Bronchial thermoplasty for treatment of severe persistent asthma shows 5-year durability of benefits

This study assessed effectiveness and safety of bronchial thermoplasty (BT) in 162 asthmatic patients 5 years after therapy.

The 5-year reduction was 44% for asthma exacerbations and 78% for ED visits compared to those observed in the 12 months before BT treatment. Respiratory-related hospitalizations remained unchanged. FEV1 values remained stable between years 1 and 5 after BT, despite a 18% reduction in daily inhaled corticosteroid dose.

High-resolution computed tomographic scans after BT showed no structural abnormalities that could be attributed to BT.

These data demonstrate the 5-year durability of the benefits of BT. BT should be considered for patients with severe persistent asthma who remain symptomatic despite therapy.

The Alair® Bronchial Thermoplasty (BT) System is the first device-based asthma treatment approved by the FDA:





Bronchial Thermoplasty. Dr. Kyle Hogarth, MD, assistant professor of medicine at the University of Chicago Medical Center, talks about bronchial thermoplasty, a new treatment for patients with advanced, hard-to-control asthma. Hogarth describes the rationale behind the procedure, what the patient experiences (3-session procedure, conscious sedation similar to the one used during colonoscopy), and the expected outcome (discharge after 1-2 hours, worse symptoms for 2 days, improved symptoms after 2 weeks). UChicagoMedCenter | September 14, 2010.

Source:

Bronchial thermoplasty: Long-term safety and effectiveness in patients with severe persistent asthma. Michael E. Wechsler, et al. The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Sep 2013.
http://www.jacionline.org/article/S0091-6749(13)01268-2/fulltext