Purpose of review
NSAID-Exacerbated Disease (N-ERD) is a chronic eosinophilic inflammatory disorder of the respiratory tract occurring in patients with
asthma and/or
rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps, whose symptoms are exacerbated by NSAIDs. The purpose of this review is to provide an update on clinical characteristics, pathophysiology, and management of N-ERD, and to emphasize
heterogeneity of this syndrome.
Recent findings
Growing evidence indicates that N-ERD, which has been considered a separate
asthma phenotype, is heterogenous, and can be divided in several subphenotypes varying in clinical characteristics. Pathophysiology of N-ERD is complex and extends beyond abnormalities in the arachidonic acid metabolism.
Heterogeneity of pathophysiological mechanisms underlying development of airway inflammation seems to be associated with variability in response to both anti-inflammatory and disease-specific treatments (e.g., with aspirin after desensitization).
Summary
Progress in understanding of the pathophysiology of N-ERD leads to discovery and validation of new biomarkers facilitating diagnosis and predicting the response to treatment of the chronic inflammation underlying upper (CRSwNP) and lower airway (
asthma) symptoms. Better characterization of the immunophysiopathological
heterogeneity of N-ERD (identification of endotypes) may allow more personalized, endotype-driven approach to treatment in the future.
