Connections and Unmet Needs: Severe Asthma Biologics and Osteoporosis

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease with the main anti-inflammatory drugs for better disease control being steroids or corticosteroids. The use of steroids in asthma patients, in particular in uncontrolled asthma patients, is associated with an increased risk of osteoporosis and fragility fractures. A single oral corticosteroid course increases the risk of osteoporosis and the continual use of inhaled corticosteroids is correlated over time to an increased risk for both bone conditions. With the use of new, available biologic therapies for asthma, perhaps even anticipating the times of their use in therapeutic management, in the current guidelines and with targeted strategies of prevention it may be possible to improve asthma management, preventing some comorbidities, such as osteoporosis.