Open AccessOmalizumab for severe allergic asthma: a life changing drug?
Author(s) -
Mesonjesi Eris,
Piluri Ziu Erjola,
Priftanji Alfred,
Qama Diana
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
clinical and translational allergy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.979
H-Index - 37
ISSN - 2045-7022
DOI - 10.1186/2045-7022-5-s2-p18
Subject(s) - omalizumab , medicine , asthma , spirometry , allergy , quality of life (healthcare) , pediatrics , observational study , immunoglobulin e , intensive care medicine , immunology , antibody , nursing
Background Asthma is an airway condition and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. The recent updates for treatment of asthma recommends omalizumab for use as add-on therapy in adults and children >6 years of age with inadequately controlled severe persistent allergic asthma. Omalizumab, a humanized anti-IgE mAb, specifically binds free IgE. The clinical efficacy of omalizumab has been well documented in a number of clinical trials. In these studies omalizumab reduced exacerbations, asthma symptoms, inhaled corticosteroid and rescue medication use, and improved quality of life. Similar benefits have been reported in observational studies in “real-world” populations of patients. In our clinic we started recently using omalizumab in patients with severe allergic asthma using several biomarkers to monitor the asthma severity like spirometry, exhaled NO (FeNO), asthma control test (ACT), rhinitis control test. The data are still being collected since most of the patients are within the 16 week period of evaluation. We want to present one case from them that has completed the 16 week of treatment.