Omalizumab offers long-term benefits in patients with severe allergic asthma

Omalizumab is an effective add-on therapy for patients with uncontrolled SAA.

Inadequately controlled severe asthma is linked to increased risk for exacerbations that may lead to increased emergency room visits and hospital admissions. Although there is evidence on the long-term efficacy of omalizumab, limited data is available on the real-life outcome beyond 1 year of the treatment.

This retrospective study included 45 patients with SAA who received omalizumab 150-600 mg every 2 or 4 wk for ?23 mo. Data on hospitalisations, exacerbations, corticosteroid sparing, asthma control, lung function, biomarkers, and side effects were used to evaluate the benefits of long-term omalizumab treatment in patient with severe allergic asthma (SAA).

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.

In conclusion, omalizumab offered sustained long-term benefits with an acceptable safety profile among patients with SAA.