Michael Wechsler, MD: Asthma Patients During COVID-19

When the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic began it was conventional wisdom that asthma patients might fare worse than other individuals because the viral infection tends to attack the lungs more than other organ systems.

However, 6 months of data shows that asthma patients do not have significantly worse COVID-19 outcomes than the general population.

In an interview with HCPLive®, Michael E. Wechsler, MD, MMSc, Director of the National Jewish Cohen Family Asthma Institute, said 1 of the main reasons for this trend could be that asthma patients tend to adhere to their medications.

Wechsler explained that corticosteroids, which are commonly used to treat asthma, have shown efficacy treating COVID-19 patients.

Wechsler was part of a research group that presented new results during the European Respiratory Society (ERS) 2020 International Congress showing dupilumab as an effective and safe long-term treatment for asthma.

The trial, which represents the largest study of a biologic medicine ever conducted in asthma, demonstrated dupilumab promotes sustained improvements in lung function and asthma exacerbations across a broad patient population with type 2 inflammation, while maintaining a consistent safety profile for up to 3 years.

Wechsler explained how this could make a major impact on asthma treatment.