Omalizumab in Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria: A Brazilian Real-Life Experience.

BACKGROUND: Current guidelines on chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) suggest a treatment based on a 3-step approach that aims at total symptom control, starting with H1-antihistamines. However, a significant number of patients present an antihistamine-resistant urticaria that must be treated with an alternative third-line therapy such as omalizumab. METHODS: Patients with a history of CSU who did not respond to treatment with high doses of modern antihistamines were treated with 150 or 300 mg of omalizumab every 4 weeks. The response to treatment was recorded as complete (CR), partial (PR) or no response. A dose adjustment was proposed according to response. RESULTS: We treated 47 CSU patients with omalizumab (40 females), of whom 39.5% had evidence of autoimmunity. The average number of treatments was 11.4 (range 2-87). All patients had been refractory to high-dose modern antihistamines. A CR was seen in 84.6% of patients who started with 300 mg and in 60% of those who started with 150 mg. Only 1 patient had no response to both the 150- and 300-mg doses. In 6 of the PR patients with 150 mg, a higher dose of 300 mg was proposed and 4 had a CR. Four patients discontinued the treatment. No severe adverse events were reported in the patients who finished the study. DISCUSSION: Although good results were seen in both groups, CR rates were higher in those under a high-dose initial treatment. Our data strongly suggest that the therapy should be individualized.

Efficacy of House Dust Mite Sublingual Immunotherapy in Patients with Atopic Dermatitis: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Sensitization to house dust mites (HDMs) is frequent in patients with atopic dermatitis. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy of sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) with Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus extract in patients with atopic dermatitis sensitized to HDM. METHODS: In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, we enrolled 91 patients 3 years or older, with SCORing Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD) score greater than or equal to 15 and positive skin test result and/or IgE to D pteronyssinus. Patients were stratified according to age (<12 and ≥12 years) to receive HDM SLIT or placebo for 18 months. Primary outcome was a greater than or equal to 15-point decrease in SCORAD score. Secondary outcomes were decreases in SCORAD and objective SCORAD, Eczema Area and Severity Index, visual analog scale for symptoms, and pruritus scale scores; Investigator's Global Assessment 0/1; and decrease greater than or equal to 4 points in Dermatology Life Quality Index. Background therapy was maintained. RESULTS: A total of 66 patients completed the study (35 HDM SLIT, 31 placebo). After 18 months, 74.2% and 58% of patients in the HDM SLIT group and the placebo group, respectively, showed greater than or equal to 15-point decrease in SCORAD score (relative risk, 1.28; 95% CI, 0.89-1.83). Significant SCORAD score decreases from baseline of 55.6% and 34.5% in HDM SLIT and placebo groups (mean difference, 20.4; 95% CI, 3.89-37.3), significant objective SCORAD score decreases of 56.8% and 34.9% in HDM SLIT and placebo groups (mean difference, 21.3; 95% CI, 0.66-41.81), and more patients with Investigator's Global Assessment 0/1 in the HDM SLIT group as compared with the placebo group (14 of 35 vs 5 of 31; relative risk, 2.63; 95% CI, 1.09-6.39) were observed at 18 months. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that HDM SLIT may be effective in HDM-sensitized patients as an add-on treatment for atopic dermatitis.

Guia prático de urticária para grupos especiais de pacientes / Practical guide to urticaria for special patient groups

A urticária crônica é uma condição que afeta mais de um milhão de brasileiros, com grande impacto na qualidade de vida. Mesmo com diretrizes bem difundidas para o seu diagnóstico e tratamento, seu manejo pode ser desafiador em pacientes pediátricos, idosos e gestantes. Para auxiliar o médico especialista nestes casos, o Departamento Científico de Urticária da Associação Brasileira de Alergia e Imunologia elaborou esta revisão com as principais dúvidas e dificuldades referentes ao tema nestes grupos de pacientes.

Chronic urticaria is a condition that affects more than a million Brazilians with a significant impact on quality of life. Although there are well-established guidelines for diagnosis and treatment, the management of chronic urticaria may be challenging in pediatric, older, and pregnant patients. With the purpose of helping specialists manage these cases, the Urticaria Scientific Department of the Brazilian Association of Allergy and Immunology prepared this review with the most common doubts and difficulties about this topic in those patient groups.

Guia prático de urticária aguda / Practical guide to acute urticaria

A urticária aguda é uma causa frequente de consulta com alergistas, caracterizada por urticas e/ou angioedema. Embora autolimitada e benigna, pode causar desconforto significativo e raramente representar uma doença sistêmica grave ou reação alérgica com risco de vida. Nesta revisão, elaborada pelo Departamento Científico de Urticária da Associação Brasileira de Alergia e Imunologia, foram abordadas as principais questões referentes ao tema para auxiliar o médico especialista e generalista.

Acute urticaria is a frequent cause of consultations with allergists, being characterized by wheals and/or angioedema. Although self-limited and benign, it may cause significant discomfort and uncommonly represent a serious systemic disease or life-threatening allergic reaction. In this review prepared by the Urticaria Scientific Department of the Brazilian Association of Allergy and Immunology, the main questions about this topic are addressed to help specialists and general practitioners.

Guia prático do tratamento com omalizumabe para urticária crônica espontânea / Practical guide to omalizumab treatment for chronic spontaneous urticaria

A urticária crônica é uma doença com grande impacto socioeconômico e na qualidade de vida do indivíduo. O adequado conhecimento de formas de tratamento eficazes e com perfil de segurança satisfatório, assim como dos mecanismos preditores de resposta ao tratamento, são essenciais para que se alcance um controle adequado da doença. O omalizumabe é um anticorpo monoclonal anti-IgE com eficácia reconhecida e bom perfil de segurança no tratamento da urticária crônica. Objetivamos elucidar questões envolvidas no manejo desta medicação, através da revisão em literatura de estudos atuais e com relevância clínica. Foi realizado levantamento de questões importantes e pouco elucidadas, buscando respostas baseadas nestes estudos. Com isso, foram abordados aspectos práticos do tratamento com o omalizumabe, esclarecendo desde os fenótipos dos pacientes e conduta adequada para estas diferentes situações, trazendo possíveis fatores preditores de resposta ao tratamento e contemplando também um novo anticorpo monoclonal anti-IgE no manejo destes pacientes.

Chronic urticaria is a disease with great socioeconomic impact on people's quality of life. Adequate knowledge of effective treatments with a satisfactory safety profile as well as of the predictive mechanisms of response to treatment are essential for achieving adequate disease control. Omalizumab is an anti-IgE monoclonal antibody with recognized efficacy and a good safety profile in the treatment of chronic urticaria. We aim to elucidate issues involving the management of this medication through a literature review of current studies with clinical relevance. A survey of important and unclear questions was conducted, and the answers were sought in the studies. Thus, practical aspects of omalizumab treatment were addressed, including the phenotypes of patients and appropriate approaches for different situations. Possible predictive factors of response to treatment and a new anti-IgE monoclonal antibody for the management of these patients were also reported.

Renal abscess in hyper-IgE syndrome.

Kidney disease due to Aspergillus fumigatus is a rare finding in hyper-IgE syndrome. We report a patient with autosomal dominant hyper-IgE syndrome, recurrent pneumonia, and acute necrosuppurative pyelonephritis caused by Aspergillus fumigatus with a fatal outcome. We emphasize the severity and the difficulties in the management of renal complications that could be limiting the survival of these patients.

Anafilaxia a cloridrato de benzidamina: relato de caso / Anaphylaxis to benzydamine hydrochloride: a case report

Reações de hipersensibilidade a medicamentos (RHM) podem induzir manifestações clínicas heterogêneas, desde leves até graves. São classificadas em imunológicas ou alérgicas quando mediadas por anticorpos ou linfócitos T, e não imunológicas quando decorrentes de efeitos farmacológicos da droga, incluindo inibição da enzima cicloxigenase (Cox). Os dois grupos mais frequentemente implicados nas RHM são os anti-inflamatórios não esteroidais (AINEs), e os antibióticos betalactâmicos. O manejo adequado das reações aos AINEs depende da identificação do mecanismo fisiopatológico envolvido, que permitirá classificar em reator seletivo (indivíduo que reage a um único fármaco e a outros com estrutura química similar), ou reator múltiplo ou intolerante cruzado (aquele que reage a múltiplos fármacos de estrutura química não relacionada). O cloridrato de benzidamina (CBZ) é um AINE de uso frequente e relativamente seguro, sem descrições de reações graves associadas ao seu uso. Atua inibindo as enzimas Prostaglandina Endoperoxidase H Sintase 1 e/ou 2, e a Fosfolipase A2. Em pacientes com história de reações aos AINEs, o teste de provocação é a ferramenta diagnóstica padrão ouro para confirmar ou excluir a reatividade cruzada a outros AINEs e definir um fármaco alternativo seguro. Descreveremos um caso raro de anafilaxia ao CBZ durante teste de provocação oral.

Hypersensitivity drug reactions (HDRs) may induce mild to severe heterogeneous clinical manifestations. They are classified as immunological or allergic when mediated by antibodies or T lymphocytes, and non-immunological when resulting from pharmacological effects of the drug, including inhibition of the cyclooxygenase (Cox) enzyme. The two groups of drugs most frequently implicated in HDRs are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and beta-lactam antibiotics. Appropriate management of NSAID reactions depends on identification of the pathophysiological mechanism involved, which will allow to classify the patient as selective reactor (patient reacting to a single drug and others with similar chemical structure) or multiple or cross-intolerant reactor (patient reacting to multiple drugs with unrelated chemical structure). Benzydamine hydrochloride (BZH) is a frequently used, relatively safe NSAID for which descriptions of severe reactions are not available. BZH acts inhibiting the enzymes prostaglandin endoperoxide H synthase (PGHS) 1 and/ or 2 and phospholipase A2. In patients with a history of NSAID reactions, the challenge test is the gold standard diagnostic tool to confirm or exclude cross-reactivity to other NSAIDs, and to define a safe alternative drug. In this paper, we describe a rare case of anaphylaxis to BZH during an oral drug provocation test.