Extract
Asthma and obesity are prevalent disorders with significant impact on public health. Obesity is a reported risk factor for the development of asthma and is associated with increased exacerbation rates, medication usage and higher symptoms scores in patients with asthma. It should therefore be addressed and treated as an important asthma related comorbidity [1]. Oral corticosteroids (OCS) are widely prescribed for asthma exacerbations and for chronic management of severe asthma despite well-known adverse side-effects, including weight gain. Biologic therapies for severe asthma reduce exacerbation rates and the anti-IL5/5R biologic therapies mepolizumab and benralizumab are effective steroid-sparing agents [2–6]. It remains unknown whether long-term use of these treatments supports weight loss in overweight and obese individuals previously exposed to maintenance or frequent OCS. Eosinophils have been postulated to play a role in metabolic homeostasis and promote energy expenditure [6]. Consequently, one could assume that eosinophil depleting biologics theoretically lead to weight gain after prolonged exposure.
Tweetable abstract
Frequent use of oral corticosteroids can lead to adverse consequences, including weight gain. Treatment with steroid-sparing anti-IL5/5R biologic therapies for severe asthma is associated with significant weight loss in obese patients. https://bit.ly/3PyWRYj
Footnotes
Conflict of interest: A.M. Nanzer reports speaker fees and conference travel support from AstraZeneca, Sanofi, Teva, Chiesi and Napp. J.E. Kavanagh reports travel support from Teva. L. Thomson reports speaker fees and conference travel support from AstraZeneca. C. Roxas reports speaker fees from AstraZeneca, Chiesi, NAPP and Novartis, and conference travel support from AstraZeneca, Chiesi, GlaxoSmithKline, NAPP and Novartis. G. d'Ancona reports advisory board, speaker fees and congress travel support from GlaxoSmithKline, AstraZeneca, Chiesi, Napp and Teva Pharmaceuticals. B.D. Kent reports advisory board fees from AstraZeneca, GlaxoSmithKline and Chiesi, speaker fees from GlaxoSmithKline and AstraZeneca, and travel support to attend ERS meetings from A Menarini. J. Dhariwal reports congress support from Sanofi. D.J. Jackson reports investigator-initiated research grants from AstraZeneca, advisory board and speaker fees from AstraZeneca, Sanofi and GlaxoSmithKline. The rest of the authors declare that they have no relevant conflicts of interest.
- Received February 20, 2023.
- Accepted June 25, 2023.
- Copyright ©The authors 2023. For reproduction rights and permissions contact permissions{at}ersnet.org
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