What Is the Treatment for E Asthma?

Treatment for E asthma often involves typical asthma therapies such as quick-relief and long-term control medications. When the typical treatments do not improve symptoms, other therapies for E asthma may include biologics, oral corticosteroids, and immunotherapy.

Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease that causes inflammation and narrowing of the airways, making it difficult to breathe. E asthma (eosinophilic asthma) is a rare and severe subtype of asthma that is more commonly seen in adults, though it can occur in children.

Many patients who have E asthma often respond to typical asthma therapies including quick-relief and long-term control medicines, while others may have symptoms resistant to these therapies.

24 Medications Used for E Asthma

Usual therapies for other types of asthma that may be used in the management of E asthma include: 

• Quick-relief medications are bronchodilators that expand the airways, and are taken at the first sign of asthma symptoms for immediate relief:
• Short-acting inhaled beta2-agonists (inhalers)
• Anticholinergics

Long-term asthma control medications are taken daily to prevent symptoms and asthma attacks and include:

• Inhaled corticosteroids 
  • Fluticasone
  • Budesonide
  • Mometasone
  • Beclomethasone
  • Ciclesonide
• Antileukotrienes or leukotriene modifiers 
  • Montelukast sodium
  • Zafirlukast
  • Zileuton
• Long-acting inhaled beta2-agonists (usually combined with an inhaled corticosteroid)
  • Formoterol
  • Salmeterol
  • Vilanterol

E asthma is often more severe and may not respond to traditional treatments. Other therapies used to treat E asthma include:

• Biologics that target eosinophils
  • Benralizumab (Fasenra)
  • Dupilumab (Dupixent)
  • Mepolizumab (Nucala)
  • Omalizumab (Xolair)
  • Reslizumab (Cinqair)
• Oral corticosteroids
  • Prednisone
  • Dexamethasone
  • Methylprednisolone
• Immunotherapy, useful when asthma is triggered by an allergy
  • Allergy shots (subcutaneous immunotherapy [SCIT])
  • Sublingual (under the tongue) tablets or drops (sublingual immunotherapy [SLIT])

Symptoms of E asthma (eosinophilic asthma) are often severe and persistent and may include:

• Difficulty breathing
• Shortness of breath
• Wheezing 
• Chest tightness
• Coughing
• Lung function abnormalities (airflow obstruction)
• Chronic sinus infection (rhinosinusitis) with nasal polyps
• Inflamed nasal mucous membranes

The cause of E asthma (eosinophilic asthma) is unknown, but it usually results from a strong immune system response to a substance in the lungs.

E asthma (eosinophilic asthma) is diagnosed with a patient history and a physical exam, and tests such as: 

• Blood testing to measure the number of eosinophils in a patient’s blood
• Examination of a patient’s sputum sample under a microscope
• Examination of a bronchial biopsy (tissue sample) or bronchial fluid from the lung

E asthma may be misdiagnosed as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).