Serum sickness-like reaction in a pediatric patient using omalizumab for chronic spontaneous urticaria

Hypersensitivity reactions to biologics used in the treatment of allergic diseases: clinical features, diagnosis and management

Several monoclonal antibodies have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat allergic disorders, including omalizumab, dupilumab, mepolizumab, reslizumab, benralizumab, tralokinumab and tezepelumab, and their indications continue to expand. Although the risks associated with these agents are overall low, hypersensitivity reactions have been described and are reported more frequently with increased use. We provide a comprehensive review of clinical features, diagnosis and management of hypersensitivity reactions attributed to these agents. We aim to provide useful information for the clinician managing hypersensitivity reactions to these monoclonal antibodies, as well as highlight the need for future research to address specific gaps in knowledge.

Risks and safety of biologics: A practical guide for allergists

Biologic agents are a rapidly expanding class of medications, and several options are now available for the management of allergic and immunologic disorders. The risks of biologic therapy need to be understood in order to adequately counsel patients and appropriately monitor for potential adverse events. We sought to provide a comprehensive review of the risks and adverse effects reported for the current FDA-approved biologics used in management of allergic and immunologic disorders, including omalizumab, benralizumab, dupilumab, mepolizumab, reslizumab, tezepelumab and tralokinumab. Our review focuses on the risk of hypersensitivity reactions, pregnancy-specific considerations, risk of infection and risk of malignancy. We also highlight drug-specific adverse events and unique safety issues identified in case reports.

Therapeutical Targets in Allergic Inflammation

From the discovery of IgE to the in-depth characterization of Th2 cells and ILC2, allergic inflammation has been extensively addressed to find potential therapeutical targets. To date, omalizumab, an anti-IgE monoclonal antibody, and dupilumab, an anti-IL-4 receptor α monoclonal antibody, represent two pillars of biologic therapy of allergic inflammation. Their increasing indications and long-term follow-up studies are shaping the many different faces of allergy. At the same time, their limitations are showing the intricate pathogenesis of allergic diseases.

Adverse Reactions to Biologic Medications Used in Allergy and Immunology Diseases

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The use of biologic therapies has risen exponentially over recent years, allowing for unprecedented disease control within numerous areas of Allergy/Immunology. With this expanded use, awareness and understanding of adverse reactions to biologic agents have also increased.

RECENT FINDINGS

Multiple biologic adverse reaction phenotypes have been described, but significant overlap in clinical features across phenotypes exists. Given considerable phenotypic overlap, a targeted testing approach may not always be clear, and more recent classifications focus on management decision making using tools of diagnostic challenges and rapid drug desensitizations, guiding clinicians in developing a management plan when the exact underlying mechanism is not clearly known. With increased clinical experience with omalizumab, mepolizumab, reslizumab, benralizumab, dupilumab, tezepelumab, rituximab, and TNF-inhibitors, there is a growing appreciation to the spectrum and particularities of adverse reactions to these agents which are outlined in this review. Our understanding of the clinical presentation and management of adverse reactions to biologic medications encountered in Allergy/Immunology has grown. Opportunities remain to further define optimal diagnostic and management strategies for these reactions.

Hypersensitivity and Immune-related Adverse Events in Biologic Therapy

Biologic medications are an expanding field of therapeutics for various medical conditions including cancer and inflammatory diseases. Due to their targeted approach to therapy, biologics can be less toxic than traditional systemic medications. However, as use becomes more widespread, adverse effects from biologic administration have also become apparent. Immune-related adverse events are a common mechanism by which biologics can cause on-target immune-related toxicities and both immediate and delayed-type hypersensitivity reactions. Immediate hypersensitivity reactions can be mediated by cytokine release or antibody mediated reactions, while delayed-type hypersensitivity is most often caused by serum sickness-like reactions. Additionally, biologics used for treatment of cancer using checkpoint blockade and rheumatologic disease using cytokine blockade can result in autoimmunity. Finally, when inflammatory cytokines are targeted for treatment of autoimmune or autoinflammatory disease, the host immune defense can be compromised predisposing to secondary immunodeficiency. This review will discuss the mechanisms of these reactions and discuss examples of biologics implicated in each of these adverse events.

A Case of Serum Sickness-Like Reaction in an Adult Treated with Omalizumab

Omalizumab has been safely used to treat asthma and urticaria. We report a case of serum sickness-like reaction in a patient treated with omalizumab for chronic idiopathic urticaria/angioedema. An adult female experienced episodic urticaria/angioedema without repeatable trigger, ultimately receiving diagnosis of chronic idiopathic urticaria/angioedema. After initial treatment, attempts with escalating cetirizine and montelukast doses were unsuccessful due to sedation; she began treatment with subcutaneous omalizumab 150 mg monthly. Urticaria frequency partially improved after two injections; therefore, the dose was increased to 300 mg after four treatments. Several days after first 300 mg dose, she reported abdominal cramping, fatigue, fever, lymphadenopathy, and arthralgia. Aside from mild thrombocytosis, inflammatory markers were unremarkable, as were evaluations for infection, autoimmunity, and malignancy. Omalizumab was held with eventual improvement in symptoms, which did not return after discontinuation. Omalizumab is a helpful medication in treating atopic conditions, with at least theoretical risk of immune complex formation and tissue deposition causing serum sickness-like reaction. Although early publications showed very low adverse event rates, there have now been reports of serum sickness-like reactions in children and adults treated for asthma and urticaria. Determining true incidence is difficult, given rarity and non-specific nature. Previous reports described symptoms with initiation of medication, reproducible after reintroduction. While it remains to be determined which factors increase risk for serum sickness-like reaction to omalizumab, our report of an urticaria patient who exhibited symptoms with increasing dose contributes insight into the discussion regarding this adverse effect of an otherwise well-tolerated and important medication.

Serum sickness-like reactions in Iranian children: a registry-based study in a referral center

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES

Considering that no studies have been done on a comprehensive review of Serum sickness-like reactions patients (SSLRs) at a referral center in Iran so far, this study aimed to determine the clinical and laboratory characteristics of children with SSRL in Tehran Children's Medical Center.

PATIENTS

The present study was a registry-based study in which the data of 94 SSLRs patients registered in a two-year period were investigated. Confirmation of fever, rash, urticaria, arthralgia / arthritis and history of antibiotic consumption up to three weeks before were the criteria for the diagnosis.

RESULTS

Fifty-one (54 %) patients were male with mean age of 56 ± 30 months and there was no significant difference in the age of the two genders. The mean onset of symptoms before hospitalization were 3.8 ± 2.7 days (1-14 days); this mean was significantly higher in males than in females (4.6 ± 2.9 versus 2.9 ± 1.7 days, P-value = 0.003). Among antibiotics, Co-amoxiclav and Cefixime antibiotics had the most frequency by 31 % and 33 %, respectively as the most important incidence factor of SSLRs. The mean duration of consumption of culprit medications in the incidence of SSLRs was 5.6 ± 2.9 days with a range of 1-15 days.

CONCLUSIONS

This study showed that among the antibiotics, Co-amoxiclav and Cefixime are more prevalent and a review of prescribing these two antibiotics for the treatment of the children's infections is essential if this finding is confirmed by other Iranian scholars.

Adrenal insufficiency is a contraindication for omalizumab therapy in mast cell activation disease: risk for serum sickness

Omalizumab is an effective therapeutic humanized murine IgE antibody in many cases of primary systemic mast cell activation disease (MCAD). The present study should enable the clinician to recognize when treatment of MCAD with omalizumab is contraindicated because of the potential risk of severe serum sickness and to report our successful therapeutic strategy for such adverse event (AE). Our clinical observations, a review of the literature including the event reports in the FDA AE Reporting System, the European Medicines Agency Eudra-Vigilance databases (preferred search terms: omalizumab, Xolair®, and serum sickness) and information from the manufacturer’s Novartis database were used. Omalizumab therapy may be more likely to cause serum sickness than previously thought. In patients with regular adrenal function, serum sickness can occur after 3 to 10 days which resolves after the antigen and circulating immune complexes are cleared. If the symptoms do not resolve within a week, injection of 20 to 40 mg of prednisolone on two consecutive days could be given. However, in MCAD patients whose adrenal cortical function is completely suppressed by exogenous glucocorticoid therapy, there is a high risk that serum sickness will be masked by the MCAD and evolve in a severe form with pronounced damage of organs and tissues, potentially leading to death. Therefore, before the application of the first omalizumab dose, it is important to ensure that the function of the adrenal cortex is not significantly limited so that any occurring type III allergy can be self-limiting.

Highlights and recent developments in skin allergy and related diseases in EAACI journals (2018)

The European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI) supports three journals: Allergy, Paediatric Allergy and Immunology as well as Clinical and Translational Allergy. The major goals of EAACI include (i) supporting health promotion in which the prevention of allergy and asthma plays a critical role and (ii) disseminating the knowledge of allergy to all stakeholders including the EAACI junior members. Substantial progress was made in 2018 in the identification of basic mechanisms of atopic dermatitis and urticaria and the translation of these mechanisms into clinics. Many large epidemiologic studies and meta-analyses have been the highlights of the last year.