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What's New
PubMed (Open Access Guidelines) · December 1, 2026
Researchers found that allergen immunotherapy — a treatment that gradually exposes the immune system to small amounts of a trigger like dust mites or grass pollen to reduce sensitivity — helped people with allergic asthma breathe better and rely less on medication. Shots (given under the skin) appeared to work better than drops or tablets placed under the tongue, and the treatment seemed to help both children and adults fairly equally. However, the shot-based approach did cause more whole-body reactions, like hives or swelling, so that's something patients would want to discuss with their doctor. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · September 2, 2026
Researchers found that in northern China, dangerous spikes in asthma attacks during thunderstorms appear to be linked to mugwort — a common wild plant — rather than the grass pollen that typically triggers these events in Australia and Europe. What makes this especially striking is that many people who ended up in the hospital during these episodes had never been told they had asthma before, meaning they had no idea they were at risk. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · September 1, 2026
Researchers found that a structured self-management program — where people with chronic conditions like type 2 diabetes learn skills to manage their health day-to-day — led to lasting improvements in sleep, pain, fatigue, and mood, even six months after the program ended, across many different countries. For someone with type 2 diabetes, this matters because managing a long-term condition involves a lot more than just medication — things like energy levels, sleep, and emotional well-being all affect how well someone can stay on top of their health. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
Guidelines
PubMed · September 1, 2026
The text describes a systematic review — a study that gathered and compared existing guidelines — but does not clearly name a specific medical society or authoritative body issuing the recommendations, so it cannot be presented as a single organization's guidance. The review found that most guidelines for people with COPD (a lung disease that makes breathing difficult) consistently recommended at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity per week, such as brisk walking or cycling, though detailed, condition-specific advice was often limited.
What's New
PubMed · September 1, 2026
Researchers found that children who had more asthma attacks in the previous year were more likely to attend schools that were better prepared to handle asthma — meaning the school knew about the child's condition, had quick-relief inhalers on hand, and had a written asthma care plan in place. However, the study also found that most schools were not fully equipped, with only 7% having a written asthma care plan and fewer than one in three having the right medications available. This matters because it suggests that improving how schools prepare for and manage asthma could play an important role in keeping children safer, especially in communities where kids are already experiencing frequent and serious asthma episodes. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · September 1, 2026
Researchers found that giving children with allergic asthma and hay fever a daily supplement — containing ingredients like a gut-friendly postbiotic, vitamin D, and omega-3 fatty acid — for six months may help improve breathing symptoms and calm some of the immune system activity that drives allergic reactions. The study was small, involving only 40 children, so it's hard to draw firm conclusions, but the results suggest this kind of nutritional approach might one day be a helpful add-on to existing treatments. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · September 1, 2026
Researchers found that when nurses led special sessions involving both children with asthma and their families — focusing on reducing fear and improving emotional support — the children showed better asthma control and were more likely to take their medications as directed, compared to children who received standard care alone. The families also felt more confident managing their child's asthma at home. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · September 1, 2026
Researchers found that people with asthma who had low vitamin D levels saw the biggest improvements in lung function — meaning how well their lungs can move air in and out — when they combined a structured breathing and exercise program with weekly vitamin D supplements, compared to either approach on its own. The combination group showed notably stronger gains in lung capacity over 12 weeks than those who did exercise alone or took vitamin D alone. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · September 1, 2026
Researchers found that for adults with asthma, their romantic partner's emotional wellbeing and attitude toward the condition may play a meaningful role in how well they manage their health — people whose partners felt less stressed and viewed their asthma management positively tended to have better physical health and a better quality of life. Interestingly, people in happier, more satisfying relationships also reported more asthma symptoms, which researchers think may reflect that couples in closer relationships are simply more open about discussing health struggles. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
Medications
PubMed · September 1, 2026
A study found that dupilumab (brand name Dupixent), a biologic injection given every two weeks, helped people with moderate-to-severe asthma that wasn't well controlled on their current inhalers. Researchers found that people who took dupilumab alongside a medium-dose steroid inhaler had 70% fewer serious asthma flare-ups compared to people who took a higher-dose steroid inhaler alone — suggesting that adding dupilumab may work better than simply increasing the inhaler dose. This appears to be a new finding about how dupilumab could be used, not a safety update or official guideline recommendation.
Ask your doctor: Ask the doctor whether adding dupilumab to a medium dose of inhaled steroid might work better than using a higher dose of inhaled steroid alone for controlling the patient's asthma.
What's New
PubMed · September 1, 2026
Researchers found that depemokimab, a new long-acting injectable treatment for severe asthma, reduced the rate of asthma flare-ups (episodes where symptoms suddenly get much worse) about as well as other similar biologic medications — meaning treatments made from living cells that target specific parts of the immune system. This matters for people with severe asthma because a once-every-six-month injection could be a more convenient option compared to other biologics that require more frequent dosing. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · September 1, 2026
Researchers found that a medication called dupilumab helped reduce severe asthma attacks in children aged 6 to 11, even in kids whose blood showed a temporary rise in certain immune cells (called eosinophils) early in treatment — a change that can sometimes raise safety concerns. The benefits, including better breathing and improved asthma control, were consistent across all the children studied, and no additional safety problems were linked to those early cell increases. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · August 28, 2026
Researchers found that a traditional Chinese medicine technique called acupoint sticking therapy — where herbal patches are applied to specific points on the body — may work differently depending on the type of asthma symptoms a person is having, such as whether they have chills with clear mucus versus fever with yellow mucus. By analyzing data from 40 studies and over 2,000 patients, researchers identified which combinations of body points were most commonly used for each symptom pattern, offering a more organized, data-driven way to apply this centuries-old practice. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · August 21, 2026
A study found that people with severe allergic asthma who used a traditional Chinese medicine technique called acupoint plaster therapy — where herbal patches are applied to specific spots on the skin — alongside their regular asthma medication showed better asthma control and lower levels of inflammation markers in their blood compared to those who used the medication alone. The combined approach also seemed to reduce activity in certain immune cells linked to allergic reactions, though it didn't noticeably improve how well the lungs were working on standard breathing tests. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · August 12, 2026
Researchers found that artificial intelligence — meaning computer systems that can learn patterns and make predictions — may help with several tricky parts of managing asthma, including catching it earlier in people who might be missed, personalizing treatment plans, and better predicting who might have problems down the road. This could matter for people with asthma because current care often relies on one-size-fits-all approaches, and AI tools might one day help doctors tailor care more closely to each person's needs. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
Medications
JAMA · August 4, 2026
A study found that as more biologic medications — special injectable drugs that target specific parts of the immune system — were approved for treating asthma, patients had significantly fewer severe asthma flare-ups, meaning episodes where symptoms suddenly get much worse. This appears to be a new finding about how the growing availability of these treatments has made a real difference for people with asthma. The study was published in JAMA Network Open.
What's New
PubMed · August 1, 2026
Researchers found that a new asthma medication called depemokimab stays active in the body for a remarkably long time — about 47 days as a half-life — which means it only needs to be injected twice a year instead of more frequently like older similar drugs. The medication works by targeting a protein called interleukin-5, which drives a type of inflammation in the airways, and the study showed it quickly lowered levels of eosinophils (a type of immune cell that, when elevated, signals that inflammation is active) to less than a quarter of their starting levels in people with asthma. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · August 1, 2026
Researchers found that giving young children high doses of omega-3 fish oil supplements — at least 1,200 mg per day — was linked to a meaningful drop in the chances of developing asthma or wheezing, roughly a one-third lower risk compared to children who didn't take them. Lower doses didn't seem to make a difference, suggesting the amount matters. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
Ask your doctor: Ask the doctor whether giving the patient high-dose omega-3 supplements early in life might help reduce the risk of developing asthma or wheezing.
What's New
PubMed · August 1, 2026
Researchers found that omalizumab — a medication given by injection that helps calm an overactive immune response — improved symptoms for people who had both moderate nasal polyps (small growths inside the nose that can block breathing) and mild-to-moderate allergy-driven asthma, even before the condition became severe or required surgery. People taking the medication had less nasal blockage, better breathing, and fewer asthma flare-ups compared to those who only received standard treatment. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · August 1, 2026
Researchers found that a new inhaled antibody medication called AZD8630/AMG 104, which works by blocking a protein in the airways thought to trigger inflammation, appeared to be safe and well-tolerated in people with moderate-to-severe asthma — and at the highest dose tested, it significantly reduced a marker of airway inflammation measured in exhaled breath. This is a promising early sign that targeting this protein through an inhaled treatment (rather than an injection) might one day help people whose asthma is harder to control. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · August 1, 2026
Researchers found that azithromycin, an antibiotic sometimes used in asthma care, may help the airways fight off cold and flu viruses more effectively in people with hard-to-control asthma. Specifically, after 12 weeks of treatment, the airway cells of people taking azithromycin produced stronger virus-fighting signals — meaning their airways appeared better equipped to defend against the kind of viral infections that commonly trigger asthma attacks. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · July 15, 2026
Researchers found that an 8-week online talk therapy program — where a therapist helps people recognize and rethink fearful, worst-case thinking about their asthma — significantly reduced anxiety and worry about asthma compared to standard care and education alone. People in the therapy group also reported better asthma control, less avoidance of everyday activities, and a higher quality of life, and those improvements were still holding strong six months later. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
Watch Out For
FDA MedWatch · July 14, 2026
Be aware that certain Volera breathing devices (made by Baxter) may have a problem where air and medication leak out during use, which could mean patients aren't getting enough oxygen or their full dose of inhaled medication. People using this device should watch for any signs that their breathing treatment doesn't seem to be working as well as usual, or if they feel short of breath or unwell during or after a session. Anyone with concerns about their device or how they're feeling during treatment should reach out to their doctor or care team right away.
Ask your doctor: Ask the doctor whether the patient's Volara positive pressure breathing device has been checked for air leaks that could reduce how much oxygen the patient is getting during treatment.
What's New
PubMed · July 1, 2026
Researchers found that tracking how forcefully asthma patients can blow air out of their lungs — a common emergency room tool called peak flow measurement — didn't actually lead to better outcomes compared to doctors simply observing symptoms. In this study, patients whose doctors used peak flow readings and those whose doctors relied on symptoms alone had nearly identical results: about 72% of both groups felt better within 2.5 hours, and similar numbers ended up admitted to the hospital. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · July 1, 2026
Researchers found that young children with asthma who were given vitamin D supplements showed a greater drop in two markers of inflammation in their blood — a protein called CRP and a type of white blood cell called neutrophils — compared to children who received a placebo. Inflammation plays a big role in asthma, so reducing it could potentially mean fewer or less severe symptoms for young children whose asthma tends to flare up with viral illnesses like colds. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · July 1, 2026
Researchers found that more than one in three workers with occupational asthma — asthma triggered or made worse by substances at their job — ended up unemployed, on long-term sick leave, or unable to work. The findings also suggest that people who were exposed to workplace triggers for longer before their asthma was identified, or who had weaker lung function, were more likely to face these work-related setbacks, which hints that catching and addressing occupational asthma earlier might make a real difference in people's ability to stay employed. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · July 1, 2026
Researchers found that a common type of asthma medication — drugs called leukotriene receptor antagonists, which include montelukast (Singulair) — may lower the overall risk of developing cancer in people with asthma, based on data from over 280,000 individuals. The idea is that these medications calm certain kinds of inflammation in the body, and that same inflammation is thought to play a role in how some cancers develop. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · July 1, 2026
Researchers found that two types of breathing support devices — one that delivers a steady stream of warm, humidified air through the nose (called high-flow nasal cannula) and one that gently pushes air into the lungs using a mask (called BiPAP) — were both effective at helping children during a serious asthma attack. Neither approach led to shorter hospital stays overall, but BiPAP appeared better at getting oxygen into the blood in some measurements, which could matter for children who are struggling more to breathe. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · July 1, 2026
Researchers found that when children and teenagers with obesity and asthma lost weight through weight management programs, their lung function improved and they had better control of their asthma symptoms — meaning fewer flare-ups and a better quality of life. This matters because it suggests that managing weight could be an important part of caring for young people dealing with both obesity and asthma. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · July 1, 2026
Researchers found that sexual dysfunction — meaning problems with sexual desire or physical sexual response — is surprisingly common in people with asthma, affecting more than half of those studied (about 54%). Women with asthma were especially affected, with roughly 7 in 10 reporting some form of sexual difficulty, compared to about 3 in 10 men. This matters because sexual health is an important part of overall well-being, yet it's rarely discussed in the context of asthma care. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
For informational purposes only. Not medical advice. Always consult a physician before making any health decisions.