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Eosinophilic asthma is a subtype of asthma that is difficult to control with traditional asthma medications. With this type of asthma, the numbers of eosinophils – a type of white blood cell – are increased in blood, lung tissue, and mucus coughed up from the respiratory tract. The whole respiratory tract is involved in airflow obstruction from the sinuses to the small airways. It is sometimes also called type 2 (Th2) asthma, eos asthma, or e-asthma.

To help people learn about eosinophilic asthma and how it is diagnosed, treated, and managed, the American Partnership for Eosinophilic Disorders (APFED) and Allergy & Asthma Network, both national 501(c)(3) patient advocacy organizations, developed and launched a new online toolkit, eosasthma.org.

In the United States, it is estimated that nearly 25 million people have some type of asthma; it has been estimated that as many as 10% of these people have severe asthma. Research has shown a correlation between too many eosinophils in the blood and the future risk and severity of asthma attacks.

A survey of people with eosinophilic asthma conducted by APFED showed that those who have this condition wanted to learn more about their disease. Further, they indicated a preference for learning through digital resources. Eosasthma.org was created to address these needs.

The information-rich site helps people to better understand eosinophilic asthma and diagnosis and treatment options, explore practical strategies to help improve quality of life, and access a wealth of resources available to those with eosinophilic asthma.

“Educational resources such as eosasthma.org help patients to make informed decisions about their healthcare,” said Mary Jo Strobel, Executive Director of APFED. “We are excited to partner with the Allergy & Asthma Network on the launch of this website, which was developed to help patients and families better understand eosinophilic asthma and how to manage this chronic condition.”

“Recent medical breakthroughs are transforming how eosinophilic asthma is treated,” says Tonya Winders, President and CEO of Allergy & Asthma Network. “It’s critical that patients and caregivers have a clear understanding of the disease so they can work with their doctor to better manage it. That’s where eosasthma.org comes in. We are proud to partner with APFED to share this valuable patient resource.”

Please check out and share the site to:

Learn about this severe subtype of asthma, a chronic lung disease
Read about eos asthma diagnosis and treatment options
Explore practical strategies to help improve quality of life with eos asthma
Read answers to questions commonly asked by patients and caregivers
Review information about the specialists that help treat and manage eos asthma
Learn terms commonly used when discussing eos asthma
Learn about eos asthma research and clinical trials
Explore additional resources, including ones to connect with others, and tap into a supportive community

The eosasthma.org website was created thanks to a grant provided by Sanofi Genzyme and Regeneron; we are grateful for their support. We are also grateful for our medical reviewers who volunteered their time to review the content for accuracy, including Purvi Parikh, MD, Marissa Shams, MD, and Michael E. Wechsler, MD, MMSc.

To explore this new resource, visit eosasthma.org.

Potential Impact on People with Eosinophil-Associated Diseases

There is not enough information as of yet, however, it appears that people with chronic health conditions, including those who have pulmonary or cardiac eosinophilic disorders, and those who take systemic corticosteroids and/or other immunosuppressive medications (e.g., methotrexate, cyclosporin, rituximab infusions) may be at higher risk of developing complications or more severe infection with COVID-19. Individuals should contact their healthcare provider if they have symptoms consistent with COVID-19.

APFED encourages everyone to follow COVID-19 guidance from the CDC and the WHO and to be alert to local quarantine practices in their communities.

Medical Reviewers: Gerald J. Gleich, MD, University of Utah Health; Michael E. Wechsler, MD, National Jewish Health; Praveen Akuthota, MD, UC San Diego Health.