Omalizumab (anti-IgE) therapy in the asthma-COPD overlap syndrome (ACOS) and its effects on circulating cytokine levels.
BACKGROUND
The term "asthma-chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) overlap syndrome" (ACOS) has been applied to the condition, in which a person has clinical features of both asthma and COPD.


METHODS
The patients (N = 10) were presented to our clinic with low lung function, limited reversibility of airway obstruction, hyperinflation, abnormal body composition, dyspnea and episodic wheezing. Based on the clinical and laboratory findings, the patients were diagnosed with ACOS. Patients' serum IL-2 (sIL-2), sIL-4 sIL-6, sIL-10, sIL-17, sTNF-α and sIFN-γ levels were investigated as an apoptotic marker and a marker for inflammation.


RESULTS
Having undergone omalizumab treatment and a long-term (12 months) later, patients had a decreased IgE, fractional exhaled nitric oxide concentrations (FENO), eosinophil, neutrophils, macrophages, eosinophil cationic peptide (ECP) and sIL-4 levels.


CONCLUSIONS
To our knowledge, this is the first documentation of omalizumab use in ACOS. We demonstrated decreased IL-4, allergic pulmonary symptoms (dyspnea, wheezing, bronchial hyper responsiveness) and migraine attacks in the patients.
a Department of Internal Medicine, Clinical Immunology and Allergy Unit , Antalya Research Hospital , Antalya , Turkey ;
Arzu Didem
AD
Yalcin
b Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine , Antalya Research Hospital , Antalya , Turkey ;
Betul
B
Celik
c Department of Infections Unit , Akdeniz University , Antalya , Turkey.
Ata Nevzat
AN
Yalcin
D000368:Aged; D001249:Asthma / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000069444:Omalizumab / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology
D016207:Cytokines; D000069444:Omalizumab; D007073:Immunoglobulin E
Anti-IgE; asthma–COPD overlap syndrome; migraine attacks; omalizumab; sIFN-γ; sIL-10; sIL-17; sIL-4; sIL-6; sTNF-α; serum IL-2 (sIL-2)