[Quality of life in patients with allergic asthma on treatment with omalizumab]

Omalizumab is a monoclonal antibody that controls severe allergic asthma symptoms and reduces exacerbations.

To analyze quality of life and respiratory function improvement using the mini-AQLQ questionnaire and spirometry, with the use omalizumab as complementary therapy to a treatment with inhaled corticosteroids and long-acting beta 2 agonists.

Of 30 patients with severe asthma (90 % of females, mean age, 49.1 years) the evolution of severe asthma diagnosis ranged from 1 to 24 years (average 8.3 years). All of them had at least one cutaneous or IgE-specific test that was positive to a usual aeroallergen, had total IgE determined and underwent spirometry. The mini-AQLQ questionnaire was applied and forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) was determined at baseline and at 52 weeks of omalizumab administration, the average dose of which was 550 mg, with biweekly or monthly administration.

There was statistically significant improvement (p = 0.013) in the mini-AQLQ after 52 weeks, with an overall score of 4.5, mainly in the emotional (p = 0.0073) and environmental dimensions (p = 0.00014). There were no significant changes in FEV1. Obesity was observed in 63 % of patients, and overweight in 26 %.

Omalizumab improved patient quality of life, with no significant changes in FEV1, probably due to obesity.