EFFICACY OF OMALIZUMAB TREATMENT FOR PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC SPONTANEOUS URTICARIA

Abstract

Background. Chronic spontaneous urticaria is defined as itchy hives, lasting for 6 and more weeks, with or without angioedema. Part of the patients do not have a response to a standard therapy with H1 antihistamines even taking four times their licensed doses. Omalizumab is a monoclonal anti-IgE antibody, recommended as a most effective III step treatment for chronic, antihistamines resistant spontaneous urticaria. Aim. To evaluate effectiveness of omalizumab in chronic spontaneous urticaria. Methods. In this article we present a retrospective analysis of 22 patients with an antihistamine resistant chronic spontaneous urticaria, treated with omalizumab in Department of Immunology and Allergology of Hospital of Lithuania University of Health Sciences Kauno klinikos. Activity of the disease was evaluated using urticaria activity score (UAS7) before and after treatment with omalizumab. Results. Reduction of chronic urticaria symptoms (urticaria activity score decreased more than 50 percent) was observed in 18 patients (81.8%), seven patients (31.8%) had decreased symptoms after first injection of omalizumab, eight of the patients (47.1%) who had finished 6 month treatment course, had renewal of urticaria symptoms and the treatment was continued. Conclusion. Omalizumab markedly reduce urticaria activity in patients with antihistamine-resistant chronic spontaneous urticaria.  Omalizumab did not lose effectiveness after its reintroduction in treatment of relapsed chronic spontaneous urticaria.