title: T cell activity in successful treatment of chronic urticaria with omalizumab.
abstract: Omalizumab, a humanized monoclonal anti-IgE antibody has the potential to alter allergen processing. Recently, it has been postulated the assessment of PHA-stimulated adenosine triphosphate (ATP) activity as maker of CD4+ T cells activity in peripheral blood cells. We present the case report of a 35-year-old woman with a history of chronic idiopathic urticaria and angioedema of 8 years of development with poor response to treatment. The patient was partially controlled with cyclosporine at doses of 100 mg/12 h. However, she was still developing hives daily. Finally treatment with omalizumab was started at dose of 300 mg every 2 weeks. The patient experienced a decrease in urticarial lesions 2 days after starting therapy. We also evaluated the effects of omalizumab therapy on the activity of peripheral blood CD4+ T cells from the patient, in order to determine the potential modification of anti-IgE therapy on the process of antigen presentation-recognition. Activity of CD4+ cells by ATP release was clearly increased demonstrating an enlarged CD4 activity. Omalizumab may be useful in the treatment of severe chronic urticaria. ATP activity of peripheral blood CD4+ T cells might be a non-subjective method to assess Omalizumab activity.
authors.affiliation: Alergología, Hospital del Tórax (Ofra); Complejo Hospitalario Universitario NS Candelaria, S/C Tenerife, Spain. victor.matheu@med.lu.se.
authors.forename: Inmaculada
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sánchez-Machín
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Iglesias-Souto
authors.forename: Andrés
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Franco
authors.forename: Yvelise
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Barrios
authors.forename: Ruperto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gonzalez
authors.forename: Víctor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Matheu