Title: Follow up of Patients With Severe Allergic Asthma on one year Anti-IgE (Omalizumab) Therapy

Authors: Brig Sarvinder Singh, Lt Col Santosh Kumar Singh, Lt Col Tentu Ajai Kumar

 DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.18535/jmscr/v7i6.87

Abstract

Introduction: Atopic patients with severe asthma frequently have poorly controlled disease despite intensive treatment. These patients are frequently treated with oral corticosteroids which can results in  serious side-effects. Anti-IgE antibody had been used in severe persistent allergic asthma. However, its long-term efficacy in patients in India has not been reported.

Aim: Anti-IgE antibody had been used in severe persistent allergic asthma in adults. Here we are presentating our experience of 30 patients with 52 weeks of Anti IgE Therapy follow-up.

Method and Materials: 30 (16 male and 14 female) patients, with mean age of 49 having severe persistent allergic asthma with recurrent exacerbations and having oral/ IV/ high dose ICS (Inhaled Corticosteroids) who received Omalizumab 300mg once a month for 6 month to 1 year were included in the study. Total dose of oral Steroids, use of rescue medications, changes in lung function ( FEV1) and ICS dose were recorded at the baseline, 16 weeks and at 52 weeks.

Results: There was significant reduction in use of oral steroid at 16 week and 52 weeks -10.5mg  and 22.5mg respectively . Use of rescue medications decreased by -7.90 puffs (p- <0.001) at 16 weeks and by -13.67 puffs (p -<0.001) at 52 weeks. Improvements in lung Function ( FEV1) observed was 700 ml from Base Line after 52 weeks therapy. ACT Score showed significant improvement at 16 wks and at 52 wks.

Conclusion: Use of anti-IgE antibody for 1 year led to significant improvement in patients with severe persistent allergic asthma.

Keywords: Allergic asthma, Asthma Control Test, Immunoglobulin E levels, Omalizumab,  Oral Corticosteroids use

References

  1. M. Humbert, R. Beasley, J. Ayres, R. Slavin, J. Hebert, J. Bousquet, et al.

Benefits of omalizumab as add-on therapy in patients with severe persistent asthma who are inadequately controlled despite best available therapy (GINA 2002 step 4 treatment): INNOVATE. Allergy, 60 (2005), pp. 309–316

  1. J.R. Curtis, A.O. Westfall, J. Allison, J.W. Bijlsma, A. Freeman, V. George, et al. Population-based assessment of adverse events associated with long-term glucocorticoid use. Arthritis Rheum, 55 (2006), pp. 420–426
  2. Hanania NA, Alpan O, Hamilos DL, Condemi JJ, Reyes-Rivera I, Zhu J, Rosen KE, Eisner MD, Wong DA, Busse W: Omalizumab in severe allergic asthma inadequately controlled with standard therapy: a randomized trial. Ann Intern Med. 2011, 154: 573-582.
  3. Omalizumab (xolair) prescribing information. Available at: http://www.emea.europa.eu/humandocs/PDFs/EPAR/Xolair/emea-combined-h606en.pdf
  4. G. D’Amato. Role of anti-IgE monoclonal antibody (omalizumab) in the treatment of bronchial asthma and allergic respiratory diseases. Eur J Pharmacol, 533 (2006), pp. 302–307
  5. GINA Guideline 2016
  6. Molimard M, Buhl R, Niven R, Le Gros V, Thielen A, Thirlwell J, Maykut R, Peachey G: Omalizumab reduces oral corticosteroid use in patients with severe allergic asthma: real-life data. Respir Med. 2010, 104: 1381-1385.
  7. Lanier B, Bridges T, Kulus M, Taylor AF, Berhane I, Vidaurre CF. Omalizumab for the treatment of exacerbations in children with inadequately controlled allergic (IgE-mediated) asthma. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2009;124(6):1210–6. 
  8. Ohta K, Miyamoto T, Amagasaki T, Yamamoto M on behalf of the Study G. Efficacy and safety of omalizumab in an Asian population with moderate-to- severe persistent asthma. Respirology. 2009;14(8):1156–65. 
  1. Rodrigo GJ, Neffen H, Castro-Rodriguez J. Efficacy and safety of subcutaneous omalizumab vs. placebo as add-on therapy to corticosteroids for children and adults with asthma. Chest. 2011;139(1):28–35.
  2. Hanania NA, Alpan O, Hamilos DL, Condemi JJ, Reyes-Rivera I, Zhu J, et al. Omalizumab in Severe Allergic Asthma Inadequately Controlled With Standard Therapy. Ann Intern Med. 2011;154(9):573–82. 
  3. Molimard M, Gros VL. Impact of Patient-Related Factors on Asthma Control. J Asthma. 2008;45(2):109–13. 
  4. Korn S, Thielen A, Seyfried S, Taube C, Kornmann O, Buhl R. Omalizumab in patients with severe persistent allergic asthma in a real-life setting in Germany Resp Med. 2009;103(11):1725–31. 
  5. Brusselle G, Michils A, Louis R, Dupont L, Van de Maele B, Delobbe A, et al. ‘Real-life’ effectiveness of omalizumab in patients with severe persistent allergic asthma: The PERSIST study. Resp Med. 2009; 103(11):1633–42. 
  6. Niven R, Chung KF, Panahloo Z, Blogg M, Ayre G. Effectiveness of omalizumab in patients with inadequately controlled severe persistent allergic asthma: An open-label study. Resp Med. 2008;102(10):1371–8. 
  7. Corren J, Casale TB, Lanier B, Buhl R, Holgate S, Jimenez P. Safety and tolerability of omalizumab. Clin Exp Allergy. 2009;39(6):788–97

Corresponding Author

Lt Col Santosh Kumar Singh

Classified Specialist in Internal Medicine, Command Hospital, Uddhampur, Jammu and Kashmir, India