Omalizumab offers long-term benefits in severe allergic asthma

In a retrospective study it has been found that Omalizumab is an effective add-on therapy for patients with uncontrolled Severe Allergic Asthma.

Asthma is a disease which has significant global incidence and there is currently no cure available . Pharmacotherapeutic intervention aims to provide patients with an increased level of disease control and reduce the severity of symptoms, and a number of inhalational therapeutic options are available.

Asthma treatment can be classed as either long-term control medication, aimed at controlling persistent asthma, or quick-relief medication, for the relief of exacerbations and acute symptoms. Long-term control medication includes inhaled corticosteroids (ICS), immunomodulators, leukotriene modifiers, cromolyn sodium, nedocromil and methylxanthines. In addition, long-acting beta-adrenoceptor agonists (LABA) can be used in combination with ICSs - but not as monotherapies - for moderate or severe persistent asthma.

Omalizumab) has been found to be effective as add-on therapy for the treatment of allergic and severe refractory eosinophilic asthma although limited data is available on the real-life outcome beyond 1 year of the treatment.

Mansur AH et al. in a retrospective study included 45 patients with SAA who received omalizumab 150-600 mg every 2 or 4 wk for ≥23 months .Various parameters used for evaluation of the benefits of long-term omalizumab treatment in patient with severe allergic asthma (SAA)include data on hospitalisations, exacerbations, corticosteroid sparing, asthma control, lung function, biomarkers, and side effects.

The researchers found tat as compared with baseline, long-term treatment with omalizumab was associated with significant reduction in mean annual per patient hospitalizations (0.89 vs 4.8; P<.00001), mean daily maintenance oral corticosteroid dose (6.0 vs 25.8 mg; P<.0001), mean asthma control questionnaire score (2.3 vs 4.0; P<.0001), median fraction exhaled nitric oxide level (24 vs 37 parts per billion; P=.0067), mean steroid courses (3.1 vs 6.1; P<.001). The Mean % predicted FEV1 significantly increased from 59.2% at baseline to 75.7% (P=.0013)). Adverse events were non-serious and did not lead to treatment withdrawal in long-term responder populations.

It was concluded that omalizumab offered sustained long-term benefits with an acceptable safety profile among patients with severe allergic asthma SAA.

References

Mansur AH, Srivastava S, Mitchell V, Sullivan J, Kasujee I. Longterm clinical outcomes of omalizumab therapy in severe allergic asthma: Study of efficacy and safety. Respir Med. 2017; 124:36-43. doi: 10.1016/j.rmed.2017.01.008. PMID: 28284319