Publications by authors named "Julie Olsson"
Article Synopsis
- A clinical trial tested the effectiveness and safety of omalizumab, an anti-IgE antibody, for treating multiple food allergies in individuals aged 1 to 55, primarily focusing on its ability to allow safe consumption of peanuts and other allergic foods.
- Out of 462 people screened, 177 children and adolescents completed the study, with 67% of those on omalizumab successfully consuming 600 mg of peanut protein without severe reactions, compared to only 7% of the placebo group.
- The results showed similar success rates for other allergenic foods (cashew, milk, and egg), with overall safety profiles being comparable, though more injection-site reactions were reported in those receiving omalizumab.
Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified many common variant loci associated with asthma susceptibility, but few studies investigate the genetics underlying moderate-to-severe asthma risk. Here, we present a whole-genome sequencing study comparing 3181 moderate-to-severe asthma patients to 3590 non-asthma controls. We demonstrate that asthma risk is genetically correlated with lung function measures and that this component of asthma risk is orthogonal to the eosinophil genetics that also contribute to disease susceptibility.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: Trials of tocilizumab in patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia have demonstrated mixed results, and the role of tocilizumab in combination with other treatments is uncertain. Here we evaluated whether tocilizumab plus remdesivir provides greater benefit than remdesivir alone in patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia.
Methods: This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter trial included patients hospitalized with severe COVID-19 pneumonia requiring > 6 L/min supplemental oxygen.
Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbations are heterogenous and profoundly impact the disease trajectory. Bioactive lipid lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) has been implicated in airway inflammation but the significance of LPA in COPD exacerbation is not known. The aim of the study was to investigate the utility of serum LPA species (LPA16:0, 18:0, 18:1, 18:2, 20:4) as biomarkers of COPD exacerbation.
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- A phase 2 clinical trial tested lebrikizumab, an IL-13 monoclonal antibody, for treating idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) either alone or with pirfenidone.
- The study involved two cohorts: treatment-naïve patients and those already on pirfenidone, with results showing that lebrikizumab did not significantly reduce the decline in lung function over 52 weeks in either group.
- Despite pharmacodynamic activity and a favorable safety profile for lebrikizumab, the findings suggest that targeting IL-13 alone might not improve lung function outcomes in IPF patients.
Article Synopsis
- Lebrikizumab, an anti-IL-13 monoclonal antibody, was evaluated in the CLAVIER study for its effects on airway inflammation and remodeling in patients with moderate-to-severe uncontrolled asthma.
- The study involved a randomized double-blind treatment of 31 patients receiving lebrikizumab and 33 receiving a placebo, assessing changes in eosinophil levels and airway characteristics before and after 12 weeks.
- Results showed that while lebrikizumab did not significantly reduce subepithelial eosinophil counts, it led to improved lung function, reduced subepithelial collagen thickness, and was well-tolerated by patients.
Article Synopsis
- Asthma symptoms and lung function were evaluated in a study of 2,148 subjects, focusing on seasonal variations, particularly spikes during spring and autumn.
- The study measured lung function and medication use every 4 weeks over a year, revealing that lung function and quality of life tended to worsen towards winter, contrasting with the peak of symptoms in spring and autumn.
- The findings suggest that future asthma studies should consider the impact of seasonal changes to avoid biased results.
Serum periostin levels in adults of Chinese descent: an observational study.
Allergy Asthma Clin Immunol
December 2018
Background: Periostin has been shown to be a marker of Type 2 airway inflammation, associated with airway eosinophilia. It has a potential role in identifying asthmatics who may be responsive to treatment with monoclonal antibody therapy directed against Type 2 cytokines, such as interleukin (IL)-13, IL-4 receptor subunit-α and immunoglobulin E. The clinical utility of periostin measurements depends on better understanding of factors that may affect serum periostin levels, such as race.
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- Asthma is a complex disease influenced by IL-13, and a previous study showed that lebrikizumab, an anti-IL-13 treatment, did not significantly help mild-to-moderate asthma patients who weren’t on ICS therapy.
- In this Phase 3 study, 310 adult patients were randomly assigned to receive lebrikizumab, a placebo, or montelukast for 12 weeks to see if it improved lung function, measured by the change in FEV (Forced Expiratory Volume).
- The results showed that lebrikizumab led to a greater but statistically insignificant improvement in FEV compared to placebo, and montelukast showed no benefit, suggesting
Article Synopsis
- Lebrikizumab is a monoclonal antibody targeting interleukin-13, studied for treating moderate-to-severe asthma; the research aimed to understand its pharmacokinetics (how the body processes the drug) and its effects on asthma symptoms.
- The study analyzed pooled data from 11 clinical trials involving over 2,100 participants, examining various doses and their impact on asthma-related measures like exacerbation rates and lung function.
- Key findings highlighted that body weight significantly influenced the drug's effectiveness, with higher doses providing better responses for lung function but unclear results on reducing asthma attacks, indicating that optimal dosing is crucial for treatment success.
Article Synopsis
- Lebrikizumab, an anti-interleukin-13 antibody, was effective in reducing asthma exacerbation rates in phase 2 trials, particularly in patients with high type 2 biomarkers.
- *In phase 3 studies (LAVOLTA I and II), adult patients with uncontrolled asthma despite standard treatments were given lebrikizumab or a placebo to assess its efficacy and safety.
- *Results showed significant reductions in exacerbation rates over 52 weeks for biomarker-high patients, with the 37.5 mg dose having a rate ratio of 0.49 and the 125 mg dose a rate ratio of 0.70 compared to placebo.
Article Synopsis
- In a subset of asthma patients who don't respond to standard treatments, lebrikizumab, a monoclonal antibody targeting interleukin-13, shows promise in controlled trials.
- The studies involved random assignments to lebrikizumab or placebo, focusing on the rate of asthma exacerbations and considering patient serum periostin levels.
- Results indicated a 60% reduction in exacerbations for patients with high periostin levels and improvements in lung function, with no major safety issues reported.
Future directions in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis research. An NHLBI workshop report.
Am J Respir Crit Care Med
January 2014
The median survival of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) continues to be approximately 3 years from the time of diagnosis, underscoring the lack of effective medical therapies for this disease. In the United States alone, approximately 40,000 patients die of this disease annually. In November 2012, the NHLBI held a workshop aimed at coordinating research efforts and accelerating the development of IPF therapies.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHospital characteristics associated with timeliness of care in veterans with lung cancer.
Am J Respir Crit Care Med
April 2009
Rationale: Timeliness is one of six important dimensions of health care quality recognized by the Institute of Medicine.
Objectives: To evaluate timeliness of lung cancer care and identify institutional characteristics associated with timely care within the Veterans Affairs (VA) health care system.
Methods: We used data from a VA nation-wide retrospective chart review and an independent audit of VA cancer programs to examine the association between time to first treatment and potentially explanatory institutional characteristics (e.
Background: Timeliness is an important dimension of quality of care for patients with lung cancer.
Methods: We reviewed the records of consecutive patients in whom non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) had been diagnosed between January 1, 2002, and December 31, 2003, at the Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System. We used multivariable statistical methods to identify independent predictors of timely care and examined the effect of timeliness on survival.
Surgical and interventional therapies for pulmonary arterial hypertension.
Semin Respir Crit Care Med
August 2005
Surgical and interventional therapies for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in appropriately selected patients have the potential to dramatically improve or, in some cases, cure PAH. These include atrial septostomy, a palliative procedure or bridge to transplantation in patients with refractory right heart failure, pulmonary thromboendarterectomy for pulmonary hypertension associated with chronic thromboembolic disease, and closure of congenital systemic-pulmonary shunts in patients with PAH but without significant pulmonary vascular disease. Lung transplantation should be considered for patients with all forms of PAH who demonstrate advanced or progressive disease.
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