Abstract
There are less data on omalizumab treatment in pediatric asthma than in adult population. Thus, to establish the efficacy and safety of subcutaneous omalizumab as an add-on therapy, a systematic review of placebo-controlled studies was performed. Primary outcome was the frequency of asthma exacerbations. Secondary outcomes included spirometric measures, rescue medication use, asthma symptoms, health-related quality of life, and adverse events. Three randomized controlled trials (1381 participants) fulfilled the selection criteria. During the stable phase, omalizumab decreased the number of patients with at least one significant asthma exacerbation (26.7% vs. 40.6%, NNTB = 7, 95% CI, 5, 11). The predefined post hoc subgroup analysis showed that duration of treatment did not influence this result. During the steroid reduction phase, omalizumab reduced the number of patients with at least one exacerbation (RR = 0.48, 95% CI, 0.38, 0.61; NNTB = 6, 95% CI, 4, 8) and also the mean number of asthma exacerbations per patient (MD = -0.44, 95% CI, -0.72, -0.17) when compared to placebo. The frequency of serious adverse events was similar between omalizumab (5.2%) and placebo (5.6%), and there were no evidence of increased risk of hypersensitivity reactions, nor malignant neoplasms. Data indicate that the efficacy of an add-on omalizumab in patients with moderate-to-severe allergic asthma uncontrolled with recommended inhaled steroid treatment is accompanied by an acceptable safety profile.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.