Effectiveness of Treatment With Tezepelumab in Patients With Severe Asthma, Smoking Asthmatics and Patients With Severe Asthma and COPD: A Real-World Cohort Study.

Abstract

Severe asthma often coexists with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), yet patients with overlapping conditions are frequently excluded from clinical trials. Consequently, evidence on the effectiveness of biologics such as tezepelumab in smokers or patients with concomitant COPD remains limited. To evaluate the effectiveness of tezepelumab in patients with severe asthma with concomitant COPD/emphysema or a smoking history compared with patients with asthma-only. In this retrospective study, pulmonary function, exacerbations, oral corticosteroid use, asthma control, and quality of life were assessed at baseline and after at least 6 months of tezepelumab treatment in patients with different severe asthma phenotypes. Overall, 186 tezepelumab-treated patients (asthma-only n = 68; asthma with smoking history n = 56; asthma with COPD/emphysema n = 62) with a median treatment duration of 12 (interquartile range, 7-13) months were included. FEV₁ (% predicted) improved significantly in all groups (asthma-only: 71% to 75% [P = .014]; asthma with smoking history: 61% to 67% [P = .036]; asthma with COPD/emphysema: 44% to 45% [P = .035]). Asthma Control Test scores improved significantly (asthma-only: 13 to 16 [P = .003]; asthma with smoking history: 13 to 17 [P = .001]; asthma with COPD/emphysema: 12 to 15 [P < .001]). Similar improvements across groups were observed for quality of life, oral corticosteroid dose reduction, and annualized exacerbation rates. Remission rates were comparable between groups. Tezepelumab was associated with clinically meaningful improvements in lung function, asthma control, quality of life, and reduction in exacerbation rates in patients with severe asthma, irrespective of smoking history or comorbid COPD/emphysema, supporting its use in these underrepresented populations.