Most people living with severe asthma also struggle with other, less obvious health conditions, a major new study has found.
Analyzing data from thousands of patients, researchers found that additional diseases, ranging from obesity to osteoporosis, tend to appear in clusters.
They say identifying these patterns could be the key to unlocking more effective treatments for those hardest hit by the condition.
The research, published in The Lancet Regional Health, was led by academics from the University of Southampton, Southampton University Hospital and the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Southampton Biomedical Research Center (BRC).
The experts were collaborating with SHARP (Severe Heterogeneous Asthma Research Collaboration: Patient-Centered), a clinical research collaboration group of the European Respiratory Society (ERS).
This is the first detailed explanation of how long-term health outcomes are routinely observed in patients with severe asthma.
The study’s lead author, Dr. Ramesh Kurkulaarachchi, is Professor of Respiratory Medicine and Allergology at the University of Southampton.
He said the results showed that almost all asthma patients had at least one other serious health problem, and most had three or more.
Professor Kurkuraarachchi, who is also an honorary consultant at Southampton University Hospital, added: “The pattern we found was related to how well the asthma was controlled, the frequency of attacks and the treatment required.”
“A deeper understanding of these patterns can help us look beyond just asthma and improve care for people living with severe asthma.”
The study analyzed data from 2,700 patients in 11 European countries.
Asthma affects everyone differently, but researchers have identified three distinct profiles that appear consistently across patient groups.
- Heavy use of steroids – Patients report higher rates of osteoporosis along with weight gain from steroid treatment.
- Severe allergies – caused by hay fever or eczema associated with rhinitis, etc.
- Sinusitis – patients with chronic sinusitis and nasal polyps
People with severe asthma often live with a burden of other illnesses, but until now it was not fully understood how these illnesses are related.
Our results could improve the quality of life for millions of people across Europe who currently struggle to control severe asthma. ”
Dr. Anna Freeman, co-lead author, Southampton University Hospital, Respiratory Consultant
sauce:
University of Southampton
Reference magazines:
Freeman, A. others. (2026). Phenotypes and associated characteristics of multimorbidity in severe asthma: An observational study of the European Severe Asthma Registry. Lancet Community Health – Europe. DOI: 10.1016/j.lanepe.2026.101600. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666776226000128
