While there has been plenty of research in both asthma and COPD as separate conditions, a gap remains in researching causes and treatments for people who are living with both conditions.
Researchers at Australia’s University of Newcastle are aiming to change that with a study that will examine how the body’s metabolic processes influence inflammation and lung function in people who live with both asthma and COPD.
According to a university news release, Jay Horvat, PhD, of the Hunter Medical Research Institute’s Immune Health Research Program, has been awarded a $1.5 million Medical Research Future Fund grant through the National Health and Medical Research Council to explore the issue.
Dr. Horvat said emerging evidence shows that factors such as excess abdominal fat, higher blood sugar and unhealthy cholesterol levels can worsen inflammation in the lungs and make breathing more difficult.
“By mapping out these connections in detail, we hope to pinpoint which metabolic changes matter most and which interventions — such as diet, lifestyle changes or targeted therapies — could offer real relief,” he said. “This project is about finding new ways to help a group of patients who currently have very few effective treatment options.”
The team is hopeful that the study, “Optimizing Pulmonary Therapies Using Immunometabolic Analyses of Lung Disease: The OPTIMAL Study,” will pave the way for new treatments that reduce inflammation, improve breathing and ultimately ease the burden of chronic respiratory disease.
