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Doan S, Papadopoulos NG, Lee JK, Leonardi S, Manti S, Lau S, Rondon C, Sharma V, Pleyer U, Jaumont X, Lazarewicz SB. Vernal keratoconjunctivitis: Current immunological and clinical evidence and the potential role of omalizumab. World Allergy Organ J 2023; 16:100788. [PMID: 37389200 PMCID: PMC10300397 DOI: 10.1016/j.waojou.2023.100788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2023] [Revised: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC) is a severe ocular allergic disease characterized by chronic inflammation of the cornea and conjunctiva that may lead to loss of visual acuity and blindness. The disease occurs primarily in children and is more common in geographical regions characterized by warm temperatures and high humidity. The clinical manifestations of VKC, when inadequately treated, may lead to severe complications and corneal damage. The prevalence of allergen sensitization, specific serum immunoglobulin E (IgE), and specific tear IgE was reported in approximately 55%-60% of patients with VKC, confirming the involvement of IgE-mediated and non-IgE-mediated mechanisms in the pathophysiology of the condition. This article explores current knowledge on the immunological pathways of VKC and the role of the monoclonal anti-IgE antibody, omalizumab, in its management. The review evaluated the effects of omalizumab beyond the direct IgE-mediated reactions and discusses its potential as a therapeutic target for VKC. Multiple retrospective analyses, case series, and case reports have reported the effectiveness of omalizumab in the management of VKC. A summary of the clinical data from these studies revealed that in children with VKC omalizumab treatment was well tolerated with improvement or resolution of ocular symptoms, reduction in steroid use, and enhancement of quality of life. Omalizumab may serve as a promising treatment option for VKC due to its ability to target both IgE-mediated and non-IgE-mediated pathophysiological pathways. Larger, controlled clinical trials are needed to support these findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serge Doan
- Ophthalmology Department of Fondation A de Rothschild and Hôpital Bichat, 25-29 Rue Manin, 75019, Paris, France
| | - Nikolaos G. Papadopoulos
- Allergy Department, 2nd Pediatric Clinic, University of Athens, Athens, Greece
- Division of Infection, Immunity and Respiratory Medicine, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Jason K. Lee
- Evidence Based Medical Educator Inc., Toronto Allergy and Asthma Clinic, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Salvatore Leonardi
- Pediatric Respiratory Unit, AOUP “G. Rodolico-San Marco”, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Sara Manti
- Pediatric Respiratory Unit, AOUP “G. Rodolico-San Marco”, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
- Pediatric Unit, Department of Human Pathology of the Adult and Developmental Age “Gaetano Barresi”, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Susanne Lau
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Respiratory Medicine, Immunology and Critical Care Medicine, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Carmen Rondon
- Allergy Research Group, Instituto de Investigación Biomedica de Malaga (IBIMA)-Plataforma BIONAND.RICORS “Inflammatory Diseases”, ARADyAL, Malaga, Spain
- Allergy Unit, Hospital Regional Universitario de Malaga, Malaga, Spain
| | - Vibha Sharma
- Lydia Becker Institute of Immunology and Inflammation, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Uwe Pleyer
- Department of Ophthalmology, CVK, Charité Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany
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Cheng SL. Immunologic Pathophysiology and Airway Remodeling Mechanism in Severe Asthma: Focused on IgE-Mediated Pathways. Diagnostics (Basel) 2021; 11:diagnostics11010083. [PMID: 33419185 PMCID: PMC7825545 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics11010083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2020] [Revised: 01/02/2021] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite the expansion of the understanding in asthma pathophysiology and the continual advances in disease management, a small subgroup of patients remains partially controlled or refractory to standard treatments. Upon the identification of immunoglobulin E (IgE) and other inflammatory mediators, investigations and developments of targeted agents have thrived. Omalizumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody that specifically targets the circulating IgE, which in turn impedes and reduces subsequent releases of the proinflammatory mediators. In the past decade, omalizumab has been proven to be efficacious and well-tolerated in the treatment of moderate-to-severe asthma in both trials and real-life studies, most notably in reducing exacerbation rates and corticosteroid use. While growing evidence has demonstrated that omalizumab may be potentially beneficial in treating other allergic diseases, its indication remains confined to treating severe allergic asthma and chronic idiopathic urticaria. Future efforts may be bestowed on determining the optimal length of omalizumab treatment, seeking biomarkers that could better predict treatment response and as well as extending its indications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shih-Lung Cheng
- Department of Internal Medicine, Far Eastern Memorial Taipei Hospital, Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Yuan Ze University, Zhongli, Taoyuan 32056, Taiwan
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