Adjusting prednisone using blood eosinophils reduces exacerbations and improves asthma control in difficult patients with asthma.
Severe or therapy-resistant asthma represents a major problem, and despite advanced treatment, many patients require oral corticosteroids (OCS). We aimed to determine if patients with severe asthma and elevated peripheral blood eosinophils (PBE) could have treatment with OCS adjusted using an algorithm that controlled PBE (<0.2 × 10(9) /L). In 11 patients, the OCS dose was adjusted to suppress PBE, leading to a reduced exacerbation frequency and improvement in asthma symptoms with an overall lower OCS dose.
Centre for Asthma and Respiratory Disease, HMRI University of Newcastle, Newcastle, Australia.|Australian Severe Asthma Network and CRE in Severe Asthma, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, Australia.
Peter Ab
PA
Wark
Centre for Asthma and Respiratory Disease, HMRI University of Newcastle, Newcastle, Australia.|Australian Severe Asthma Network and CRE in Severe Asthma, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, Australia.
Vanessa M
VM
McDonald
Centre for Asthma and Respiratory Disease, HMRI University of Newcastle, Newcastle, Australia.|Australian Severe Asthma Network and CRE in Severe Asthma, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, Australia.
Peter G
PG
Gibson
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000465:Algorithms; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001249:Asthma / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D018450:Disease Progression; D004804:Eosinophils; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008875:Middle Aged; D011241:Prednisone / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D011241:Prednisone
asthma; clinical allergy and immunology; clinical respiratory medicine; eosinophil; inflammation