Purpose: Severe eosinophilic asthma (SEA) is characterized by high eosinophilia, severe symptoms, important comorbidities, frequent exacerbations, and poor asthma control. Benralizumab, targeting the interleukin-5 receptor alpha, proved effective in inducing rapid eosinophil depletion and amelioration of symptoms and lung function; it also allowed to reduce exacerbations and the use of oral corticosteroids (OCS). The present case series, spanning different subtypes of SEA, aimed at expanding the real-world experience with benralizumab in Italy.
Patients and methods: We collected data from SEA patients treated with benralizumab, at baseline and during treatment. We focused on the effects of benralizumab in the following conditions and endpoints: i) overlap between high-IgE and high-eosinophilic asthma; ii) presence of nasal polyposis as comorbidity; iii) corticosteroid-sparing effect; iv) patient perception.
Results: Ten SEA patients (females: N=7; age range: 19-70 years) referred to 8 Italian Centers and treated with benralizumab were included, presenting with several comorbidities such as non-allergic disease (8/10), atopy (3/10), high IgE (5/10) and nasal polyposis (6/10). Overall, benralizumab yielded optimal disease control in all patients, particularly in terms of rapid clinical and functional improvement, decreased systemic steroid need (OCS therapy was completely discontinued in 7 cases) and amelioration of patient quality of life, except for 1 case, in whom other conditions not related to benralizumab therapy interfered with the patient perception.
Conclusion: Our findings further support the efficacy and safety of benralizumab observed in randomized clinical trials, providing even better results for lung function improvement.
Keywords: IL-5 receptor; benralizumab; oral corticosteroids; overlap IgE/eosinophilic asthma; polyposis; real world; severe eosinophilic asthma.
© 2021 Menzella et al.