2021 Brazilian Thoracic Association recommendations for the management of severe asthma

The role of IL10 and IL17 gene polymorphisms in treatment response in children and adolescents with severe asthma

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether polymorphisms of the IL10 and IL17 genes are associated with severe asthma control and bronchodilator reversibility in children and adolescents with severe asthma.

METHODS

This was a cross-sectional study, nested within a prospective cohort study of patients with severe asthma. Two outcomes were evaluated: asthma control and bronchodilator reversibility. We extracted DNA from peripheral blood and genotyped three single nucleotide polymorphisms: rs3819024 and rs2275913 in the IL17A gene; and rs3024498 in the IL10 gene. For the association analyses, we performed logistic regression in three genetic models (allelic, additive, and dominant).

RESULTS

The rs3024498 C allele in the IL10 gene was associated with failure to achieve asthma control despite regular treatment (p = 0.02). However, the G allele of the IL17A rs3819024 polymorphism was associated with failure to respond to stimulation with a b2 agonist. The rs2275913 polymorphism of the IL17A gene showed no relationship with asthma control or bronchodilator reversibility.

CONCLUSIONS

In pediatric patients with severe asthma, the IL10 polymorphism appears to be associated with failure to achieve clinical control, whereas the IL17A polymorphism appears to be associated with a worse bronchodilator response. Knowledge of the involvement of these polymorphisms opens future directions for pharmacogenetic studies and for the implementation of individualized therapeutic management of severe asthma in pediatric patients.

Identifying the Characteristics of Responders and Nonresponders in a Behavioral Intervention to Increase Physical Activity Among Patients With Moderate to Severe Asthma: Protocol for a Prospective Pragmatic Study

BACKGROUND

Previous research has suggested that most adults improve their asthma control after a short-term behavioral intervention program to increase physical activity in daily life (PADL). However, the characteristics of individuals who respond and do not respond to this intervention and the medium-term response remain unknown.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to (1) identify the characteristics of adult responders and nonresponders with asthma to a behavioral intervention to increase physical activity and (2) evaluate the functional and clinical benefits in the medium term.

METHODS

This prospective pragmatic study will include adults with moderate to severe asthma who enroll in a behavioral intervention. All individuals will receive an educational program and an 8-week intervention to increase PADL (1 time/wk; up to 90 min/session). The educational program will be conducted in a class setting through group discussions and video presentations. Behavioral interventions will be based on the transtheoretical model using counseling, incentives, and individual feedback aiming to increase participation in physical activity. Motivational interviewing and guidelines for overcoming barriers will be used to stimulate individuals to reach their goals. Pre- and postintervention assessments will include the following: PADL (triaxial accelerometry), body composition (octopolar bioimpedance), barriers to PADL (questionnaire), clinical asthma control (Asthma Control Questionnaire), quality of life (Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire), anxiety and depression levels (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), and exacerbations. "Responders" to the intervention will be defined as those who demonstrate an increase in the number of daily steps (≥2500).

RESULTS

In December 2021, the clinical trial registration was approved. Recruitment and data collection for the trial is ongoing, and the results of this study are likely to be published in late 2024.

CONCLUSIONS

The intervention will likely promote different effects according to the clinical characteristics of the individuals, including asthma control, age, anxiety and depression levels, obesity, and several comorbidities. Identifying individuals who respond or do not respond to behavioral interventions to increase PADL will help clinicians prescribe specific interventions to adults with asthma.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05159076; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05159076.

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID)

DERR1-10.2196/49032.

Periostin as an important biomarker of inflammatory phenotype T2 in Brazilian asthma patients

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to assess the laboratory performance of periostin associated with a panel of biomarkers to identify the inflammatory phenotype of Brazilian asthma patients.

METHODS

We evaluated 103 Brazilian individuals, including 37 asthmatics and 66 nonasthmatic controls. Both groups underwent analyses for serum periostin, eosinophil levels in the peripheral blood, the fraction of exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO), total serum IgE, urinary leukotriene E4, and serum cytokines.

RESULTS

Higher levels of periostin (p = 0.005), blood eosinophils (p = 0.012), FeNO (p = 0.001), total IgE (p < 0.001), and IL-6 (p ≤ 0.001) were found in the asthmatic patients than the controls. Biomarker analyses by the ROC curve showed an AUC greater than 65%. Periostin (OR: 12,550; 95% CI: 2,498-63,063) and IL-6 (OR: 7,249; 95% CI: 1,737-30,262) revealed to be suitable asthma inflammation biomarkers. Blood eosinophils, FeNO, total IgE, IL-6, TNF, and IFN-g showed correlations with clinical severity characteristics in asthmatic patients. Periostin showed higher values in T2 asthma (p = 0.006) and TNF in non-T2 asthma (p = 0.029).

CONCLUSION

The panel of biomarkers proposed for the identification of the inflammatory phenotype of asthmatic patients demonstrated good performance. Periostin proved to be an important biomarker for the identification of T2 asthma.

Prevalence of the eosinophilic phenotype among severe asthma patients in Brazil: the BRAEOS study

Objective:

To assess the prevalence of the eosinophilic and allergic phenotypes of severe asthma in Brazil, as well as to investigate the clinical characteristics of severe asthma patients in the country.

Methods:

This was a cross-sectional study of adult patients diagnosed with severe asthma and managed at specialized centers in Brazil. The study was conducted in 2019.

Results:

A total of 385 patients were included in the study. Of those, 154 had a blood eosinophil count > 300 cells/mm³ and 231 had a blood eosinophil count of ≤ 300 cells/mm³. The median age was 54.0 years, and most of the patients were female, with a BMI of 29.0 kg/m² and a history of allergy (81.6%). The prevalence of patients with a blood eosinophil count > 300 cells/mm³ was 40.0% (95% CI: 35.1-44.9), and that of those with a blood eosinophil count > 300 cells/mm³ and a history of allergy was 31.9% (95% CI: 27.3-36.6). Age and BMI showed positive associations with a blood eosinophil count > 300 cells/mm³ (OR = 0.97, p < 0.0001; and OR = 0.96, p = 0.0233, respectively), whereas the time elapsed since the onset of asthma symptoms showed an increased association with a blood eosinophil count > 300 cells/mm³ (OR = 1.02, p = 0.0011).

Conclusions:

This study allowed us to characterize the population of severe asthma patients in Brazil, showing the prevalence of the eosinophilic phenotype (in 40% of the sample). Our results reveal the relevance of the eosinophilic phenotype of severe asthma at a national level, contributing to increased effectiveness in managing the disease and implementing public health strategies.