title: Successful desensitization of three patients with hypersensitivity reactions to omalizumab.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Omalizumab is prescribed as a step-up therapy for patients with moderate to severe allergic asthma uncontrolled on high-dose inhaled corticosteroids and long acting beta agonists. However, hypersensitivity reactions may lead to its discontinuation and subsequent worsening or loss of asthma control. No successful desensitization protocols to omalizumab have been previously reported.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We aimed to determine the efficacy and safety of a novel one-day outpatient omalizumab desensitization protocol for patients with hypersensitivity reactions to omalizumab.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively assessed the efficacy of omalizumab desensitization protocol performed in a university allergy-immunology clinic from July 2009 to July 2010.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We successfully desensitized 3 patients with moderate-severe asthma to omalizumab. After desensitization all patients had improvement in asthma control and were able to discontinue or decrease chronic systemic steroid therapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This novel outpatient omalizumab desensitization protocol was a safe and effective approach for the treatment of omalizumab hypersensitivity in patients with moderate to severe allergic asthma who required omalizumab therapy.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, UPMC Montefiore, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
authors.forename: Gregory
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Owens
authors.forename: Andrej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Petrov
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D003888:Desensitization, Immunologic / Q000379:methods*; D004342:Drug Hypersensitivity / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000069444:Omalizumab; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents; D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000069444:Omalizumab