One of the most debilitating conditions in the world is asthma. It badly affects the lungs by constricting the airways. This can make it difficult to breathe as well as causing coughing, wheezing and tightness in the chest. Fortunately, the use of inhaled low-dose corticosteroids (ICSs) can help reduce the problems of asthma. In fact, their importance has been underlined recently with new research.
The results from a systematic review and meta-analysis of published studies have revealed some interesting facts. Patients with stable asthma who stop using low-dose inhaled corticosteroids find themselves at a significantly increased risk for worsening asthma problems over the following six months.
The research team found that patients with stable asthma who stopped taking their low-dose ICS treatment were more than twice as likely to experience an exacerbation of asthma problems as those who continued taking the treatment.
In total there were seven randomised controlled trials with an average follow-up of 27 weeks. They involved a total of 532 stable asthma patients who stopped taking ICSs and 508 who continued ICS treatment, who met the criteria for inclusion in the meta-analysis.
Examination of the data revealed that patients who stopped the treatment were 2.35 times more likely to have worsening symptoms than those who stayed with the treatment. The absolute risk difference for asthma getting worse was 0.23, with an event rate of 0.38 for patients who discontinued ICSs versus 0.16 for those who continued to take ICSs.
The results should now guide further discussions between patients and their doctors. It seems that it can be dangerous for asthmatics to stop taking their ICS treatments. If you have asthma and are thinking of stopping treatment, talk to your doctor to look at whether it is really a good idea.
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