A simple nasal swab could change how kids’ asthma is diagnosed and treated

Dealing with your child’s asthma can be tough, especially when it’s hard to pinpoint exactly what’s causing it. Asthma isn’t the same for everyone—there are different types that need different treatments. But a new breakthrough could make it much easier to figure out what’s going on. Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh have developed a quick nasal swab test that can identify the specific asthma subtype in kids.

In a recent study published in JAMA, the team analyzed nasal samples from nearly 460 children, focusing on high-risk groups like Puerto Rican and African American kids. This simple swab could give doctors better insights into the cause of your child’s asthma and help them prescribe the right treatment. Instead of invasive tests, this could make diagnosing asthma faster and more accurate—revolutionizing asthma care.

What’s new in asthma diagnosis?

Asthma has always been a bit tricky to diagnose. Doctors used to rely on invasive tests, like lung tissue samples, which required putting a child under anesthesia—not ideal, especially for milder cases. Instead, they made educated guesses based on blood tests, lung function, and allergy history. But it was hard to pinpoint the exact asthma subtype. Now, a simple nasal swab test is changing all that.

How it works

This new nasal swab test is as easy as it sounds. Doctors simply collect a sample from the inside of the child’s nose and analyze it for specific immune cell activity that’s tied to different asthma endotypes. The test can identify whether the asthma is T2-high, T17-high, or low-low. These subtypes respond to different types of treatments, so knowing exactly which one your child has can help doctors choose the right meds—without any guesswork.

Why does this matter for kids, especially in minority communities?

Asthma doesn’t affect all kids equally. For example, Puerto Rican and African American children suffer from asthma at higher rates than their white peers. They’re also more likely to experience severe complications. That’s why this new test, which was studied on kids from these high-risk communities, is such a big deal. It could help provide more tailored treatments and, in the long run, save lives.

What about treatment?

For kids with T2-high asthma, there are already some great new treatments in the form of biologic drugs, which target the immune cells driving the disease. However, for the other subtypes—T17-high and low-low—there aren’t any specific treatments just yet. But with this nasal swab test, doctors can identify these less understood subtypes more easily, potentially spurring research on new treatments.

Could this test help answer other big questions?

The new test doesn’t just have the potential to improve treatments—it might also unlock some of asthma’s mysteries. For example, why do some kids’ asthma get worse as they hit puberty? Or why does asthma become more common in females as they grow older? Understanding the nuances of asthma subtypes could help researchers answer these questions and, eventually, lead to better long-term solutions.
This simple nasal swab test could change the way asthma is treated in kids. Instead of invasive tests, doctors can now get a clear idea of what’s causing the asthma and how best to treat it. It’s faster, more accurate, and could lead to better, more personalized care—especially for kids who need it most.