Named the factor that doubles the risk of premature death

Severe asthma can nearly double the risk of premature death. This is the conclusion reached by researchers from the Karolinska Institute. The study results have been published in the European Respiratory Journal (ERJ).

The large-scale study covered more than 11,000 asthma patients who were followed for up to 20 years. Participants were divided into groups based on disease severity — and the difference in outcomes was striking. Among people with severe asthma, mortality during the observation period reached 34%, while for mild and moderate forms it was approximately 20%.

"In terms of risk, this means a nearly twofold increase in the likelihood of premature death in patients with severe disease. At the same time, asthma itself rarely becomes a direct cause of death. The main contribution to increased mortality comes from comorbidities," the scientists noted.

The mechanism behind these statistics is linked to systemic inflammation. In asthma, the body produces excessive amounts of signaling molecules — cytokines. Their overabundance can reduce vascular elasticity, increase vessel wall permeability, and disrupt blood flow. At the same time, the risk of thrombosis increases, which can lead to myocardial infarction or stroke.

In addition, patients with severe asthma develop oncological diseases significantly more often, which become the cause of death in the long term. Frequent exacerbations pose an additional threat — they place a constant burden on the respiratory and cardiovascular systems, gradually depleting the body's resources.

The researchers emphasize that severe asthma is relatively rare — occurring in approximately 3-8% of all patients with this diagnosis. However, it is precisely this group that requires the closest medical monitoring, since even with modern therapy they remain vulnerable to systemic complications.