Asthma associated with eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA) is often severe and corticosteroid-dependent, leading to significant morbidity. Mepolizumab and benralizumab are humanized monoclonal antibodies targeting interleukin 5 (IL-5) and its receptor, respectively. They have been shown to be effective in steroid-sparing in patients with severe eosinophilic asthma.
Our aim was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of mepolizumab and benralizumab prescribed for severe asthma in patients with EGPA under “real-world” conditions.
This was a retrospective analysis of patients with EGPA and persistent asthma who received either mepolizumab 100 or 300 mg administered every 4 weeks, or benralizumab 30 mg administered every 4 weeks for the initial 3 injections and followed by an injection every 8 weeks thereafter, whilst combined with oral glucocorticoids. The follow-up every 6 ± 3 months included an assessment of clinical manifestations, pulmonary function tests and eosinophil cell count. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients at 12 months receiving a daily oral dose of prednisone or equivalent of 4 mg or less with a BVAS of 0.
Twenty-six patients were included. After 12 months of treatment with mepolizumab or benralizumab, 32% of patients met the primary outcome and were receiving less than 4 mg of prednisone per day with a BVAS of 0. The median dose of prednisone was 10 mg per day at baseline, 9 mg at 6 months, and 5 mg at 12 months (
In this real-world study in patients with severe asthma and a history of EGPA asthma, mepolizumab and benralizumab had a significant steroid-sparing effect and reduced asthma exacerbation, but no significant effect on lung function.