Omicron replicating more in bronchial tissue - implications for asthmatics?

[kjs81]

Results from a study in Hong Kong were released yesterday suggesting that Omicron is replicating a lot more in bronchial tissue but not as much in lung tissue, which overall may result in less severe disease. But for astmatics would this be a bad thing, given how our airways are already impacted? Not sure what to make of this news....

[Wickedwitchofthewest]

I’d have hoped that with good asthma management, and perhaps steroids should you become seriously ill then it would be better than lungs/ pneumonia?

[Troilus]

I haven’t read this, but I did read an article not so long ago where it said that people with asthma were less likely to get severe disease. They thought this might be due to the steroid inhalers we take which reduce inflammation caused by the infection.I also read or heard another article that was saying that by the time people died from being infected with covid, the immune system had actually killed off the virus and that is was the strong response of the immune system that caused the damage that led to loss of life.

I haven’t looked into these things any further so I don’t know how true they are.

A lot of unknowns with this illness.

[Poobah]

From what I've read, Omicron doesn't go for the lungs like previous variants. Sore throat, headache, cold like symptoms, fatigue and body aches/pains top the symptom list. But as Asthma UK recommends, stick to your asthma plan and follow the guidelines (mask, social distancing and sanitizers/hand washing). But my asthma is usually affected by upper tract infections so I would rather not get Omicron or any other variant of covid.

Generally, I think some people were getting a bit lax about masks etc and I noticed that some supermarkets had removed the sanitising station that allowed customers to sanitize their trollies. Going to the cinema and theatre, I was sometimes one of very few people wearing a mask. I've stuck to the idea that the more I protect myself when out and about, the better.

I have stocked up with Zinc/vit C lozenges, but I use them when I get a sore throat, together with a good gargle of Listerine. I've been using Listerine for several years as my chest infections generally start with a sore throat/upper respiratory tract and more often than not, it stops things going any further. But if my breathing is affected I start my asthma plan and increase my inhaler accordingly.

Right now, we've been pretty much left to establish our own restrictions but I did find it interesting that Prof Whitty commented on making choices when it came to who we should socialise with and make some priorities for ourselves in the Christmas period.

[Yatzy in reply to Poobah]

A very useful reply, Poobah, thank you. I also pounce on vit c/zinc at the very earliest sign of a cold, seems to work well and shields me from the cold triggering an asthma flare. I haven’t tried Listerine, but do gargle with salt and warm water, or apple cider vinegar and water. I’m sensitive to a lot of commercial stuff, often includes mint or other salicylate nasties that provoke my asthma.

[Poobah in reply to Yatzy]

Are you aspirin sensitive? If so, have you ever come across the Samters Society website? I only found it earlier this year and it was a revelation. Having been diagnosed with aspirin sensitivity 4 decades ago, the advice was mainly centered around avoiding salicylates and changing to dry powder inhalers. Over the years I worked out that there were other foods I had to avoid, including soya. Turns out that omega 6 is the more relevant item to avoid. samterssociety.org/about-di... don't tolerate alcohol (sulphites) which is also common for AERD sufferers.

[Yatzy in reply to Poobah]

Yes, I am aspirin sensitive, and ibuprofen sensitive too. But I find avoiding salicylates more broadly helps my asthma best.

Salicylates are included in so many things, food, medicines and household products. The best source of information I’ve found is based in Australia and New Zealand, sometimes under the Failsafe heading.

I’m not troubled by nasal polyps, fortunately, but have always suffered significant stomach pain after using both aspirin and ibuprofen, so don’t feel willing to try to reduce my aspirin sensitivity.

Thanks for the suggestion though, Poobah 😊

[Poobah in reply to Yatzy]

Have you got any links to the Aus & NZ resources? I know that research is ongoing by Brigham Women's Hospital has a specialist AERD clinic and has 2 clinical trials underway. It would be good to know what Aus & NZ are up to in respect of research.

[Yatzy in reply to Poobah]

I’ve added more detail in a pm.