https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cev93777g79o
'Researchers say they have found the first new treatment for asthma attacks in
50 years.
The injection dampens part of the immune system that can go into overdrive in
flare-ups of both asthma and a lung condition called chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease (COPD).
Benralizumab is already used in the most severe cases, but the latest research
suggests it could be used routinely for around two million attacks in the UK
each year.
The research team at King's College London said the drug was a "game-changer"
that could "revolutionise" care.
The findings stem from the realisation that not all asthma or COPD attacks are
the same. Instead, different parts of the immune system are over-reacting in
different patients.
"Now we can see there are different patterns of inflammation, we can be smarter
and get the right treatment, to the right patient, at the right time," said
Prof Mona Bafadhel, from King's.
Benralizumab targets a type of white blood cell - called an eosinophil - that
can cause inflammation and damage in the lungs.
Eosinophils are implicated in about half of asthma attacks and a third of COPD
flare-ups.
If such an attack - involving difficulty breathing, wheezing, coughing and
chest tightness - cannot be controlled with regular inhalers then doctors
currently prescribe a course of steroids.
The study, on 158 people, monitored patients for three months after treatment
for a flare-up.
The results in
The Lancet Respiratory Medicine found a treatment failure rate
of:
* 74% when taking steroids
* and 45% with the new therapy
People treated with the new therapy were less likely to be admitted to
hospital, need another round of treatment or die.
Prof Bafadhel said this could benefit a huge number of people as two million
attacks a year "is not a small number".
"This is a game-changer, we’ve not had a change in treatment for 50 years - it
will revolutionise how we treat people when they’re really unwell," Prof
Bafadhel said.
Volunteers also reported improved symptoms and a better quality of life on the
new drug.'
Via
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Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
