Antibodies tackle severe asthma

Asthma is a severe lung condition that affects a large portion of the United State’s population. The majority of severe asthma cases are traditionally treated through the use of steroids, frequent hospital visits, and other medications. These current treatments often have unwanted side effects (such as weight gain and bone loss), and frequency of attacks for severe asthma patients means frequent hospital visits. However, these may all be problems of the past. Researchers in the UK and Canada have found a treatment, the antibody mepolizumab, which helps ‘patients with asthma exacerbated by a condition called eosinophilia.’ This condition is a form of airway inflammation that is linked to having high amounts of white blood cells.

The antibody works by blocking the production of eosinophils, bringing them back down to an acceptable range. For these patients, reducing the production of eosinophils was able to reduce the need for the steroid prednisone. The benefit was that the asthma symptoms were reduced despite low amounts of steroids, resulting in effects that are similar to if full doses of prednisone were taken. Professor Pavord, the chief medical advisor to the charity Asthma UK, said “the results suggested mepolizumab could cut severe asthma attacks by up to 50%, as well as enable patients to reduce their intake of steroids.”

I chose this article because it focuses on the respiratory system, and involves material we have recently covered in class. Asthma is a very prevalent disease in our society, and this treatments may eventually lead to breakthroughs with other types of asthma.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7922986.stm

Shawn Schepel
VTPP 435-501