270 Clinical Experience in Allergic Asthma Patients: Omalizumab with Immunotherapy

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of omalizumab and specific subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) as a treatment modality in patients with more than one allergic-type condition. METHODS: In the first group (Group A), 2 males and 7 females with severe persistent asthma and a mean age of 34.2 years received omalizumab and SCIT. In the second group (Group B), 4 males and 2 females with severe persistent asthma and a mean age of 52.7 years received omalizumab only. In the third group (Group C), 1 male and 3 females with severe persistent asthma and a mean age of 28.8 years received omalizumab followed by SCIT. All patients were followed for 2 years and comparisons were made using pulmonary function tests and asthma control tests. RESULTS: The patients studied had severe persistent asthma for periods ranging from 2 to 10 years, and in addition had been diagnosed as allergic asthmatics for 5 to 40 years. The mean IgE levels were as follows: Group A: 553.9 IU/mL; Group B: 422.3 IU/Ml; and Group C: 383.5 IU/mL. In all 3 groups results in the asthma control test increased by 2.5 fold over the period of study. CONCLUSIONS: After the addition of SCIT to omalizumab therapy at 48 week of our study, no change was detected in urticarial attack rates. In another 17 year old male patient with moderate allergic rhinoconjunctivitis, asthma and atopic dermatitis, omalizumab administration with SCIT at the same time, increased the severity of atopic dermatitis. We stopped the immunotherapy than the skin lesions lost.omalizumab therapy is continued.