AUTHOR=Chong Weikun , Li Hailang , Wang Juan 

TITLE=Therapeutic efficacy of omalizumab in children with moderate-to-severe allergic asthma combined with chronic sinusitis

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Allergy

VOLUME=4

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/allergy/articles/10.3389/falgy.2023.1236798

DOI=10.3389/falgy.2023.1236798

ISSN=2673-6101

ABSTRACT=<sec><title>Background</title><p>Omalizumab has been approved for treating moderate-to-severe asthma in children aged over 6 years. Its application to asthmatic children with other allergic diseases has been rarely explored. The present study aims to explore the therapeutic efficacy of omalizumab in children with moderate-to-severe allergic asthma combined with chronic sinusitis.</p></sec><sec><title>Methods</title><p>The clinical data of children diagnosed with moderate-to-severe allergic asthma combined with chronic sinusitis and treated with omalizumab between September 2020 and April 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. Lung function indexes such as Childhood Asthma Control Test (C-ACT) scores, fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO), and forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV<sub>1</sub>) percent predicted (FEV<sub>1</sub>%pred), small airway function indexes, and the clinical symptoms of chronic sinusitis were analyzed.</p></sec><sec><title>Results</title><p>A total of 26 children were observed for 16 weeks. After 16 weeks of omalizumab treatment, the significantly increased C-ACT scores (15.57 ± 3.25 points vs. 24.98 ± 5.21 points, <italic>F</italic> = 15.7112, <italic>P </italic>&lt; 0.001) and decreased FeNO (31.55 ± 15.57 ppb vs. 19.86 ± 9.80 ppb, <italic>F</italic> = 4.4265, <italic>P </italic>= 0.0022), compared with those at baseline, were suggestive of well-controlled symptoms of asthma and improved lung function. FEV<sub>1</sub>%pred and FEV<sub>1</sub>/forced vital capacity (FVC) ratio (the ratio of the forced expiratory volume in the first 1 s to the forced vital capacity) increased after omalizumab treatment, although no significant differences were detected (<italic>P </italic>= 0.9954 and 0.9382, respectively). Peak expiratory flow (PEF) percent predicted (PEF%pred) and forced expiratory flow at 75% of FVC (FEF<sub>75%</sub>), 50% of FVC (FEF<sub>50%</sub>), and 25%–75% of FVC (FEF<sub>25%–75%</sub>) significantly increased after omalizumab treatment (<italic>P </italic>= 0.0477, &lt;0.001, &lt;0.001, and &lt;0.001, respectively). Visual analog scale scores significantly decreased after omalizumab treatment (6.40 ± 2.98 points vs. 0.85 ± 0.40 points, <italic>t</italic> = 27.2419, <italic>P </italic>&lt; 0.001), suggesting alleviation in the clinical symptoms of chronic sinusitis.</p></sec><sec><title>Conclusion</title><p>In this study, it was found that omalizumab can effectively alleviate clinical symptoms and improve lung function and quality of life in children with moderate-to-severe allergic asthma combined with chronic sinusitis.</p></sec>