Clinical Remission Criteria and Serum Levels of Type 2 Inflammation Mediators during 24 Weeks of Treatment with the Anti-IL-5 Drug Mepolizumab in Patients with T2-High Severe Asthma

Abstract

Anti-interleukin (IL) 5 is an effective treatment modality for inhibiting eosinophilic inflammation in patients with T2-high severe asthma. The aim of this study was to determine the clinical efficacy and serum levels of type 2 inflammatory mediators during 24 weeks of mepolizumab treatment in patients with T2-high severe asthma. Eighteen patients with T2-high severe asthma were enrolled in this study. All patients received 100 mg of mepolizumab subcutaneously every 4 weeks and were retested at 4, 12, and 24 weeks. A clinical examination, asthma control test (ACT), and spirometry were performed; fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) levels were evaluated; and blood samples were drawn at every visit. Type 2 inflammation mediator levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The blood eosinophil level significantly decreased, the ACT score and FEV1 increased after 4 weeks of mepolizumab treatment with the same tendency after 12 and 24 weeks (p NO level did not change (p > 0.05). A total of 27.8% of patients reached clinical remission criteria after 24 weeks of mepolizumab treatment. IL-33 and eotaxin significantly increased (p p p > 0.05). In conclusion, treatment with mepolizumab over 24 weeks improved lung function and asthma control in T2-high severe asthma patients, with nearly one-third achieving clinical remission criteria, and affected the balance of type 2 inflammatory mediators.

Keywords

• T2-high severe asthma
• eosinophils
• clinical remission
• type 2 inflammation mediators
• mepolizumab