Severe asthma: a major unmet need

Severe asthma is often misdiagnosed in both adults and children. Misdiagnosis is a missed opportunity to treat the condition effectively, with great consequences to the patient. Recent developments in phenotyping have provided us with the tools to improve diagnosis and treatment of severe asthma.

In the latest instalment of ERS Vision, Professors Guy Brusselle, Andrew Bush and Sally Wenzel explore the issues, recent advances and gaps as we move towards more effective diagnosis and treatment of the condition.

[Misslou]

I am so glad that the glaring disadvantages of living in America with disease...ANY disease, was brought forward. Care, access to care and furthermore --- the affordability of care and treatment, shouldn't be so heavily dependent on being able to AFFORD said care. And yet it is. As such, so many lives continue to be greatly affected negatively, so many lives---- lost. I hope the change is soon.

[Zbltxgt]

This vid has good info. Finally, asthma is becoming better understood. I have had severe asthma for 27 years (first got it when I was 23.. but had allergic symptoms as a child). I had a blood test done back in 1994 and my eosinophil count was 900. Along with asthma, I have had severe sinusitis and otitis media. My ailments were/are treated with corticosteroids and bronchodilators. Thankfully, in the late 1990s, Montelukast (a leukotriene inhibitor) came out, which helped my asthma and sinusitis symptoms for a while. But by the early 2000s, I was in need of sinus surgeries. The first two surgeries did not help, but the third surgery, by which large sinus polyps were removed, improved my sinus breathing a great deal. However, I still had to stay on my asthma and sinus medications. Fast forward to 2012, it was time for another sinus surgery, as I was not breathing well through my nose again. Then, strangely, my sinus symptoms subsided somewhat, and my asthma went into FULL gear. I have been on 20 mg of Prednisone daily (some days more), and Albuterol inhalations almost every 2-3 hours, for the last 5 years! When I read about these recent studies on severe, high eosinophil asthma, I just wanted to break down and cry. I always wondered why my asthma was so much more severe than other people who have controllable asthma. Here it is 2019, my body is tired from this illness. The side effects of the medications have taken their toll... and I am the happiest person around because some new biological medications for high eosinophilic asthma have hit the market!! In my lifetime! I feel so confident that the new medication will work. I got my blood count again: 700 eosinophil (still obnoxiously high)! I just got my first injection of benralizumab (Fasenra) three weeks ago. I feel a little better. I am taking a little less of my regular medicine. I caught a cold right before I got the injection, so I don't think I'm seeing the results as much as I could've without the cold. My next injection is in one week. I'll reply to my post and let you know how I progress through this : )

[brandycampbell]

I started having severe asthma at the age of 37 maybe 38, I was so sick those years I can hardly remember. I’m 39 now.... I had an amazing life and friends and fun... then asthma literally took it all away, including my job. I do breathing treatment about 6 times a day wake up multiple times a night ... I’m fit, healthy
No other health problems, weigh less than 120... I used to love life, now iim afraid to leave the breathing machine. Mucus fills my airways so fast and sudden, for no specific trigger, and it’s so hard to clear... rescue inhalers don’t usually work, my go to is the nebulizer medicine which works after a few minutes. I find myShelf pulling all the air I can and trying to cough to expel the mucus so I can get a tiny amount of oxygen, which often takes minutes. It’s very scary, I often don’t Ike to be alone, although no one really knows how to help when this happens.... So I ask myself constantly.... is this really asthma, is this normal, am I sick on top of asthma? I have no major allergies, slightly only to dust and dust mites.... I just want to be better so I can work and not be exhausted from the attacks.

[DCFunBud]

30 July 2023, after four weeks of intense coughing with sputum, I am finally recovering, although exhausted. I had to seek treatment at the emergency room of Pennsylvania Hospital. Thank goodness I am retired (age 67) AND on Medicare. I could not keep a job in the U.S. with the amount of time being incapacited. My last severe episode was 01 Nov. 2022 -- out another month. I thought I was going to suffocate and die in public seeking treatment. Very scary.

[a.rosec.]

What is "quality of life" and who decides what that is if one has to take a prednisone oral steroid forever..

[richardfriedel]

You fail to mention the curing effects of nose breathing on asthma. Do a google search for "breathe through the nose"