Researchers say they found compelling evidence that GLP-1 agonists improved asthma symptoms.
RT’s Three Key Takeaways:
- GLP-1 Agonists Improve Asthma Control — GLP-1 agonists like Ozempic and Mounjaro were linked to reduced asthma symptoms and medication use in obese patients, beyond their role in weight loss.
- Anti-Inflammatory Mechanism Identified — The drugs may benefit asthma through anti-inflammatory effects, not just by reducing weight, suggesting a direct impact on airway disease.
- Potential New Respiratory Treatment — Researchers propose GLP-1 agonists should be further studied and considered as a therapeutic option for respiratory diseases in people with obesity.
GLP-1 agonists (like Ozempic and Mounjaro) reduced asthma symptoms in obese people according to a new study published in Advances in Therapy.
The research, conducted by scientists from University of Aberdeen and The Observational and Pragmatic Research Institute (OPRI), Singapore, analyzed the medical records of more than 60,000 patients. Using the OPCRD database – a primary care patient database containing over 28 million patients, they compared measures of asthma severity between those who had been prescribed GLP-1s and those who hadn’t over an entire year.
They found that as well as the expected weight loss in people who were taking GLP-1s, the asthma measures such as steroid and medication prescriptions, were also reduced.
GLP-1s, mimic the naturally occurring hormone GLP-1 and help regulate blood sugar, insulin and control appetite. The drug is also known to reduce inflammatory cells through multiple signaling pathways, and it is this mechanism that may be instigating this beneficial effect on the airway disease.
Researchers say their findings mean that GLP-1s should be considered as a potential treatment for respiratory diseases.
“We found compelling evidence that GLP-1s, as well as increasing weight loss, also improved asthma symptoms,” said professor David Price, University of Aberdeen Chair in Primary Care Respiratory Medicine. “In addition, it is important to note that the benefits to asthma symptoms occurred despite fairly modest weight loss of around 0.9kg over the course of the year. Our findings suggest that GLP1s may have beneficial effects on asthma control for people with obesity and this should be explored further.”
Professor Alan Kaplan, Chairperson of the Family Physician Airways Group of Canada and the Observational and Pragmatic Research Institute, added: “Our findings suggest that GLP-1-RAs have benefits on asthma control in people with obesity, and this information should contribute to the discussions around the decision to use these drugs.”
Source: University of Aberdeen
