Asthma control and exacerbations in patients with severe asthma treated with omalizumab in Portugal.
The analysis of outcomes from patients with severe asthma treated with omalizumab, using real-life prospective data, should contribute to future informed decisions about this treatment in Portugal. The aim of this study was to assess the clinical effect of omalizumab in Portuguese patients with severe persistent allergic asthma, considering specifically asthma control and exacerbations. This was an observational, prospective, multicentre study. Data were collected at routine care over a 12-month period. Disease control was defined by Control of Allergic Rhinitis and Asthma Test (CARAT) global score >24. All asthma patients already under treatment with omalizumab in 7 departments from 6 Portuguese hospitals were included (n=48). Most (77%) patients were female and the mean (SD) age was 51.9 (10.2) years old. During the study period, asthma was controlled in 34% of the visits and the 12-month exacerbation rate was 1.7 per patient (0.6 with unscheduled medical care). One-third of the patients needed unscheduled medical care because of asthma and 29% had to start or increase oral corticosteroid. There was still a 41% reduction in the total sum of oral corticosteroids usage from the first to the last trimester of the study. During routine treatment with omalizumab, Portuguese patients with severe asthma achieved asthma control in 1/3 of the visits and only 1/3 needed unscheduled or Emergency Room care because of asthma exacerbations. These outcomes support the maintenance of the clinical effect during treatment with omalizumab in routine care in Portugal.
Center for Research in Health Technologies and Information Systems, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal. Electronic address: anasasousa@gmail.com.
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AS
Sousa
Allergy Department, Centro Hospitalar de São João, EPE, Porto, Portugal; Allergy Unit, CUF Porto Instituto e CUF Porto Hospital, Portugal; Health Information and Decision Sciences Department, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal. Electronic address: ambrpereira@gmail.com.
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AM
Pereira
Center for Research in Health Technologies and Information Systems, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal; Allergy Unit, CUF Porto Instituto e CUF Porto Hospital, Portugal; Health Information and Decision Sciences Department, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal. Electronic address: fonseca.ja@gmail.com.
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JA
Fonseca
Center for Research in Health Technologies and Information Systems, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal; Health Information and Decision Sciences Department, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal. Electronic address: lazevedo@med.up.pt.
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Azevedo
Allergy Department, Hospital Pedro Hispano Unidade Local de Saúde de Matosinhos, EPE, Matosinhos, Portugal. Electronic address: cristina.lopes.abreu@gmail.com.
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Abreu
Pulmonology Department, Hospital Geral de Coimbra Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de Coimbra, EPE, Coimbra, Portugal. Electronic address: ana.arrobas@gmail.com.
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Arrobas
Pulmonology Department, Centro Hospitalar de Trás os Montes e Alto Douro, EPE, Vila Real, Portugal. Electronic address: brandao.calvo@sapo.pt.
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Calvo
Pulmonology Department, Centro Hospitalar de Trás os Montes e Alto Douro, EPE, Vila Real, Portugal. Electronic address: mjcsilvestre@yahoo.com.br.
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MJ
Silvestre
Allergy Department, Centro Hospitalar do Porto, EPE, Porto, Portugal. Electronic address: leonorcunhagraca@hotmail.com.
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Cunha
Allergy Department, Centro Hospitalar do Porto, EPE, Porto, Portugal. Electronic address: falcao.helena@gmail.com.
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Falcão
Pulmonology Department, Centro Hospitalar de São João, EPE, Porto, Portugal. Electronic address: marta.drummond@gmail.com.
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Drummond
Allergy Department, Centro Hospitalar do Alto Ave, EPE, Guimarães, Portugal. Electronic address: luisageraldes@hotmail.com.
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L
Geraldes
Pulmonology Department, Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de Coimbra, EPE, Coimbra, Portugal. Electronic address: cl_loureiro@hotmail.com.
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Loureiro
Asthma control; Exacerbations; Observational study; Omalizumab; Severe asthma