Anti-IL-5 biologics effective for up to two years in severe asthma, but residual disease remains

Reuters Health - 29/10/2020 - More than 80% of patients with severe asthma responded to anti-IL-5 biologics in a two-year follow-up study, but 69% experienced persistent airflow obstruction, uncontrolled asthma symptoms and other signs of residual disease. "Anti-IL-5 biologics for severe eosinophilic asthma cause life-changing positive effects, with an increase in quality of life and a reduction in exacerbations and use of oral corticosteroids," Dr. Katrien Eger of the University of Amsterdam told Reuters Health by email. "Still, the majority of patients suffer from residual disease manifestations, such as impaired lung function, uncontrolled nasal polyposis and inability to completely discontinue oral corticosteroids." "Therefore," she said, "our advice to clinicians would be to: check and double-check compliance with inhaled corticosteroid/long-acting beta-agonist therapy (because some) patients decrease or stop their inhaler therapy when experiencing beneficial e...

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Posted on 29 October, 20206 November, 2020