International archives of allergy and immunology
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Int. Arch. Allergy Immunol. · Jan 2015
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter StudyIcatibant for Multiple Hereditary Angioedema Attacks across the Controlled and Open-Label Extension Phases of FAST-3.
In randomized, controlled, double-blind, multicenter phase 3 studies, one icatibant injection was efficacious and generally well tolerated in patients with a single hereditary angioedema (HAE) attack. Here, the efficacy and safety of icatibant for multiple HAE attacks was evaluated across the controlled and open-label extension phases of the For Angioedema Subcutaneous Treatment (FAST)-3 study (NCT00912093). ⋯ Icatibant was efficacious and generally well tolerated across multiple HAE attacks, including laryngeal attacks.
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Int. Arch. Allergy Immunol. · Jan 2015
ReviewUsefulness of noninvasive methods for the study of bronchial inflammation in the control of patients with asthma.
Bronchial asthma is one of the most prevalent respiratory conditions. Although it is defined as an inflammatory disease, the current guidelines for both diagnosis and follow-up of patients are based only on clinical and lung function parameters. Current research is focused on finding markers that can accurately predict future risk, and on assessing the ability of these markers to guide medical treatment and thus improve prognosis. ⋯ In conclusion, since asthma is an inflammatory disease, it seems appropriate to try to control it through the study of airway inflammation using noninvasive methods. In this regard, the analysis of induced sputum cells has proved very useful, although the clinical implementation of this technique seems difficult. Other techniques such as temperature measurement, the analysis of FeNO, the analysis of the VOCs in exhaled breath, or the study of certain biomarkers in EBC require further study in order to determine their clinical applicability.
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Int. Arch. Allergy Immunol. · Jan 2015
ReviewPharmacological Therapy of Bronchial Asthma: The Role of Biologicals.
Bronchial asthma is a heterogeneous, complex, chronic inflammatory and obstructive pulmonary disease driven by various pathways to present with different phenotypes. A small proportion of asthmatics (5-10%) suffer from severe asthma with symptoms that cannot be controlled by guideline therapy with high doses of inhaled steroids plus a second controller, such as long-acting β2 agonists (LABA) or leukotriene receptor antagonists, or even systemic steroids. ⋯ Knowledge of the molecular basis of asthma phenotypes has helped, and continues to help, the development of novel biologicals that target a diverse array of phenotype-specific molecular targets in patients suffering from severe asthma. This review summarizes potential therapeutic approaches that are likely to show clinical efficacy in the near future, focusing on biologicals as promising novel therapies for severe asthma.
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Int. Arch. Allergy Immunol. · Jan 2015
Multicenter Study Comparative Study Clinical Trial Observational StudyTreatment of HAE Attacks in the Icatibant Outcome Survey: An Analysis of Icatibant Self-Administration versus Administration by Health Care Professionals.
Icatibant, a selective bradykinin B2 receptor antagonist for the treatment of acute hereditary angio-oedema (HAE) attacks in adults, can be administered by health care professionals (HCPs) or self-administered. This analysis compared characteristics and outcomes of acute HAE attacks treated with self-administered and HCP-administered icatibant in a real-world setting. ⋯ The proportion of HAE attacks treated with self-administered icatibant increased over time. Patients successfully self-administered icatibant for a wide variety of HAE attacks, demonstrating that icatibant is generally well tolerated and effective for self-administration. Self-administration of icatibant provides a complementary option to HCP administration, enabling optimization of patient care.