Inhaled steroids for asthma is the recommended first-line treatment for patients who are uncontrolled. Inhaled steroids have led to fewer hospitalizations and deaths over the past 10-15 years. Recent Global Initiative for Asthma guidelines, recommend in mild asthma, intermittent use of an inhaled steroid and long acting beta-2 agonist (LABA) on an as needed basis […]
Indacaterol for severe asthma
Indacaterol is an ultra long acting beta agonist that is currently only FDA approved to treat COPD. Indacaterol containing inhalers have shown promise in 2 recent phase 3 trials in patients with severe uncontrolled asthma. For both trials, the endpoint was measured on spirometry and it studied the FEV1 after 26 weeks of treatment. In […]
Breztri new inhaler for COPD by AstraZeneca
Breztri is a new inhaler that will be approved for COPD. Breztri is a combination of 3 medications, budesonide/glycopyrronium/formoterol fumarate. Each of these medications have been used to treat COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), and used in combination, it has been shown to decrease the rate of moderate or severe exacerbations. We have spoken about […]
Asthma biologic agents (Xolair, Cinqair, Nucala, Fasenra, Dupixent)
The last several years have seen an influx of asthma biologic agents to hit the market. Here we will discuss the 5 that are currently FDA approved to treat type 2 inflammatory asthma. Type 2 asthma inflammation is triggered by IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13 along with other inflammatory mediators. Half of all patients with asthma […]
Cockroach allergy and asthma implications
Cockroach allergy is an important health problem that can lead to asthma, rhinitis or both. In the United States the main species of cockroach that causes allergy is the German cockroach, Blatella germanica. Exposure and sensitization to cockroach allergens are 2 factors that causes high morbidity among inner-city children with asthma. There seems to be […]
Zithromax prophylaxis in immune deficient patients
Zithromax prophylaxis (250 mg once daily, 3 consecutive days a week), has been studied to decrease the frequency of annual episodes of respiratory exacerbation in primary immunodeficiency patients with frequent respiratory infections. Primary antibody deficiencies are considered rare diseases, but only 1% of subjects living with it actually receive a diagnosis. The spectrum of primary […]
Early-life undernutrition and asthma
Early-life undernutrition is closely correlated with higher risk of asthma in offspring. The early life is critically important for later adult health. Early-life undernutrition leads to growth restriction and it can be responsible for impaired lung development and respiratory function from the fetal period to adulthood. Asthma involves chronic allergic airway inflammation characterized by airway […]
Benralizumab (Fasenra) in asthma
Benralizumab (Fasenra) is an interleukin (IL)-5 receptor monoclonal antibody that induces direct, rapid and nearly complete depletion of eosinophils in the circulation. Benaralizumab is approved for use in Canada, Europe, Japan and the U.S. In the United States, it is indicated for the add-on treatment of patients with asthma aged 12 and up with an […]
Will my child outgrow asthma?
Predicting whether a child will outgrow asthma has important implications for patients, parents and doctors. Past studies have estimated between 15% to 64% of patients with childhood asthma go into remission by early adulthood. In those studies asthma remission rates have been noted to vary widely by population, and remission has been associated with less […]
Can Asthma cause Postpartum Depression?
Can asthma cause postpartum depression? Asthma is one of the most common chronic diseases that can complicate pregnancy. It can put women at increased risk of pregnancy outcomes. Postpartum depression is a nonpsychotic depressive episode that begins after delivery, most occur 1 to 3 months after delivery, but its onset may occur as late as […]