WHAT IS EOSINOPHILIC ASTHMA (EA)?
Eosinophilic asthma is a common type of asthma characterized by high levels of eosinophils that can cause airway inflammation.1-3
Approximately 1 in 10 patients
with asthma have
severe asthma4
More than 2/3
of severe asthma patients in a
US study had eosinophilic asthma*5
Data from the US CHRONICLE Study, an observational study of subspecialist-treated adults with severe asthma that evaluated 1168 eligible and 659 enrolled patients between February 27, 2018 and December 1, 2018. Although not defined by clinical guidelines, for this analysis, eosinophilic asthma was defined as treatment with anti-IL5/IL5R therapy (estimated 28% of eligible patients) or blood eosinophil counts >150 cells/μL in patients not receiving anti-IL5/IL5R therapy (estimated 41% of eligible patients). Estimates for patients not receiving anti-IL5/IL5R therapy were derived from enrolled patients with available blood eosinophil counts (n=213) and projected to the full eligible population.5
THE ROLE OF EOSINOPHILIC IMMUNE DYSFUNCTION IN EOSINOPHILIC ASTHMA
Eosinophils are key effector cells in eosinophilic asthma, where immune system dysfunction leads to eosinophilic inflammation in the airway tissue.6,7
Increasing eosinophil levels in the airway are associated with increasing severity of asthma.8
Eosinophilic asthma patients are at risk of more frequent exacerbations, poorer asthma control, and lower lung function.9-11
Eosinophilic inflammation in the airway tissue12-14
In eosinophilic asthma, immune cells catalyzed by allergic or nonallergic triggers can lead to the production of various cytokines. The cytokines produced by these cells can contribute to the recruitment, activation, and survival of eosinophils.10,15-17
HOW DO YOU IDENTIFY EOSINOPHILIC ASTHMA?
Patients with eosinophilic asthma may experience the following clinical characteristics10,18: