Benralizumab is an anti-IL-5 receptor alpha monoclonal antibody that induces the near-complete depletion of eosinophils. This study aimed to evaluate the long-term safety and effectiveness of benralizumab in patients with severe eosinophilic asthma (SEA) over an extended 48-month follow-up period, offering one of the longest real-world perspectives available. This was a single-arm, retrospective, observational, multicenter study involving 123 SEA patients treated with benralizumab at a dosage of 30 mg every 4 weeks for the first 3 doses and then every 8 weeks.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIf a cypress-sensitized patient experiences severe reactions to fruits-particularly with periorbital angioedema and cofactors present-consider testing for Pru p 7-specific IgE, even if initial tests, such as specific IgE to peach and SPT with peach extract, are negative.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Benralizumab, a monoclonal IgG antibody, has emerged as a key therapeutic agent in severe asthma by specifically targeting eosinophils, pivotal cells that drive inflammation and tissue damage. Over the past two decades, the availability of such targeted therapies has allowed patients to achieve better disease control. Real-world evidence has consistently demonstrated the effectiveness of benralizumab in managing severe asthma.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCurr Opin Allergy Clin Immunol
October 2024
Randomized controlled trials have demonstrated responses to clinical parameters, but a significant proportion of allergy patients in real-life settings would have been excluded from such studies. Therefore, real-world research is needed, and there is a growing body of information on allergen immunotherapy's long-term effectiveness and safety. Real-world evidence can be a valuable instrument to better understand the patient's journey and the effectiveness and safety of therapies.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Aging implies changes in terms of lung function, immune system, and respiratory and extra-respiratory comorbidities. Few studies have specifically addressed the relevance of age on severe asthma burden and control. We aimed to evaluate whether age acts as an independent determinant of asthma severity, in terms of clinical, functional, and inflammatory profile, and to explore potential cofactors that contribute to a more difficult disease control in different age groups.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: Initiated by the Severe Asthma Network Italy (SANI), this study aims to explore asthma patients' perceptions of disease severity, differentiating between mild and severe asthma. The objective is to identify factors influencing tailored treatment strategies for varying disease severities and to provide insights into asthma care in Italy.
Methods: Conducted between November 2020 and January 2021, a survey using Computer-Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI) collected data from 308 Italian adults, representing the population.
The development of monoclonal antibodies that selectively target IgE and type 2 immunity has opened new possibilities in the treatment of allergies. Although they have been used mainly as single therapies found to have efficacy in the management of asthma and other T2-mediated diseases, there is a growing interest in using these monoclonal antibodies in combination with allergen immunotherapy (AIT). AIT has transformed the treatment of allergic diseases by aiming to modify the underlying immune response to allergens rather than just providing temporary symptom relief.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: Achieving remission in severe asthma holds paramount importance in elevating patient quality of life and reducing both individual and societal burdens associated with this chronic condition. This study centers on identifying pivotal patient-relevant endpoints through standardized, reproducible methods, while also developing a patient-centric definition of remission, essential for effective disease management.
Methods: A discrete choice experiment (DCE) was conducted to assess patients' perceptions on the four primary criteria for defining severe asthma remission, as outlined by the SANI survey.
Background: In its severe form, where possible, asthma is treated using biological drugs in order to reduce, as much as possible, the use of systemic steroids. Mepolizumab is effective for severe asthma based on key outcomes such as exacerbation and steroid dependence. Its efficacy in terms of the criteria for clinical remission in the short and long term has become of interest.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAsthma is a disease characterised by heterogeneous and multifaceted airway inflammation. Despite the availability of effective treatments, a substantial percentage of patients with the type 2 (T2)-high, but mainly the T2-low, phenotype complain of persistent symptoms, airflow limitation, and poor response to treatments. Currently available biologicals target T2 cytokines, but no monoclonal antibodies or other specific therapeutic options are available for non-T2 asthma.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCurr Opin Allergy Clin Immunol
June 2024
Objective: Patients' perceptions of asthma symptoms, and attitudes regarding diagnosis and management, can affect their ability to reach good asthma control. The aim of the study was to explore patients' perceptions of asthma management, with focus on treatment with oral corticosteroids (OCS).
Methods: A DOXAPHARMA survey was conducted.
Purpose: Severe eosinophilic asthma (SEA) patients often present overlapping inflammatory features rendering them eligible for multiple biologic therapies; switching biologic treatment is a strategy adopted to optimize asthma control when patients show partial or no response to previous biologics.
Patients And Methods: ANANKE is a retrospective, multicenter Italian study (NCT04272463). Here, we outline the characteristics and long-term clinical outcomes in naïve-to-biologics and biologics-experienced patients treated with benralizumab for up to 96 weeks.
Background: The management of uncontrolled severe asthma has greatly improved since the advent of novel biologic therapies. Up to August 2022, five biologics have been approved for the type 2 asthma phenotype: anti-IgE (omalizumab), anti-IL5 (mepolizumab, reslizumab, benralizumab), and anti-IL4 (dupilumab) monoclonal antibodies. These drugs are usually well tolerated, although long-term safety information is limited, and some adverse events have not yet been fully characterized.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose Of Review: We aimed to reach an Italian multidisciplinary consensus on some crucial aspects of treatment decision making in CRSwNP, following 2 years of clinical experience in order to support specialists in the management of CRSwNP in clinical practice. We addressed issues relating to therapeutic decision-making and shared criteria for the treatment choice, as well as appropriate timing and criteria for evaluating treatment response, and highlighted the need for repeated multidisciplinary assessments.
Recent Findings: A national survey has been conducted recently to understand how rhinology practice has changed in Italy with the advent of biologics and how this affects patients with uncontrolled, severe CRSwNP.
Adherence to treatment is essential in chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis (CRSwNP). Intranasal corticosteroids (INCS) are the first-line therapy, followed by systemic corticosteroids and surgery if needed. In cases of refractory disease, biologics are added to conventional treatment, making adherence to INCS crucial in assessing eligibility for these targeted therapies.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDupilumab is currently approved for the treatment of Type 2 severe asthma and chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP). Few studies have specifically reported on dupilumab efficacy on asthma outcomes as a primary objective in a real-life setting, in patients with and without CRSwNP. Our study aimed to explore the efficacy of dupilumab on functional, inflammatory, and patient-reported outcomes in asthma patients across different disease phenotypes and severity, including mild-to-moderate asthma coexisting with CRSwNP.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Dupilumab, a monoclonal antibody targeting the IL-4 receptor alpha subunit, effectively blocks both IL-4 and IL-13 mediated pathways. Its introduction has represented a significant advancement in the treatment of severe asthma and other Type 2 (T2) conditions, including nasal polyps, atopic dermatitis, and eosinophilic esophagitis. To date, Dupilumab has demonstrated optimal efficacy and safety profile.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF