Beyond biomarkers: the role of clinical factors associated with biologic therapy response in severe asthma

TL;DR

This study shows that clinical factors like nasal polyposis and AERD are better predictors of biologic therapy response in severe asthma than traditional biomarkers.

Contribution

The study identifies clinical factors that outperform traditional biomarkers in predicting biologic therapy response in severe asthma.

Findings

Female sex, nasal polyposis, elevated blood eosinophils, and frequent exacerbations were linked to better biologic therapy response.

Nasal polyposis and AERD showed stronger associations with treatment response than FeNO or blood eosinophils.

A mean diagnostic delay of 12.1 years suggests potential impact on treatment outcomes.

Abstract

Severe asthma carries a high burden and often requires biologic therapy targeting type 2 (T2) inflammation. However, treatment response is heterogeneous, and traditional biomarkers, such as blood eosinophils, fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO), and total serum IgE, may not fully explain this variability .

To evaluate clinical and inflammatory characteristics associated with response to biologic therapies in a real-world cohort of severe asthma patients.

A single-center, ambispective observational study was conducted in the Allergology Department of A Coruña, Spain. Sixty-seven patients with severe uncontrolled asthma and treated with omalizumab, mepolizumab, benralizumab, dupilumab, or tezepelumab, were included. Patients were followed for ≥12 months. Clinical variables and inflammatory biomarkers were assessed at baseline, 4–6 months, and 12 months. Comparisons between biologic subgroups and logistic regression analyses were performed to identify factors associated with response.

Female sex, nasal polyposis, elevated blood eosinophils, and frequent exacerbations were associated with better response to biologics. Clinical factors such as nasal polyposis and aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD) showed a stronger association with treatment response than standard biomarkers (FeNO, blood eosinophils). The mean diagnostic delay was 12.1 years, suggesting a potential influence on therapeutic results.

Beyond traditional biomarkers, clinical factors particulary nasal polyposis and AERD may play a key role in understanding response patterns to biologics. Incorporating these variables into clinical assessment may help support a more personalized management approach in severe asthma.

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