Asthma is a chronic inflammatory condition of the airways characterized by respiratory symptoms and variable and reversible expiratory flow limitation, which can be often controlled with appropriate treatments. Despite advancements in management strategies, including the new deployed biologic therapies, small airway dysfunction (SAD) remains a critical aspect of asthma that is often underdiagnosed and poorly understood. Emerging techniques, such as oscillometry, offer a promising avenue for assessing SAD. This longitudinal study explored the role of oscillometry in asthma management, in a real-world setting, focusing on its integration into routine clinical practice. The primary objective was to evaluate the impact of dupilumab on small airways in patients with asthma, with or without comorbid nasal polyps. Secondary objectives included assessing dupilumab's effects on broader asthma outcomes, such as lung function (spirometry), biomarkers (blood eosinophil, fractional exhaled nitric oxide), symptom control, exacerbation frequency, and oral corticosteroid use. Additionally, the study investigated correlations between oscillometric variables and the other clinical, functional, and laboratory outcomes. The results showed changes in Resistance and Reactance, after the start of dupilumab, especially in the expiratory phase, that might reflect the impact of this treatment on the small airways. These findings have the potential to enhance our understanding of SAD and its role in asthma pathophysiology, supporting the use of oscillometry as a valuable tool for precise disease characterization and targeted therapeutic interventions.
Exploring the Impact of Biologic Therapies on Small Airway Function in Severe Asthma / Martini, Matteo. - (2025).
Exploring the Impact of Biologic Therapies on Small Airway Function in Severe Asthma
MARTINI, MATTEO
2025-01-01
Abstract
Asthma is a chronic inflammatory condition of the airways characterized by respiratory symptoms and variable and reversible expiratory flow limitation, which can be often controlled with appropriate treatments. Despite advancements in management strategies, including the new deployed biologic therapies, small airway dysfunction (SAD) remains a critical aspect of asthma that is often underdiagnosed and poorly understood. Emerging techniques, such as oscillometry, offer a promising avenue for assessing SAD. This longitudinal study explored the role of oscillometry in asthma management, in a real-world setting, focusing on its integration into routine clinical practice. The primary objective was to evaluate the impact of dupilumab on small airways in patients with asthma, with or without comorbid nasal polyps. Secondary objectives included assessing dupilumab's effects on broader asthma outcomes, such as lung function (spirometry), biomarkers (blood eosinophil, fractional exhaled nitric oxide), symptom control, exacerbation frequency, and oral corticosteroid use. Additionally, the study investigated correlations between oscillometric variables and the other clinical, functional, and laboratory outcomes. The results showed changes in Resistance and Reactance, after the start of dupilumab, especially in the expiratory phase, that might reflect the impact of this treatment on the small airways. These findings have the potential to enhance our understanding of SAD and its role in asthma pathophysiology, supporting the use of oscillometry as a valuable tool for precise disease characterization and targeted therapeutic interventions.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.