According to a study published in the Journal of Asthma and Allergy by researchers C.-T. Hung, C.-Y. An, C.-W. Suk, T.-W. Lee, and S.-H. Hung, adult patients with asthma and type 2 diabetes who use tirzepatide experience a similar risk of asthma exacerbations over a 12-month period compared to those using semaglutide. The retrospective cohort analysis evaluated electronic health record data from 16,352 matched adults across the United States to compare how the two incretin therapies impact respiratory outcomes.
Comparative Asthma Exacerbation Rates in Tirzepatide and Semaglutide Users
The multicenter study tracked 8,176 tirzepatide users and 8,176 semaglutide users after applying 1:1 propensity score matching. Researchers found that asthma exacerbations occurred in 11.0% of tirzepatide users and 11.1% of semaglutide users. Kaplan-Meier analyses confirmed no difference in time to the first asthma exacerbation between the two medication cohorts over the 12-month study window.
Subgroup evaluations further demonstrated consistent results. The risk of exacerbation remained comparable across patients grouped by baseline body mass index, hemoglobin A1c levels, heart failure, chronic kidney disease, prednisone use, and history of previous asthma exacerbations. Follow-up intervals examined at six and 18 months, alongside a sensitivity analysis extending the new-user washout period to two years, yielded matching conclusions.
Secondary Respiratory Outcomes and Medication Prescriptions
While overall exacerbation rates matched closely, secondary outcomes revealed a divergence in rescue medication usage. According to the published data, tirzepatide users exhibited a lower likelihood of receiving a short-acting beta-agonist prescription compared to semaglutide users. However, the risk of receiving a systemic corticosteroid prescription remained balanced between both treatment groups.
Study authors noted that despite tirzepatide’s greater weight reduction and glycemic control profiles, these metabolic improvements did not translate into a greater reduction in asthma exacerbations over the one-year follow-up timeframe. They suggest that the metabolic improvements achieved during the one-year follow-up may have been insufficient to meaningfully affect the risk of exacerbations.
Did You Know? Approximately 13% to 16% of individuals diagnosed with asthma also live with type 2 diabetes, a clinical overlap frequently linked to poorer overall disease control and increased healthcare utilization.
Study Methodology and Baseline Patient Matching
The retrospective investigation utilized electronic health record data from the TriNetX United States Collaborative Network. Investigators included adults aged 18 and older diagnosed with both asthma and type 2 diabetes who initiated either tirzepatide or semaglutide between June 1, 2022, and December 1, 2024, with follow-up concluding on December 1, 2025. Qualifying patients required at least two medical encounters for each condition in the preceding year and had no prior use of GLP-1 RAs or GIP/GLP-1 RAs during the preceding year.
Before matching, the cohort comprised 8,178 tirzepatide users and 28,135 semaglutide users, displaying demographic variations such as a higher proportion of White patients in the tirzepatide group. Propensity score matching successfully balanced baseline covariates, resulting in a mean follow-up duration of 352.2 days for tirzepatide users and 355.4 days for semaglutide users.
Investigators acknowledged several limitations within the observational design. Potential drawbacks include residual confounding, the absence of direct measures for asthma severity, and the reliance on prescription-based exposure measurement and International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision codes rather than active clinical tracking. The methodology did not account for treatment discontinuation or switching, nor did it differentiate exacerbation severity.
Because of potential outcome misclassification and the observational framework, the research team emphasized that these findings require cautious interpretation. They concluded that randomized controlled trials are necessary to clarify the comparative effects of these therapies on asthma outcomes in this patient population.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did tirzepatide reduce asthma exacerbations more than semaglutide?
No. According to the study published in the Journal of Asthma and Allergy, both therapies showed nearly identical rates of asthma exacerbations, at 11.0% for tirzepatide and 11.1% for semaglutide.
Did the two medications differ in rescue medication prescriptions?
Yes. Tirzepatide users showed a lower likelihood of receiving a short-acting beta-agonist prescription, though systemic corticosteroid prescription risks were similar between both groups.
How long was the patient tracking period in this research?
The study tracked matched adult patients over a 12-month period, with mean follow-up durations approaching 352 days for tirzepatide and 355 days for semaglutide.
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