Lung Function Dynamics in Severe Asthma
Summary
Severe asthma represents a heterogeneous syndrome characterised by persistent respiratory symptoms, frequent exacerbations and accelerated decline in lung function despite high-intensity treatment. Longitudinal measurements of forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC) have revealed that some patients experience rapid losses of expiratory function, whereas others maintain relative stability. Repeated exacerbations drive airway inflammation, promoting structural remodelling that leads to fixed airflow obstruction. Emerging evidence also implicates changes in the lung parenchyma—affecting elastic recoil and tissue compliance—as critical determinants of persistent airflow limitation. Risk factors such as uncontrolled eosinophilic inflammation, tobacco exposure and delayed diagnosis further compound decline. Conversely, targeted anti-inflammatory strategies and biomarker-guided management aim to attenuate functional deterioration. A comprehensive understanding of the interplay between airway remodelling, parenchymal alterations and inflammatory phenotypes is vital for refining prognostic assessment and guiding personalised interventions.
Research from Nature Portfolio
No recent Nature Portfolio content available.
Lung Function Dynamics in Severe Asthma publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in lung function dynamics in severe asthma across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
FEV1 (Forced Expiratory Volume in one second): The volume of air expelled in the first second of a forced breath, used to assess airway obstruction.
FVC (Forced Vital Capacity): The total volume of air that can be forcefully exhaled after full inspiration.
Fixed airflow obstruction: A persistent reduction in expiratory flow rates that does not fully reverse with bronchodilator therapy.
Airway remodelling: Structural changes in bronchial walls—including smooth muscle hypertrophy, subepithelial fibrosis and mucous gland enlargement—that narrow airways.
Parenchyma: The functional tissue of the lung composed of alveoli and interstitial structures, crucial for gas exchange and elastic recoil.
References
- Longitudinal trends in clinical characteristics and lung function of patients with severe asthma under treatment in Brazil. BMC Pulmonary Medicine (2016).
- FEV1 decline in relation to blood eosinophils and neutrophils in a population-based asthma cohort. World Allergy Organization Journal (2020).
- Sputum cell counts to manage prednisone-dependent asthma: effects on FEV1 and eosinophilic exacerbations. Allergy, Asthma & Clinical Immunology (2017).
- Fixed Airflow Obstruction in Asthma: A Problem of the Whole Lung Not of Just the Airways. Frontiers in Physiology (2022).
About these summaries
This Nature Research Intelligence Topic summary is created with the cited references and a large language model. We take care to ground generated text with facts, and have systems in place to gain human feedback on the overall quality of the process in line with our AI principles. We strive to create accurate and useful summaries for people unfamiliar with the research topic and that supports this goal. These pages are a beta release and will be updated as we learn how best to help people gain value from a research topic summary.
Turn complex research questions into confident strategic decisions
When you're under pressure to set direction, justify investment, or understand your competitive position, you need more than raw data — you need trusted insights you can act on.
Benchmark your performance against global peers using robust, methodologically sound analysis.
Combine quantitative metrics with qualitative expert insight to uncover strengths, gaps and emerging opportunities.
Gain tailored, decision-ready recommendations aligned to your strategic priorities.
Talk to us to learn more about our data dashboards and bespoke strategy reports.
Grow research skills, confidence and careers with training built for every stage of the research lifecycle.
Developed with Nature Portfolio journal Editors and internationally renowned experts. Discover three ways to learn:
Self-paced, online courses in convenient bite-sized units, covering key skills across scientific writing, publishing, grant writing, data analysis, and more.
Expert trainer-led workshops with hands-on exercises and real-time feedback across core research skills, delivered via interactive group sessions.
Editor-led workshops combining core principles in writing and publishing, personalised 1:1 feedback from Nature Portfolio Editors and hands-on exercises.
Explore course catalogues and workshop agendas, enquire about the options or request institutional pricing.