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Via: Dr. Ivancevich.
A study into efficacy of omalizumab therapy in patients with severe persistent allergic asthma at a tertiary referral centre for asthma in Ireland
+ Author Affiliations
- Address correspondence to Dr A. Subramaniam, Department of Respiratory Medicine, The Adelaide and Meath Hospital, Belgard Road, Tallaght, Dublin 24, Ireland. email: dr.abisubra@gmail.com
- Received December 31, 2012.
- Revision received January 19, 2013.
Abstract
Background: Asthma is a
chronic airway disease characterized by airway inflammation, bronchial
hyperresponsiveness and airflow obstruction.
Patients with persistent symptoms despite maximum
standard treatment as per Global Initiative of Asthma guidelines are
considered
to have severe persistent asthma. Omalizumab is a
recombinant humanized monoclonal antibody licenced for use as an add-on
therapy in these patients. Aim: To assess the clinical benefit amongst responders to omalizumab therapy at a tertiary referral centre. Methods: This was a retrospective audit assessing the effect of omalizumab therapy on asthma control, frequency of exacerbation and
hospitalization rates over 6 months before and after therapy. Results: The study included 30 responders (14 females). There was a reduction in exacerbation and hospitalization rates following
initiation of omalizumab, 73 and 91%, respectively (P-value < 0.0001). The number of exacerbations decreased from 3.48 ± 2.20 to 0.93 ± 0.83 and the mean number of admissions
decreased from 1.07 ± 1.1 to 0.1 ± 0.40 over the study duration (P < 0.001). There was 73% reduction in the weekly need for rescue salbutamol therapy with mean of 30.33 ± 6.49 puffs to 8.23
± 1.51 puffs after omalizumab therapy (P < 0.0001). Seventy-nine per cent of patients were able to reduce their maintenance oral corticosteroid therapy. Conclusions:
Overall, responders to omalizumab therapy are less likely to experience
an asthma exacerbation and hospitalization. They
were also more likely to reduce maintenance
corticosteroid therapy and the need for rescue reliever therapy. These
data suggest
that omalizumab has proven effective in improving
health outcomes for a cohort of carefully selected patients with severe
allergic asthma in Ireland.
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