Figure 2. Chest x-ray shows a patient with asthma with a right middle lobe (RML) collapse.
Obesity is frequently seen in patients with severe asthma, and researchers have identified at least two separate obese asthma phenotypes: an early-onset, allergic phenotype and a late-onset, female-dominated, nonallergic phenotype.
Severe early-onset obese asthma is normally triggered by allergens but is exacerbated by obesity. It is associated with eosinophilia and high serum IgE titers.
In patients with severe obese asthma, response to corticosteroids appears to be muted, resulting in their diminished efficacy. The reason for this may be twofold: First, obesity itself has been shown to reduce the response to steroids. Second, many patients with obese asthma are nonatopic, and steroids target the immune processes that mediate allergic responses.
Learn more about the phenotypes of severe asthma.
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Cite this: Zab Mosenifar. Fast Five Quiz: Severe Asthma Phenotypes - Medscape - Apr 05, 2021.
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