title: Omalizumab therapy for bullous pemphigoid.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Bullous pemphigoid (BP) responds to a variety of immunosuppressive agents and usually controls, but does not cure, the disease. Omalizumab, Food and Drug Administration-approved for asthma, selectively suppresses the activity of IgE, an important immunoglobulin in the pathogenesis of BP.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We wished to determine if systemic omalizumab would have a therapeutic effect in patients with BP.
  
  
  METHODS
  We treated 6 patients with BP using omalizumab and followed up their disease for up to 42 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Although variable, 5 of the 6 patients with BP received therapeutic benefit from systemic omalizumab (the sixth terminated treatment because of intercurrent illness) with less use of other immunosuppressants, inhibition of new bullae, less pruritus, and dramatic decreases in eosinophil counts. None of the patients had untoward side effects from omalizumab.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This was an open, uncontrolled study.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Omalizumab neutralizes the activity of IgE in patients with BP and improves the control of their disease activity.
authors: Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California.
authors: Kenneth K
authors: KK
authors: Yu
authors: Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California.
authors: Ashley B
authors: AB
authors: Crew
authors: Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa.
authors: Kelly A N
authors: KA
authors: Messingham
authors: Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa; Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Iowa City, Iowa.
authors: Janet A
authors: JA
authors: Fairley
authors: Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California; Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Los Angeles, California. Electronic address: dwoodley@usc.edu.
authors: David T
authors: DT
authors: Woodley
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018926:Anti-Allergic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D000069444:Omalizumab; D010391:Pemphigoid, Bullous / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D018926:Anti-Allergic Agents; D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000069444:Omalizumab; D007073:Immunoglobulin E
keywords: IgE; autoimmunity; bullous pemphigoid; omalizumab; pruritus