Important updates on World Asthma Day 2020

On this year’s World Asthma Day, various research organizations, medical societies and patient advocacy groups are seeking to raise awareness about this common respiratory disease and the current research into its prevention and treatment, especially in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a press release, the NIH noted that COVID-19, which can affect the nose, throat and lungs and potentially cause an asthma attack or lead to pneumonia and acute respiratory disease, is likely a major concern for patients with asthma. Therefore, the CDC recommends that patients with asthma continue to use their current medications and discuss concerns with health care providers as researchers strive to learn more about COVID-19.

The NIH also highlighted several of its research efforts related to asthma during 2019, including the relationship between asthma and COVID-19, populations at risk for developing asthma, potential new treatments, genes involved in asthma and asthma management.

In honor of World Asthma Day, Healio Pulmonology has selected 10 recent articles on important asthma news and research.

Asthma, COPD medication adherence improved during COVID-19 pandemic

From January through March, during the COVID-19 pandemic, adherence to controller inhalers appears to have increased among patients with asthma and COPD, according to a research letter published in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice. Read more

Asthma in certain patients elevates risk for worse COVID-19 outcomes

An analysis of sputum samples from patients with asthma suggests that certain subgroups, such as men, African Americans and those with diabetes, have higher expression of two genes that may make them more susceptible to more severe COVID-19 disease, researchers reported in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. Read more

Q&A: Recommending physical activity to patients with asthma

Sharmilee Marie Nyenhuis, MD, an associate professor of medicine in the division of pulmonology, critical care, sleep and allergy at the University of Illinois at Chicago, spoke with Healio Primary Care about the importance of physical activity in people with asthma and what kinds of activities primary care physicians can recommend to these patients. Read more

FDA approves first Proventil HFA generic for bronchospasm

The FDA has approved the first generic of Proventil HFA metered-dose inhaler — albuterol sulfate — for treatment or prevention of bronchospasm in reversible obstructive airway disease and prevention of exercise-induced bronchospasm in patients aged at least 4 years. Read more

Asthma, airway hyperactivity, upper airway disorder should be tested post-deployment

Among military personnel, post-deployment pulmonary evaluation should target asthma and airway hyperactivity as well as include upper airway disorder testing, according to a prospective study published in Chest. Read more

Barriers to care may account for only small differences in asthma ED visits

Despite potential eligibility for no-cost medical treatment, patients with low socioeconomic status enrolled in the World Trade Center Health Registry experienced more ED visits due to asthma, according to a study published in JAMA Network Open. Read more

FDA requires boxed warning for montelukast

The FDA has issued a drug safety communication stating that it now requires a boxed warning for montelukast to strengthen the agency’s existing warning about the risk for neuropsychiatric events such as suicidal thoughts or actions associated with the drug, which is used to treat asthma and allergy, according to an agency press release. Read more

FDA approves first ProAir HFA generic

The FDA has approved the first generic of ProAir HFA inhalation aerosol — albuterol sulfate — for the treatment or prevention of bronchospasm with reversible obstructive airway disease, such as asthma, and the prevention of exercise-induced bronchospasm in patients aged 4 years and older, according to a press release. Read more

Racial differences persist in older adults with asthma

In a study of 4,700 older adults with asthma, researchers found that symptoms and health care utilization remained different among African American and Hispanic survey respondents compared with white respondents even after adjustment for multiple social determinants. Read more

Prenatal vitamin D supplementation failed to prevent asthma in at-risk children

Children whose mothers received high-dose vitamin D supplementation while pregnant were not less likely to develop asthma or recurrent wheeze at age 6 years than children whose mothers did not receive supplementation, according to follow-up data from the Vitamin D Antenatal Asthma Reduction Trial. Read more