Persistent Inflammatory Cells in Blood After Severe Asthma Treatment, New Study Finds

A recent study conducted by researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden reveals that biologic therapies used for treating severe asthma may not completely eliminate inflammatory immune cells from the bloodstream. Despite significant improvements in patient symptoms, certain immune cells with high inflammatory potential persist or even increase during treatment with biologics like mepolizumab and dupilumab. These drugs, which target specific pathways involved in asthma inflammation, have transformed severe asthma management, but their long-term impacts on immune cell behavior are not fully understood.

The study analyzed blood samples from 40 patients before and during biologic therapy. Surprisingly, instead of diminishing, some key inflammatory immune cells actually showed elevated levels during treatment. This finding suggests that biologics might not address the root causes of airway inflammation entirely, raising questions about the potential for inflammation to recur once treatment is tapered or discontinued.

Utilizing advanced techniques like flow cytometry and single-cell sequencing, the research team identified these changes in immune cell profiles. The results could explain why airway inflammation often returns after stopping or reducing biologic therapy. Since biologics have been in use for less than a decade, the long-term effects on immune function remain largely unknown.

Further research aims to investigate long-term immune cell behavior and the effects on lung tissue, with ongoing studies focusing on patients with extended treatment histories. Understanding whether these immune cells contribute to persistent inflammation could be vital for developing more effective, lasting treatments for severe asthma.

This study emphasizes the importance of continued monitoring and research into the immunological impacts of biologic therapies, ensuring that treatment strategies evolve to achieve sustained remission in severe asthma patients.

Source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-06-inflammatory-cells-blood-treatment-severe.html