Clinical and Translational Allergy (Jul 2021)

Real‐life effectiveness of biological therapies on symptoms in severe asthma with comorbid CRSwNP

  • Carlo Mümmler,
  • Kristin Dünzelmann,
  • Nikolaus Kneidinger,
  • Michaela Barnikel,
  • Dieter Munker,
  • Moritz Gröger,
  • Martin Canis,
  • Jürgen Behr,
  • Andrea Koch,
  • Frank Haubner,
  • Katrin Milger

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/clt2.12049
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 11, no. 5
pp. n/a – n/a

Abstract

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Abstract Background We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of different antibody therapies on nasal polyp symptoms in patients treated for severe asthma. Methods We performed a retrospective analysis of patients with severe asthma and comorbid CRSwNP who were treated with anti‐IgE, anti‐IL‐5/R or anti‐IL‐4R. CRSwNP symptom burden was evaluated before and after 6 months of therapy. Results Fifty patients were included hereof treated with anti‐IgE: 9, anti‐IL‐5/R: 26 and anti‐IL‐4R: 15 patients. At baseline median SNOT‐20 was similar among groups (anti‐IgE: 55, anti‐IL‐5/R: 52 and anti‐IL‐4R: 56, p = 0.76), median visual analogue scale (VAS) for nasal symptoms was 4, 7 and 8 (p = 0.14) and VAS for total symptoms was higher in the anti‐IL‐4R group (4, 5 and 8, p = 0.002). After 6 months SNOT‐20 improved significantly in all patient groups with median improvement of anti‐IgE: −8 (p < 0.01), anti‐IL‐5/R: −13 (p < 0.001) and anti‐IL‐4R: −18 (p < 0.001), with larger improvement in the anti‐IL‐4R group than in anti‐IgE (p < 0.001) and anti‐IL‐5/R (p < 0.001) groups. VAS nasal symptoms improved by median anti‐IgE: 0 (n.s.), anti‐IL‐5/R: −1 (p < 0.01) and anti‐IL‐4R: −3 (p < 0.001), VAS total symptoms by anti‐IgE: −1 (n.s.), anti‐IL‐5/R: −2 (p < 0.001) and anti‐IL‐4R: −2 (p < 0.001). Conclusions Treatment by all antibodies showed effectiveness in reducing symptoms of CRSwNP in patients with severe asthma, with the largest reduction observed in anti‐IL‐4R‐treated patients.

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