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Omalizumab Can Spare Patients With Severe Persistent Allergic Asthma From Steroid Use: Presented at AAAAI By Em Brown WASHINGTON, DC -- March 19, 2009 -- Omalizumab for the management of asthma can allow patients to regain control of their disease without the use of oral corticosteroids, researchers stated here at annual meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) Annual Meeting. Furthermore, if patients are already on steroids, omalizumab may allow them to taper off as disease control is regained. Mathieu Molimard, MD, Department of Pharmacology, CHU Pellegrin Carreire, Bordeaux, France presented the results of a study of 411 patients with severe persistent allergic asthma requiring treatment with omalizumab to control exacerbation of their disease on March 16. Dr. Molimard and colleagues analysed data to assess the oral corticosteroid-sparing effect of the immunoglobulin E antibody. All patients in the study had been on omalizumab for a minimum of 16 weeks and 199 (48.4%) were on maintenance oral corticosteroids at baseline. Of the patients on steroids at baseline, 110 (55.3%) stopped or reduced corticosteroid use at the time of data collection. A total of 42 patients (21.1%) were able to completely discontinue use of steroids. Oral corticosteroid use had remained stable or increased in 88 patients (44.2%). Mean baseline dose was 19.6 mg. Mean dose at follow-up was 11.9 mg. This translated to a mean percentage reduction from baseline of 32.8%. In patients who were able to stop or reduce maintenance oral steroid therapy, mean percentage reduction from baseline dose was 71.3% (mean baseline dose was 23.0 mg in this group and mean dose at follow-up was 8.0 mg). "European real-life experience demonstrates the oral corticosteroid-sparing potential of omalizumab in some patients with severe persistent allergic asthma," Dr. Molimard concluded. The study was funded by a grant from Novartis Pharma. [Presentation title: European Real-Life Experience of Omalizumab (Xolair) and Maintenance Oral Corticosteroid Use in Patients With Severe Persistent Allergic Asthma. Abstract 596] E-mail this page to a friend or colleague! To print, use this version