Allergy and asthma proceedings :
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Allergy Asthma Proc · Sep 2009
Randomized Controlled TrialEfficacy of omalizumab in cat-allergic patients with moderate-to-severe persistent asthma.
Cat allergen (Fel d 1) is a pervasive and common trigger of exacerbations in sensitized patients with IgE-mediated asthma. This study was designed to evaluate the effect on asthma-related outcome measures of adding omalizumab to current treatment in patients with moderate-to-severe persistent asthma and cat allergen sensitivity. A pooled analysis was conducted of two double-blind, placebo-controlled, 28-week pivotal U. ⋯ Compared with placebo, omalizumab treatment led to significantly lower asthma symptom scores (least squares means (LSMs) treatment difference [95% confidence interval {CI}]: -0.57 [-0.77, -0.37]; p < 0.001), less rescue medication use (LSMs treatment difference [95% CI]: -0.75 puffs of rescue beta-agonist per day [-1.04, -0.46]; p < 0.001), and improvement in forced expiratory volume in 1 second (LSMs treatment difference [95% CI]: 100.84 mL [51.86, 149.81]; p < 0.001). Patient and investigator global evaluations of treatment effectiveness paralleled these outcomes. Omalizumab improved asthma control by reducing exacerbations and decreasing symptoms in cat-allergic patients with moderate-to-severe persistent IgE-mediated asthma.