Study finds weight loss drugs linked to 40% drop in asthma attacks

Injections of semaglutide - a GLP-1 receptor agonist drug - for diabetes and to lose weight also dramatically reduce potentially deadly sudden worsening of asthma symptoms, say scientists.

Study leader Chloe Bloom said: "GLP-1 receptor agonists are widely used to treat type 2 diabetes and obesity.

"Previous research suggests that they may have anti-inflammatory effects and may improve lung-related outcomes.

"However, asthma and COPD outcomes have not been included as outcomes in GLP-1 drug trials.

"We wanted to use real-world health records to investigate whether people with asthma or COPD who started GLP-1 receptor agonists had fewer acute respiratory attacks."

Using UK electronic medical records, the British research team conducted four parallel studies that each looked at between 20,000 and 22,000 people who started taking any type of GLP-1 treatment or another type of diabetes medication called sulfonylureas.

The researchers found that people with airway diseases such as asthma and COPD who were prescribed GLP-1 therapies appeared to have fewer asthma attacks and COPD flare-ups than similar people who were prescribed other diabetes medicines.

Bloom, of the National Heart and Lung Institute at Imperial College London, said: "The effect was strongest with semaglutide especially in people with asthma, where use of semaglutide appears to be associated with nearly 40% reduction in asthma attacks.

"Semaglutide also led to a 20% reduction in COPD flare-ups."

She believes that for people with airway disease who are already eligible for GLP-1 receptor agonists due to obesity or type 2 diabetes, the results suggest the treatments may have additional respiratory benefits.

Bloom added: "The findings from this study are encouraging, but they should not change treatment decisions on their own.

"People with asthma or COPD should not start GLP-1 receptor agonists specifically for their lung condition outside current prescribing guidance.

"While the findings suggest that some people taking GLP-1 receptor agonists may experience fewer respiratory attacks, this needs confirmation in clinical trials."

The findings are due to be presented at the European Respiratory Society (ERS) Congress in Barcelona, Spain.

Dr. Alexander Mathioudakis, chair of the ERS group on airway pharmacology and treatment, welcomed the findings.

Dr. Mathioudakis, senior lecturer in respiratory medicine at the University of Manchester, said: "This is one of the largest real-world studies to investigate GLP-1 receptor agonists and airways disease, and one of the first to examine whether effects differ between individual GLP-1 receptor agonists.

"It highlights the need to consider metabolic health as part of respiratory care.

"It also supports the case for including respiratory outcomes, such as asthma attacks and COPD exacerbations, in future trials of metabolic therapies."

He added: "We need clinical trials that include respiratory outcomes, such as asthma attacks, COPD exacerbations, lung function, symptoms and quality of life, to determine whether metabolic treatments could become part of a broader, more personalized approach to managing airways disease."