Kaharu Sumino
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine
| | - Lynn B. Gerald
- Population Health Sciences Program, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Ross C. Brownson
- Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, and
- Prevention Research Center, Brown School, Washington University in Saint Louis, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Stephen D. Persell
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, and
- Center for Primary Care Innovation, Institute for Public Health and Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois
| | | | - Katherine M. Hiller
- Department of Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana; and
| | - Mario Castro
- Division of Pulmonary Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Kansas, Kansas City, Kansas
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Guarnieri G, Batani V, Senna G, Dama A, Vianello A, Caminati M. Is mild asthma truly mild? The patients' real-life setting. Expert Rev Respir Med 2022; 16:1263-1272. [PMID: 36633404 DOI: 10.1080/17476348.2023.2167714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Asthma exacerbations and, more rarely, fatal asthma attacks have been reported in mild asthma patients, suggesting poor disease control and awareness of its potential burden. Our study aimed to explore outside the hospital/specialist setting the perspective and disease treatment behavior of patients self-reporting a mild asthma diagnosis. METHODS Computer-Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI) technique was used to investigate the identified study population. Questions about diagnosis, symptoms, comorbidities, treatment strategy, ongoing assessments, and quality of life were administered. RESULTS Overall, 258 patients were considered for the analysis. As the most relevant results, 22% of them reported severe respiratory symptoms, 52% experienced at least one exacerbation/year, and 7% needed Emergency Room care. Sixty-six percent of the respondents assumed as needing short-acting bronchodilators only. Of note, 22% of patients were using oral steroids (OCS) intermittently and 72% of them considered their quality of life unsatisfying. CONCLUSION Outside the hospital/specialist setting, mild asthma burden is still not negligible and the treatment approach is not correct. In particular, the reported OCS use is disproportionate. Our data suggest that mild asthma, especially when self-assessed might be other than mild, suggesting that efforts to increase disease awareness, improve the disease control limiting the OCS abuse are required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriella Guarnieri
- Department of Cardiac Thoracic Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padova, Padua, Italy
| | | | - Gianenrico Senna
- Department of Medicine, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
- Allergy Unit and Asthma Center, Verona University Hospital, Verona, Italy
| | - Annarita Dama
- Allergy Unit and Asthma Center, Verona University Hospital, Verona, Italy
| | - Andrea Vianello
- Department of Cardiac Thoracic Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padova, Padua, Italy
| | - Marco Caminati
- Department of Medicine, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
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Expert Opinion on Practice Patterns in Mild Asthma After the GINA 2019 Updates: A Major Shift in Treatment Paradigms from a Long-Standing SABA-Only Approach to a Risk Reduction-Based Strategy with the Use of Symptom-Driven (As-Needed) Low-Dose ICS/LABA. Curr Allergy Asthma Rep 2022; 22:123-134. [PMID: 35689764 DOI: 10.1007/s11882-022-01038-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW This expert opinion, prepared by a panel of chest disease specialists, aims to review the current knowledge on practice patterns in real-life management of mild asthma and to address the relevant updates in asthma treatment by The Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) to guide clinicians for the best clinical practice in applying these new treatment paradigms. RECENT FINDINGS On the basis of the emerging body of evidence suggesting the non-safety of short-acting β2-agonists (SABA)-only therapy and comparable efficacy of the as-needed inhaled corticosteroids (ICS)-formoterol combinations with maintenance ICS regimens, GINA recently released their updated Global Strategy for Asthma Management and Prevention Guide (2019). The new GINA 2019 recommendations no longer support the SABA-only therapy in mild asthma but instead includes new off-label recommendations such as symptom-driven (as-needed) low-dose ICS-formoterol and "low dose ICS taken whenever SABA is taken." The GINA 2019 asthma treatment recommendations include a major shift from long-standing approach of clinical practice regarding the use of symptom-driven SABA treatment alone in the management of mild asthma. This expert opinion supports the transition from a long-standing SABA-only approach to a risk reduction-based strategy, with the use of symptom-driven (as-needed) low-dose ICS/LABA in mild asthma patients, particularly in those with poor adherence to controller medications. The thoughtful and comprehensive approach of clinicians to these strategies is important, given that the exact far-reaching impact of this major change in management of mild asthma in the real-world settings will only be clarified over time.
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Reducing Tolerance for SABA and OCS towards the Extreme Ends of Asthma Severity. J Pers Med 2022; 12:jpm12030504. [PMID: 35330503 PMCID: PMC8949541 DOI: 10.3390/jpm12030504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2022] [Revised: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Asthma is a heterogeneous chronic inflammatory airway disease that imposes a great burden on public health worldwide. In the past two years, fundamental changes have been addressed in the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) recommendations focusing mainly on the management of mild and severe asthma. The use of as-needed treatment containing inhaled corticosteroids plus fast-acting bronchodilators (either short or long-acting formoterol) in mild asthma has dominated the field, and both randomized and real-world studies favor such an approach and associate it with fewer exacerbations and good asthma control. At the same time, the effort to diminish the use of oral steroids (OCS) as maintenance treatment in severe asthma was substantially accomplished with the initiation of treatment with biologics. Still, these options are available at the moment only for severe asthmatics with a T2-high endotype, and relevant studies on biologics have yielded, as a primary outcome, the reduction or even cessation of OCS. Accordingly, OCS should be considered as a temporary option, mainly for the treatment of asthma exacerbations, and as a maintenance treatment only for a minority of patients with severe asthma, after ensuring good inhaler technique, modification of all possible contributory factors and comorbidities, and optimized pharmacotherapy using all other add-on treatments including biologics in the armamentarium of anti-asthma medication.
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Everard ML. Precision Medicine and Childhood Asthma: A Guide for the Unwary. J Pers Med 2022; 12:82. [PMID: 35055397 PMCID: PMC8779146 DOI: 10.3390/jpm12010082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2021] [Revised: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Many thousands of articles relating to asthma appear in medical and scientific journals each year, yet there is still no consensus as to how the condition should be defined. Some argue that the condition does not exist as an entity and that the term should be discarded. The key feature that distinguishes it from other respiratory diseases is that airway smooth muscles, which normally vary little in length, have lost their stable configuration and shorten excessively in response to a wide range of stimuli. The lungs' and airways' limited repertoire of responses results in patients with very different pathologies experiencing very similar symptoms and signs. In the absence of objective verification of airway smooth muscle (ASM) lability, over and underdiagnosis are all too common. Allergic inflammation can exacerbate symptoms but given that worldwide most asthmatics are not atopic, these are two discrete conditions. Comorbidities are common and are often responsible for symptoms attributed to asthma. Common amongst these are a chronic bacterial dysbiosis and dysfunctional breathing. For progress to be made in areas of therapy, diagnosis, monitoring and prevention, it is essential that a diagnosis of asthma is confirmed by objective tests and that all co-morbidities are accurately detailed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark L Everard
- Division of Child Health, Children's Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia
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Huang H, Li SY, Shi L, Huang X, Wang J. Altered spontaneous brain activity in patients with asthma: a resting-state functional MRI study using regional homogeneity analysis. Neuroreport 2021; 32:1403-1407. [PMID: 34743166 DOI: 10.1097/wnr.0000000000001736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Studies have shown that patients with asthma have changes in brain function activities, but the specific relationship is still unknown. This study aims to investigate the potential regional homogeneity (ReHo) brain activity changes in patients with asthma and healthy controls. METHODS Thirty-one patients with asthma and 31 healthy controls closely matched in age, sex, and weight underwent resting-state functional MRI scans, respectively. The ReHo method was applied to evaluate synchronous neural activity changes. Receiver operating characteristic curve was used to show high test-retest stability and a high degree of sensitivity and specificity. RESULTS Compared with the healthy controls, asthma patients had significantly increased ReHo values in left cerebellum posterior lobe and left superior frontal gyrus, and decreased ReHo values of right middle temporal gyrus, right Putamen, right inferior temporal gyrus, right inferior middle frontal gyrus, left middle occipital gyrus, and right precentral/middle frontal gyrus. CONCLUSION Patients with asthma have different functional changes in different brain regions, mainly including the cerebellum, frontal lobe, temporal lobe, and occipital lobe, which provides important pieces of evidence to support the role of brain networks in the pathophysiology of asthma and offers an entirely new target for potential therapeutic intervention in asthma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Huang
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University
| | - Si-Yu Li
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University
| | - Ling Shi
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University
| | | | - Jun Wang
- The Second Department of Respiratory Disease, Jiangxi Provincial People's Hospital Affiliated to Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, P.R. China
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Mohan A, Ludwig A, Brehm C, Lugogo N, Sumino K, Hanania NA. Revisiting Mild Asthma: Current Knowledge and Future Needs. Chest 2021; 161:26-39. [PMID: 34543667 DOI: 10.1016/j.chest.2021.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Revised: 08/22/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Asthma is a common chronic airways disease with significant impact on patients, caregivers, and the health-care system. Although most research and novel interventions mainly have focused on patients with uncontrolled severe asthma, most patients with asthma have mild disease. Epidemiologic studies suggest that many patients with mild asthma report frequent exacerbations of the disease and uncontrolled symptoms. However, despite its impact, mild asthma does not have either a uniformly agreed on definition for or a consensus on its clinical and pathophysiologic progression. More recently, the approach to treatment of patients with mild asthma has undergone significant changes primarily based on emerging evidence that airway inflammation in this population is important. This led to clinical research studies that explored the efficacy of as-needed inhaled corticosteroids along with the rescue medications that traditionally have been the mainstay of treatment. Despite some advancement in the field in recent years, many controversies and unmet needs remain. In this review, we examine the current understanding of the pathophysiologic features and management of mild asthma. In addition, we outline unmet needs for future research. We conclude that mild asthma contributes significantly to the morbidity and mortality of asthma and should be the focus of future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arjun Mohan
- Division of Pulmonary Diseases and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA.
| | - Amy Ludwig
- Department of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
| | - Caryn Brehm
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
| | - Njira Lugogo
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
| | - Kaharu Sumino
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Washington University, St. Louis, MO
| | - Nicola A Hanania
- Section of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
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Prevention and Treatment of Asthma Exacerbations in Adults. THE JOURNAL OF ALLERGY AND CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY-IN PRACTICE 2021; 9:2578-2586. [PMID: 34246434 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaip.2021.05.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2021] [Revised: 05/20/2021] [Accepted: 05/20/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Asthma exacerbations are major contributors to disease morbidity in patients of all ages. To develop strategies that reduce the disease burden from exacerbations, it is helpful to review current concepts about the risk factors for asthma attacks and current approaches for prevention and treatment. Multiple factors contribute as risks and to the development of asthma exacerbations, including allergic and infectious processes. Viral respiratory infections, primarily from rhinoviruses, are the dominant exacerbating cause for most asthma patients. Allergic sensitization and allergen exposure contribute directly and enhance susceptibility for respiratory viral infections. Respiratory viruses infect airway epithelium to promote underlying type 2 inflammation with eosinophils, the predominant cellular component of increased inflammation. Deficiencies of antiviral interferon responses and generation have been identified that increase susceptibility to viral infections in asthma. Exacerbation treatment focuses on reducing airflow obstruction and suppressing inflammation, followed by improving long-term asthma control. Increasing concern exists regarding the side effects associated with frequent systemic corticosteroid use. A major advance has been the selective use of biologics to prevent exacerbations, primarily in patients with existing type 2 inflammation. Future research to prevent exacerbations is being directed toward antiviral activity and a more encompassing regulation of underlying airway inflammation.
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13
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Reddel HK. Reply: About the recommendation of the GINA strategy report on asthma step 1. Eur Respir J 2021; 57:57/2/2004226. [PMID: 33541939 DOI: 10.1183/13993003.04226-2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2020] [Accepted: 12/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Helen K Reddel
- Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) Science Committee, and Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
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