GLP-1 Weight-Loss Medications Linked to Fewer Severe Asthma Attacks in Adolescents with Excess Weight

Key Takeaways: 

• Adolescents with excess weight and asthma who were prescribed GLP-1 medications experienced around half as many asthma-related emergency room visits over one year compared with peers not taking these drugs.
  
• Use of GLP-1 therapies was also associated with reduced reliance on steroids and rescue inhalers, suggesting improved asthma control.
  
• Researchers suggest these medicines may offer a dual benefit, supporting weight management while lowering the risk of asthma exacerbations in this population.
  
  
  

Study suggests dual benefit for weight and asthma control

Severe asthma attacks among adolescents with excess weight may be significantly reduced with the use of newer weight-loss medications such as Ozempic and Zepbound, according to a new observational study.

The research found that emergency room visits for asthma were cut by more than half among teenagers who were prescribed a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist. The findings were reported on 29 December in JAMA Network Open.

“Our findings suggest a potential dual benefit for this population, where a single class of medication could address both weight management and lower risk for asthma exacerbation, thereby potentially reducing the burden of two common and interconnected chronic conditions,” the researchers concluded.

The study was led by Dr Lin‑Shien Fu, chief of paediatric nephrology and immunology at Taichung Veterans General Hospital.

How the study was conducted

Researchers followed 1,070 adolescents aged 12 to 18 years who were living with excess weight and had a clinical diagnosis of asthma. Approximately half of the group had been prescribed a GLP-1 medication, while the remainder had not received a weight-loss drug.

GLP-1 receptor agonists mimic the naturally occurring GLP-1 hormone, which plays a role in regulating insulin and blood glucose levels. These medicines also reduce appetite and slow gastric emptying, contributing to weight loss.

Over a 12-month follow-up period, the researchers recorded:

• Eight asthma-related emergency department visits among adolescents taking a GLP-1 medication
  
• Nineteen asthma-related emergency visits among those not prescribed a weight-loss drug
  
  
  
  

Reduced need for asthma medications

In addition to fewer emergency visits, adolescents taking GLP-1 medications were less likely to require other treatments for asthma control.

The study found that:

• 21% of adolescents taking a GLP-1 medication required steroid treatment for asthma, compared with 31% of those not taking the drugs
  
• 32% of adolescents in the GLP-1 group needed a rescue inhaler, compared with 45% in the non-GLP-1 group
  

These differences suggest an overall reduction in asthma severity and symptom burden among those prescribed GLP-1 therapies.

Weight loss and inflammation may explain the findings

Experts not involved in the research say the observed improvements are likely linked to the degree of weight loss achieved with these newer medications.

Dr Michelle Katzow, medical director of the POWER Kids Weight Management Program and associate professor of paediatrics at Cohen Children’s Medical Center in New York City, commented on the findings in a news release.

“I think it is not surprising and not so new, except for the degree of weight loss that the drug induces is so much bigger in magnitude than we have seen before,” she said.

Dr Katzow explained that excess weight contributes to systemic inflammation, which can worsen asthma symptoms and increase the likelihood of exacerbations.

“The sort of inflammation associated with obesity predisposes somebody to having worse asthma or worse symptoms of asthma,” she said.

“If you can help people lose enough weight by whatever means, then you can improve their asthma severity.”

Implications for adolescents struggling with appetite control

Dr Katzow added that GLP-1 medications may be particularly helpful for adolescents who struggle to adopt healthy behaviours because of persistent hunger.

She noted that this is a common challenge among young people with excess weight.

“And that is true for a lot of kids,” she said. “They are just really hungry and they are thinking about food a lot. Trying to make healthier choices or eat less is really hard to do if you are hungry all the time.”

A cautious but promising signal

While the study does not establish a direct causal relationship, it adds to growing evidence that weight-loss interventions can have meaningful benefits beyond body weight alone. The findings suggest that, for some adolescents living with excess weight and asthma, GLP-1 receptor agonists may help reduce the frequency and severity of asthma exacerbations alongside supporting weight management.

Further research will be needed to confirm these findings and to better understand the long-term safety and clinical role of GLP-1 therapies in paediatric populations.

CCH insight:

The long list of benefits of GLP-1 therapy continues to grow. If obesity increases the risk of asthma, it is not surprising that GLP-1 therapy results in a reduction in hospital visits due to asthma. Further studies are needed to back up these results, and also to see if the same benefits are seen in adults, as well as adolescents.