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WOS:000505601400004 Background and Design: Urticaria is an intensely pruritic dermatologic disorder characterized by temporary erythematous and edematous lesions. Immunoglobulin E (IgE), mast cells, and histamine play a major role in its pathogenesis. H-1 antihistamines are the basis of the treatment, but they may not be sufficient for some cases. The latest guidelines advise using omalizumab, anti-IgE monoclonal antibody, for patients with refractory urticaria. Our aim was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of omalizumab in patients with chronic spontaneous urticaria and share the real-life experiences in our patients. Materials and Methods: This study, which covers the 50 months between April 2014 and June 2018, includes data of 124 chronic spontaneous urticaria patients treated with monthly subcutaneous injections of omalizumab. The 7-day urticaria activity score (UAS7) was used to compare the disease severity before and after the treatment. Results: A total of 124 patients, consisting of 75 females (60.4%) and 49 males (39.6%), were enrolled. The mean UAS7 scores before and after the treatment were 32.4 and 2.8, respectively. Before the treatment, 107 of 124 patients (86.2%) had severe urticaria, while the remaining 17 patients (13.8%) had a moderate disease. Urticarial lesions of 78 patients (63%) completely disappeared under treatment. Thirtyone patients (25%) had the disease under control. Twelve patients (9.6%) still had mild disease, and the remaining three patients (2.4%) had moderate refractory symptoms. There was no correlation between treatment response rates and the presence of thyroid autoantibodies or high IgE levels. There was no severe side effect observed during the treatment of up to 36 months (mean 11 months). Conclusion: Our results supported the literature showing that omalizumab is a rapid-acting, effective, and safe treatment choice for chronic spontaneous urticaria. |
