Efficacy And Safety Of Antifungal Treatment In Fungal Asthma: A Real Life Study
November 2018
TLDR Antifungal treatment reduced asthma exacerbations and corticosteroid use but its overall benefit is unclear.
The study reviewed 563 patient records from a tertiary asthma center in England, identifying 80 patients with fungal asthma, including SAFS and ABPA. Of these, 28 received antifungal treatments (itraconazole, voriconazole, posaconazole). After 12 months, there was a significant reduction in the mean rescue oral corticosteroids from 4.31 to 2.25 per annum and mean maintenance oral prednisolone from 3.06 mg/day to 1.11 mg/day. However, there were no significant changes in FEV1, ACQ, FeNO, blood eosinophils, or Aspergillus-specific IgE. Side effects were noted in 31% of treated patients. The study concluded that while antifungal treatment reduced exacerbations and corticosteroid use, the clinical significance remains uncertain, highlighting the need for controlled trials.
