In Italy it is estimated that there are over 4.6 million adult asthmatic patients, equal to 7.9% of the population (they were 4.8% in 2010). Of these, about 10% are affected by a severe form. For patients with uncontrolled asthma, a new therapeutic option is available in Italy for patients who, despite dual combination therapy (ICS+LABA), are at risk of frequent respiratory crises and worsening of lung function: it is the The only triple extrafine BDP/FF/G combination in a single inhaler that has been shown to reduce severe exacerbations by one-third (33.5%) in asthmatics with persistent airflow limitation. The therapeutic novelty was presented today in Milan during a press conference promoted by Chiesi Italia.
The fixed triple combination BDP/FF/G combines three active ingredients in a single inhaler: an inhaled corticosteroid/ICS (beclomethasone dipropionate, BDP), a long-acting beta2-agonist bronchodilator/ LABA (formoterol fumarate, FF) and a long-acting muscarinic antagonist/LAMA (glycopyrronium, G). Inhaled corticosteroids reduce airway inflammation and reduce the risk of exacerbations; bronchodilators, on the other hand, act on bronchial obstruction, reducing symptoms. The drug is available in two different dosages of the inhalant corticosteroid (87 μg and 172 μg) which expand the therapeutic possibilities available to the specialist, to the benefit of the patient.
“Asthmatic patients – declares Paola Rogliani, full professor of respiratory system diseases, University of Rome Tor Vergata – who do not achieve adequate control of the disease with the ICS/LABA association, today have the opportunity to use, with the use of a single inhalation device, triple therapy or the association of ICS/LABA/LAMA, with an enhancement of therapeutic efficacy”. The fixed triple combination “represents an optimization of inhalation therapy – adds Rogliani – having demonstrated superior efficacy compared to the double ICS/LABA combination in patients with uncontrolled asthma, with an impact in reducing severe exacerbations and improving lung function. Another peculiarity of this triple fixed combination is the extra-fine formulation characterized by small inhalation particles: this guarantees the deposition of the active ingredients with a wide distribution that also reaches the peripheral airways, involved with structural and functional anomalies in patients with asthma and asthma unchecked”.
L’asma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the respiratory tract that affects 300 million people worldwide. In Italy there are an estimated 4.6 million adult asthmatic patients, equal to 7.9% of the population (there were 4.8% in 2010). Of these, about 10% are affected by a severe form. Due to the inflammation, in the presence of triggering factors, a narrowing of the bronchial tubes (bronchospasm) occurs, which obstructs the passage of air causing symptoms such as shortness of breath, wheezing (the whistling sound of air struggling out of the lungs) and wheezing, feeling of tightness in the chest and cough.
“The triggering factors of an asthmatic crisis are primarily viral infections of the respiratory tract, but also exposure to allergens present in the surrounding environment such as mites, pollen, dust in the professional environment – explains Francesco Blasi, full professor of Diseases of the respiratory system, University of Milan – An asthma attack represents an acute worsening of symptoms and respiratory function compared to the patient’s usual condition. If the disease is not controlled, the exacerbations can recur over time and can also be very serious, causing considerable discomfort for the patient and even causing visits to the emergency department or hospitalizations”.
Patients who are “treated appropriately and regularly can lead a normal life – assures Claudio Micheletto, UOC Director of Pneumology, Integrated University Hospital of Verona – without limiting themselves in their daily attitudes and actions, from work to leisure, to sport. However, asthma control remains unstable in a significant proportion of patients, largely due to under-treatment of the disease. Among the major problems in asthma management is poor adherence to inhaled therapy: many patients tend to underestimate the disease and, in the inter-critical phases, to abandon the basic therapy consisting of the association of inhaled steroids and bronchodilators. The availability of a triple therapy which allows the use of a single inhaler and with two different dosages, represents an important simplification for the patient, to the benefit of therapeutic adherence, as well as greater efficacy of the treatment”.
In Italy, adherence to therapy continues to be a highly critical element – continues the note – with levels below 20%. An estimated 24% of exacerbations and 60% of asthma-related hospitalizations are attributable to poor adherence. There is evidence that the use of a single inhaler significantly increases adherence rates; furthermore, economic analyzes show that the single inhaler is associated with reduced use of healthcare resources and is cost-effective compared to multiple inhaler therapies.
“Lack of asthma control can significantly affect the daily lives of people who are affected. – explains Simona Barbaglia, president of the National Patient Association Breathe Together – Due to the persistence of symptoms and the fear of having an asthma attack, perhaps severe enough to have to go to the emergency room, many patients reduce their activities, limit relationships social, they are absent from work, give up practicing sports, thus triggering a vicious circle that compromises their quality of life and state of health. Education and dialogue with the patient are essential to gain awareness of their disease and thus allow them to manage and control it effectively, improving their adherence to therapy. Even the emotional and psychological aspects should not be neglected for the purposes of effective management and better health outcomes”.
“We are proud to be able to offer patients an important result of Chiesi’s Italian research that satisfies a therapeutic need of great importance for people suffering from more severe forms of asthma – concludes Raffaello Innocenti, CEO and Managing Director of Chiesi Italy – The launch of the the only triple association ICS-LABA-LAMA extrafine in a single inhaler with an indication for asthma confirms our desire to provide patients with increasingly effective, safe and easy-to-take therapeutic options. In line with our values as a certified B Corp company, we are fully committed to improving the quality of life of people affected by respiratory diseases, an area in which we are recognized as leaders and pioneers worldwide, and this new milestone is the confirmation ”.