A recent study has found that patients with severe asthma receiving treatment with biologics are more likely to contract COVID-19 and develop a severe course as compared with general population.
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The research used data from the Dutch Severe Asthma
Registry RAPSODI and it included 634 severe asthma patients who received biologic
therapy (19 % omalizumab, 39% mepolizumab, 16% reslizumab, 19% benralizumab,
and 7% dupilumab).
There were nine patients (1.4%) diagnosed with COVID-19,
of which one exhibited with an asthma exacerbation. Seven patients (1.1%) needed
hospitalization for oxygen therapy by nasal canula or nonrebreather mask, and
five of them were confined in ICU for intubation and mechanical ventilation.
Unfortunately, one patient died (0.16%).
The intubated patients had one or more comorbidities.
The comorbidities among the intubated patients included obesity, diabetes, and
cardiovascular disease. However, none of the patients received continuous
positive airway pressure (CPAP), noninvasive ventilation (NIV), or extracorporeal
life support (ECLS).
Comparative to the general Dutch populace, severe asthma
patients receiving biologics had greater possibility of contracting COVID-19,
being hospitalized, being intubated, and risk of mortality.
Although it appears uncertain why the study population
has progressed to more severe COVID-19 cases, however, the phenomenon can be attributed
to comorbidities or pre-existing medical conditions, the severity of asthmatic
airway inflammation, the use of biologics, or a combination of these factors.
For complete details of the study, click here.
Source: Respir Med 2021;177:106287