Half-a-million Australians are already using weight loss drugs to control diabetes and their waistlines, but now a ground-breaking Queensland study will examine if they can also ease asthma symptoms in people suffering with obesity.
The Mater Research study will assess the impact of monthly injections of Mounjaro – which can cost up to $700 a month on a private script – on 20 asthma patients over 48 weeks.
The study is being led by Mater Hospital Brisbane respiratory specialist Dr Adrian Barnett, who is seeking suitable participants for the trial.
“This is a very exciting study, and I believe it has the potential to change the lives of many asthma sufferers who have been struggling to lose weight,” Dr Barnett said.
“We know that Mounjaro helps control appetite causing weight loss, which may improve asthma symptoms directly by improving the mechanics of breathing.
“There is also evidence to suggest that these drugs, known as GLP-1 agonists, may modulate airway inflammation which could also reduce asthma symptoms.”
Around one in nine Australians suffer from asthma and 35 per cent of adults with asthma are obese. Obesity is known to cause asthma in some people, and makes the condition worse in others.
Obesity related asthma is particularly prevalent in those with late onset asthma that begins after age 40. Around 480 lives are lost to asthma in Australia each year.
“The more overweight someone is, the harder it becomes to exercise, and asthma symptoms can escalate – it can become a vicious cycle,” Dr Barnett said.
“Up until the development of GLP-1 drugs like Mounjaro, weight loss has been very difficult to achieve in this group of patients.
“Obesity impairs the efficacy of asthma medication and, in many people, can cause reduced lung function and inflammation.
“Research shows that weight loss in people living with obesity significantly reduces asthma symptoms and improves lung function.
“Losing weight can also help reduce inflammation in the airways, and together with healthy lifestyle choices, like diet and exercise, symptoms can improve.”
Bundaberg mother-of-three Erika Williams was diagnosed with chronic asthma a decade ago, which she said had progressively worsened as she gained weight during perimenopause in her 40s.
She now uses two asthma preventers daily and takes low-dose antibiotics to avoid flare-ups, which can take weeks to recover from.
“I get flare-ups a couple of times a year, and they can be triggered by colds or flu, even changes in weather, like storms or high heat,” Mrs Williams said.
Keen to lose 45 kgs and manage her asthma better, Mrs Williams has signed on as a volunteer in Dr Barnett’s Mounjaro trial.
“I think it’s a great opportunity to see if I can lose weight, reduce my asthma symptoms and also cut down on my medications,” Mrs Williams said.
“I have tried to lose weight over the years, including a number of different diets and exercise, but nothing seems to work to keep the weight off.”
Dr Barnett said the year-long study will track the lung function and airway inflammation of volunteers as they lose weight.
Volunteers will also need to monitor their food intake, undergo blood tests and respond to questionnaires.
“This will be a very in-depth study focusing not just on weight loss and asthma, but how the weight loss changes inflammation in the body, changes food choices, activity and mental mood,” Dr Barnett added.
For more information on how to volunteer please phone 07 3163 1369 or email rioclinicaltrials@mater.org.au.
