| Title | Efficacy of omalizumab in cat-allergic patients with moderate-to-severe persistent asthma. | | Author(s) | Massanari M, Kianifard F, Zeldin R, Geba G | | Source | Allergy Asthma Proc 2009 May 22. | | Abstract | Cat allergen (Fel d 1) is a pervasive and common trigger of exacerbations in sensitized patients with IgE-mediated asthma. This study was designed to evaluate the effect on asthma-related outcome measures of adding omalizumab to current treatment in patients with moderate-to-severe persistent asthma and cat allergen sensitivity. A pooled analysis was conducted of twodouble-blind, placebo-controlled, 28-week pivotal U.S. registration trials. In all patients, asthma was inadequately controlled with moderate- high dose inhaled corticosteroids. Patients were randomized to receive subcutaneous omalizumab (minimum,0.016 mg/kg per IgE IU/mL every 4 weeks) or matched placebo. The effects of omalizumab on asthma-related outcomes were assessed for patients with cat allergen sensitivity (n=811), identified by positive skin-prick test. The mean number of asthmaexacerbations requiring treatment with systemic steroid bursts in cat allergen-sensitive patients was lower in those receiving omalizumab versus placebo (0.6 versus 1.3, respectively; relative risk=0.50, p less than 0.001). Compared with placebo, omalizumabtreatment led to significantly lower asthma symptom scores (least squares means (LSMs) treatment difference [95 percent confidence interval (CI)]:-0.57 [-0.77, -0.37]; p less than 0.001), less rescue medication use (LSMs treatment difference [95 percent CI]: -0.75 puffs of rescue beta-agonist per day [-1.04, -0.46]; p less than 0.001), and improvement in forced expiratory volume in 1 second (LSMs treatment difference [95 percent CI]: 100.84 mL [51.86, 149.81]; p less than 0.001). Patient and investigator global evaluations of treatment effectiveness paralleled these outcomes. Omalizumab improved asthma control by reducing exacerbations and decreasing symptoms in cat-allergic patients with moderate-to-severe persistent IgE-mediated asthma. | | Language | ENG | | Pub Type(s) | JOURNAL ARTICLE
| | PubMed ID | 19467177 |
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