Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: In the context of climate change and increasing global populations, thunderstorm asthma may become a greater threat at both individual and population levels. The unpredictable nature of epidemic thunderstorm asthma events makes them challenging to study; however, they can have devastating consequences. Novel approaches are required to characterise the mechanisms driving these events to allow researchers and other stakeholders to understand who is at risk and when. This will support the development of interventions that protect patients and healthcare services. In this commentary, we provide an overview of thunderstorm asthma and briefly describe an epidemic affecting Leicester, UK in June 2023. Our analysis highlights Cladosporium spores as a key player in mediating UK thunderstorm asthma. Low levels of background treatment in adults and an increase in emergency assessments but not hospitalisations in children suggest that epidemics could be prevented by improving awareness and ensuring access to standard inhaled therapies. Finally, we consider future risk and suggest research priorities with an ultimate goal of minimising the adverse impact related to thunderstorm asthma going forward.
Source: BMJ Open Respiratory Research
Language: English
Subfield: Physiology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,085
Funders: University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, National Institute for Health Research Health Protection Research Unit, National Institute for Health and Care Research, Department of Health and Social Care, University of Leicester, Health and Safety Executive, NIHR Leicester Biomedical Research Centre
Awards: G2446988200, G5004139040, G7340365366
OpenAlex ID: W4409588439