Severe Asthma Often Comes With Other Serious Health Problems

FRIDAY, May 22, 2026 (HealthDay News) — People with severe asthma typically are battling other health problems as well, a new study says.

Nearly all individuals with asthma suffer from at least one other major health issue, with most suffering three or more, researchers reported recently in The Lancet Regional Health-Europe.

“The patterns we found were linked to how well asthma was controlled, how often attacks happened and the treatments needed,” said senior researcher Dr. Ramesh Kurukulaaratchy in a news release. He’s a professor of respiratory medicine and allergy at the University of Southampton in the U.K.

For the study, researchers tracked rates of 23 other health conditions among nearly 2,700 patients with severe asthma living in 11 European countries.

Results identified three distinct profiles among the patients:

• Osteoporosis plus weight gain linked to heavy steroid use

• Severe allergies, including eczema plus hay fever 

• Chronic sinus infections and inflammation alongside development of nasal polyps

By identifying these patterns, researchers said they might be able to unlock more effective treatments for those patients hardest hit by asthma.

“People with severe asthma often live with a heavy burden of other conditions but, until now, we didn’t fully understand how they were linked,” said lead researcher Dr. Anna Freeman, a respiratory consultant at University Hospital Southampton.

“With our results, we can improve the quality of life for millions of people across Europe who currently struggle to keep their severe asthma under control,” Freeman said in the release.

More information

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more about asthma.

SOURCES: University of Southampton, news release, May 19, 2026; The Lancet Regional Health-Europe, April 2026