Preseasonal treatment with either omalizumab or an inhaled corticosteroid boost to prevent fall asthma exacerbations.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Short-term targeted treatment can potentially prevent fall asthma exacerbations while limiting therapy exposure.

Objective

We sought to compare (1) omalizumab with placebo and (2) omalizumab with an inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) boost with regard to fall exacerbation rates when initiated 4 to 6 weeks before return to school.

Methods

A 3-arm, randomized, double-blind, double placebo-controlled, multicenter clinical trial was conducted among inner-city asthmatic children aged 6 to 17 years with 1 or more recent exacerbations (clincaltrials.gov #NCT01430403). Guidelines-based therapy was continued over a 4- to 9-month run-in phase and a 4-month intervention phase. In a subset the effects of omalizumab on IFN-α responses to rhinovirus in PBMCs were examined.

SUBMITTER: Teach SJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4679705 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature