{"id":49799,"date":"2022-03-10T10:00:29","date_gmt":"2022-03-10T15:00:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=49799"},"modified":"2024-05-15T15:19:57","modified_gmt":"2024-05-15T19:19:57","slug":"eosinophilic-asthma","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/eosinophilic-asthma\/","title":{"rendered":"Your guide to eosinophilic asthma"},"content":{"rendered":"

What is eosinophilic asthma?<\/a> | Symptoms<\/a> | Causes<\/a> | Diagnosis<\/a> | Treatment<\/a> | Outlook<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

Twenty-five million people in the United States have asthma. <\/span>Five to 10%<\/span><\/a> of those have severe asthma, a form of the condition that isn\u2019t well-controlled with standard medication. Eosinophilic asthma is the most common subtype of severe asthma\u2014a respiratory disease characterized by high levels of eosinophils, a type of white blood cell or immune cell. Never heard of it? Here\u2019s what you need to know about this subtype of asthma and how it\u2019s treated.<\/span><\/p>\n

What is eosinophilic asthma?<\/h2>\n

Eosinophilic asthma is a chronic lung disease that is diagnosed when tests find high levels of eosinophils, a particular type of white blood cell, in your blood, lung tissue, and sputum\u2014despite <\/span>use of inhaled corticosteroids<\/span><\/a> even at high doses. At normal levels, eosinophils are a crucial part of your immune system. They fight bacteria and ward off infections. When eosinophil levels are elevated (over <\/span>300 or 400 cells per \u03bcL<\/span><\/a>), they are associated with more asthma complications, likely from induction of swelling and inflammation in your airways.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c[Eosinophils] are protective\u2014as well as destructive; they are foe and friend,\u201d says <\/span>Anil Mishra<\/span><\/a>, Ph.D., professor of medicine and director of the Eosinophilic Disorder Center at the Tulane University School of Medicine. Higher eosinophil counts tend to be associated with more severe eosinophilic asthma disease, says <\/span>Jon Romeo, DO<\/span><\/a>, chair of the <\/span>American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology<\/span><\/a> (ACAAI) Asthma Committee.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Luckily, the condition is fairly rare. The exact prevalence of eosinophilic asthma is unknown, according to the <\/span>American Partnership for Eosinophilic Disorders<\/span><\/a>. Some <\/span>studies<\/span><\/a> estimate it affects 5% of adults with asthma. Other <\/span>research<\/span><\/a> suggests that severe eosinophilic asthma may be more prevalent than experts have thought in the past.<\/span><\/p>\n

Symptoms<\/h2>\n

The symptoms of eosinophilic asthma are similar to other types of asthma, but with a few added indicators. Common eosinophilic asthma symptoms can include:<\/span><\/p>\n