Asthma and Allergy Clinical Trials

Are You Currently Taking Oral Corticosteroids (OCS) for Your Asthma?

Would you like to contribute to important new research? SUNRISE is a clinical study investigating whether a new biologic treatment called tezepelumab may help to reduce or remove the need for OCS in adults with severe asthma. The study is looking for people who:

• Are between 18 and 80 years of age
• Have had an asthma diagnosis for at least 1 year
• Have been taking OCS for asthma for at least 6 months
• Have been using inhaled corticosteroids for at least a year, and a long-acting beta 2-agonist (LABA) for at least 3 months
• Have not been receiving any biologic treatment for asthma for at least 4 months
  
  

Sponsored by AstraZeneca

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Does Your Child Have Uncontrolled Hives?

There is a new clinical trial testing a medicine called dupilumab to see if it can safely help children aged ≥ 2 years to <12 years with chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU). CSU is marked by the appearance of itchy hives.

Sponsored by Sanofi

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Latest Asthma and Allergy News

Asthma

Multiple Air Pollutants Linked to Asthma Symptoms in Children
Pollution is a major health concern. Some of the most common sources are motor vehicles, energy production, industrial facilities, and forest fires. Pollutants include particulate matter, ozone, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, nitrogen dioxide, and sulfur dioxide. For people with asthma and allergies, pollutants pose a risk that can make symptoms worse.

Advances in machine learning now allow researchers to look at large amounts of air toxins at once to better understand their impact. In a new study, researchers used machine learning to look at 109 different air toxins and see if they were linked to asthma symptoms in kids in Spokane, Washington.

The researchers looked at 3 different time periods: the most recent year, the last three years, and the last 5 years. The machine learning method they used found 25 combinations of air toxins that were linked to asthma symptoms in at least 1 of these time periods. Three of these combinations were linked to asthma symptoms in all 3 time periods. Four of the air toxins only caused problems when they were mixed with other toxins.

They also found that some children were exposed to more of these harmful combinations and had more asthma symptoms than others. This study helps us better understand which combinations of air pollutants are bad for kids with asthma. Having this information could help inform future policies to control these pollutants and improve children’s health.

It is important to monitor the Air Quality Index in your area. Air Quality Index ranges from 0 to >300. People with asthma are at higher risk when the Air Quality Index is above 101.  You can follow the Air Quality Index in your area through AirNow.gov.

Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria (CSU)

Efficacy and Safety of Systemic Corticosteroids for Hives
Doctors often use short courses of oral corticosteroids to treat sudden and long-term hives, also called urticaria. New research looks more into the benefits and harms of using oral corticosteroids for hives. It looked at data from 944 patients enrolled in 12 clinical trials for hives.

The researchers found that for people whose symptoms likely wouldn’t improve with regular allergy medicines alone, adding oral corticosteroids can help their skin reactions improve by about 14% to 15%. But for people who would likely get better with regular allergy medicines, adding corticosteroids only helps about 2%. Oral corticosteroids might decrease itch for some people, but they can also lead to bad side effects for about 15% more people.

These results highlight the need for doctors to weigh the benefits and risks before giving them to patients with hives. It is also important for doctors to talk to patients about their preferences in a treatment, as some patients may prefer treatment with fewer side effects.

Non-Skin-Related Symptoms in Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria
Some people with chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU), a skin condition causing itchy hives, also experience other symptoms like unexplained fever, joint/bone/muscle pain, and feeling generally unwell. Researchers wanted to understand how common these non-skin-related symptoms are in people with CSU, what triggers them, and how they affect daily life and treatment.

The researchers studied data from over 2,500 people aged 16 and older with CSU. About 1/3 of them had at least 1 non-skin-related symptom, such as fever, pain, or feeling unwell. The researchers found that certain things like food or infections could trigger these symptoms. People with these symptoms also tended to have other problems like trouble sleeping, anxiety, and other health issues.

These symptoms were linked to more severe CSU, longer-lasting symptoms, and worse quality of life. The results suggest that doctors should also look at these symptoms to better treat CSU and rule out other conditions that might cause similar problems.

Nasal Polyps

AAFA Releases Life with Nasal Polyps Report
AAFA recently published a new report called “Life with Nasal Polyps: The Patient Experience and Opportunities to Improve Care in the U.S.” Chronic rhinosinusitis is an inflammation of the inner lining of the nose and sinuses for over 3 months. Chronic sinusitis can exist with or without nasal polyps, which are soft, painless, and non-cancerous growths that develop in the sinuses and nose.

This report highlights the current state of care in the United States for people living with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP). Using insights from patient surveys and interviews, the report summarizes challenges and barriers to timely diagnosis, quality medical care, effective treatments, and access to resources for CRSwNP.

These challenges also present opportunities to address the unmet needs and improve future care for people living with CRSwNP in the United States.

AAFA hopes this new report will serve to highlight the voices of people living with CRSwNP and their caregivers, and inspire action from key stakeholders to address unmet needs for CRSwNP patients.

FDA Reviewing Dupixent for Nasal Polyps
The FDA has recently accepted Sanofi and Regeneron’s application to approve their medicine Dupixent for teenagers with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis (CRSwNP). This condition causes swelling and growths in the nose and sinuses, leading to problems with breathing and smell. The medicine is already used for adults with this condition.

Dupixent works by reducing inflammation in the body, which is a major cause of CRSwNP. The application is based on studies that showed Dupixent worked well in adults with CRSwNP. The application also used data from studies showing it is safe for teenagers when used for other conditions like eczema.

If the FDA approves the treatment, Dupixent will be the first treatment available for teenagers with this disease. The FDA is expected to make a decision on approval of the treatment by Sept. 15. This could be a big help for teenagers who struggle with this condition, giving them a chance to breathe better and regain their sense of smell.

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