Are biological treatments effective in cases of severe asthma?

In recent research, the reaction to different biological drugs (monoclonal antibodies) has been examined in patients with only asthma and in others who also have a diagnosis of COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), in what is known as ACO overlap syndrome, ( Asthma-COPD overlap). In these cases, irreversible airflow obstruction occurs, with clinical symptoms of asthma associated with lung damage from COPD.

Asthma is the most prevalent respiratory disease, with an immunological-inflammatory basis that is often predictable and treatable. However, only a small group of patients with asthma, such as those mentioned with OAC, present severe forms of the disease and need immunospecific treatments such as biological drugs.

Specialists from the Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), located in Hospitalet de Llobregat and part of the CERCA institution of the Generalitat de Catalunya, have worked on this research. And also experts from the Asthma Functional Unit of the Bellvitge Hospital Pneumology Service (HUB).

The multicenter study in real life at the state level has been carried out with patients with severe asthma from a dozen hospitals and its main conclusion is that biological therapy is effective in both cases, “although the response is much more effective in patients with asthma serious”, according to Dr. Mariana Muñoz, coordinator of the Asthma Functional Unit of the Pneumology Service of the HUB and IDIBELL researcher. The effectiveness of the treatments has been evaluated based on the number of exacerbations and hospital admissions, the use of oral corticosteroids and daily symptoms during the first 12 months of treatment.

Members of the research team. (Photo: IDIBELL / HUB)

As additional data, Dr. Muñoz highlights the importance of remembering that “the most effective measure in the approach to COPD is primary prevention, that is, the abandonment or abstinence of tobacco and other inhaled smoke, especially in those patients with previous respiratory diseases such as asthma”. (Source: IDIBELL)