Semaglutide, a medication widely used for type 2 diabetes and weight loss, may also provide an unexpected benefit for people with asthma. New research presented at the European Respiratory Society (ERS) Congress in Barcelona, Spain, found that semaglutide use was associated with a reduction in asthma attacks of nearly 40%.
The study was led by Professor Chloe Bloom, Clinical Associate Professor in Respiratory Epidemiology at the National Heart & Lung Institute, Imperial College London, UK, and presented by Dr. Bohee Lee.
Exploring GLP 1 Drugs and Lung Health
Dr. Bloom said: “GLP-1 receptor agonists are widely used to treat type 2 diabetes and obesity. Previous research suggests that they may have anti-inflammatory effects and may improve lung-related outcomes. However, asthma and COPD outcomes have not been included as outcomes in GLP-1 drug trials.
“We wanted to use real-world health records to investigate whether people with asthma or COPD who started GLP-1 receptor agonists had fewer acute respiratory attacks.”
To investigate that question, the researchers analyzed electronic medical records from the UK. They carried out four parallel studies, each involving between 20,000 and 22,000 people who had started treatment with either a GLP-1 medication or a different type of diabetes drug known as a sulfonylurea.
The results suggested that people with airway diseases such as asthma and COPD who received GLP-1 therapies experienced fewer asthma attacks and COPD flare-ups than comparable patients who were prescribed other diabetes medications.
Semaglutide Showed the Strongest Effect
Among the GLP-1 drugs examined, semaglutide appeared to stand out, particularly for people with asthma.
Bloom explains: “The effect was strongest with semaglutide, especially in people with asthma, where use of semaglutide appears to be associated with nearly a 40% reduction in asthma attacks. Semaglutide also led to a 20% reduction in COPD flare-ups.”
The findings suggest that people who already qualify for GLP-1 receptor agonists because they have obesity or type 2 diabetes could potentially receive an additional benefit for their respiratory health.
However, Bloom emphasized that the results are not enough to recommend these medications specifically as treatments for asthma or COPD.
She explains: “The findings from this study are encouraging, but they should not change treatment decisions on their own. People with asthma or COPD should not start GLP-1 receptor agonists specifically for their lung condition outside current prescribing guidance. While the findings suggest that some people taking GLP-1 receptor agonists may experience fewer respiratory attacks, this needs confirmation in clinical trials.”
Why Metabolic Health May Matter for the Lungs
Dr. Alexander Mathioudakis, Chair of the European Respiratory Society’s Group on Airway Pharmacology and Treatment and Senior Lecturer in Respiratory Medicine at the University of Manchester, UK, was not involved in the research.
He said: “Obesity and metabolic dysfunction are common in airways disease and are often under-recognized as problems that can and should be addressed.
“This is one of the largest real-world studies to investigate GLP-1 receptor agonists and airways disease, and one of the first to examine whether effects differ between individual GLP-1 receptor agonists.
“It highlights the need to consider metabolic health as part of respiratory care. It also supports the case for including respiratory outcomes, such as asthma attacks and COPD exacerbations, in future trials of metabolic therapies.
“We need clinical trials that include respiratory outcomes, such as asthma attacks, COPD exacerbations, lung function, symptoms and quality of life, to determine whether metabolic treatments could become part of a broader, more personalized approach to managing airways disease.”
