For patients who develop itchy wheals as a response to cold or friction, treatment with the asthma drug omalizumab may improves patient symptoms, according to new research from Martin Metz, MD, and colleagues.1
The study focused on patients with two different forms of inducible urticarial—cold urticarial and symptomatic dermographism. Patients with cold urticarial often cannot go swimming in the sea due to a higher risk of allergic reaction, and similarly, they cannot hold items colder than room temperature. For patients with symptomatic dermographism, gentle friction—caused by clothing or physical contact—can result severe itching.
To examine the use of omalizumab in patients with inducible urticarial, researchers conducted two investigator-initiated, multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled trials. The researchers identified 61 patients with symptomatic dermographism and 31 patients with cold urticarial. Each patient group received omalizumab for a period of 3 months. The researchers tested the efficacy of treatment prior to the first administration of the drug. Following the second dose, the researchers repeated their efficacy test measurements at 4-weekly intervals, followed by a final measurement 2 weeks after the final dose.
According to the results of the study, patients saw significant improvements in symptoms in both groups that were treated with omalizumab. The asthma treatment also prevented symptoms in nearly half of all patients in both groups, even after exposure to the relevant stimuli.
Currently, omalizumab is only licensed for use in patients with traditional hives, commonly known as spontaneous urtarcia.
Reference:
1. Metz M, Schutz A, Weller K, et al. Omalizumab is Effective in Cold Urticaria - Results of a Randomized, Placebo Controlled Trial. Published online April 4, 2017. J Allergy Clin Immunol. dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jaci.2017.01.043.
For patients who develop itchy wheals as a response to cold or friction, treatment with the asthma drug omalizumab may improves patient symptoms, according to new research from Martin Metz, MD, and colleagues.1
The study focused on patients with two different forms of inducible urticarial—cold urticarial and symptomatic dermographism. Patients with cold urticarial often cannot go swimming in the sea due to a higher risk of allergic reaction, and similarly, they cannot hold items colder than room temperature. For patients with symptomatic dermographism, gentle friction—caused by clothing or physical contact—can result severe itching.
To examine the use of omalizumab in patients with inducible urticarial, researchers conducted two investigator-initiated, multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled trials. The researchers identified 61 patients with symptomatic dermographism and 31 patients with cold urticarial. Each patient group received omalizumab for a period of 3 months. The researchers tested the efficacy of treatment prior to the first administration of the drug. Following the second dose, the researchers repeated their efficacy test measurements at 4-weekly intervals, followed by a final measurement 2 weeks after the final dose.
According to the results of the study, patients saw significant improvements in symptoms in both groups that were treated with omalizumab. The asthma treatment also prevented symptoms in nearly half of all patients in both groups, even after exposure to the relevant stimuli.
Currently, omalizumab is only licensed for use in patients with traditional hives, commonly known as spontaneous urtarcia.
Reference:
1. Metz M, Schutz A, Weller K, et al. Omalizumab is Effective in Cold Urticaria - Results of a Randomized, Placebo Controlled Trial. Published online April 4, 2017. J Allergy Clin Immunol. dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jaci.2017.01.043.
For patients who develop itchy wheals as a response to cold or friction, treatment with the asthma drug omalizumab may improves patient symptoms, according to new research from Martin Metz, MD, and colleagues.1
The study focused on patients with two different forms of inducible urticarial—cold urticarial and symptomatic dermographism. Patients with cold urticarial often cannot go swimming in the sea due to a higher risk of allergic reaction, and similarly, they cannot hold items colder than room temperature. For patients with symptomatic dermographism, gentle friction—caused by clothing or physical contact—can result severe itching.
To examine the use of omalizumab in patients with inducible urticarial, researchers conducted two investigator-initiated, multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled trials. The researchers identified 61 patients with symptomatic dermographism and 31 patients with cold urticarial. Each patient group received omalizumab for a period of 3 months. The researchers tested the efficacy of treatment prior to the first administration of the drug. Following the second dose, the researchers repeated their efficacy test measurements at 4-weekly intervals, followed by a final measurement 2 weeks after the final dose.
According to the results of the study, patients saw significant improvements in symptoms in both groups that were treated with omalizumab. The asthma treatment also prevented symptoms in nearly half of all patients in both groups, even after exposure to the relevant stimuli.
Currently, omalizumab is only licensed for use in patients with traditional hives, commonly known as spontaneous urtarcia.
Reference:
1. Metz M, Schutz A, Weller K, et al. Omalizumab is Effective in Cold Urticaria - Results of a Randomized, Placebo Controlled Trial. Published online April 4, 2017. J Allergy Clin Immunol. dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jaci.2017.01.043.
