Phenotypes and Clinical Outcomes of Omalizumab and Mepolizumab treated
Difficult Asthma patients
Abstract
Introduction Real-world data on Omalizumab (OMA) and Mepolizumab (MEPO)
can inform their use in severe asthma (SA). We studied patients in the
Wessex AsThma CoHort of difficult asthma (WATCH) to: 1. Phenotypically
compare OMA or MEPO treated patients against a SA, non-biologic group
(SNB). 2. Assess clinical responses to OMA and MEPO. 3. Assess the
spectrum of responses to these biologics. Methods We retrospectively
phenotyped biologic naïve patients from WATCH (N=478) commenced on OMA
(N=105) or MEPO (N=62) compared to SNB (N=178). Biologic response was
gauged using standard criteria and response features were identified
using logistic regression. Results OMA and MEPO patients were
phenotypically distinct. Both drugs significantly reduced exacerbations,
acute healthcare encounters (emergency department or hospital
admissions), maintenance oral corticosteroid dose, and improved Asthma
Control Questionnaire 6 (ACQ6) scores. OMA patients with more
exacerbations at baseline (P=0.024), less acute healthcare encounters
(P=0.050), and no anxiety (P=0.008) were more likely to respond to it.
Lower baseline ACQ6 was independently associated with higher odds of
MEPO response (P=0.007). Combined (OMA or MEPO) non-responders had
significantly more psychological co-morbidities and worse baseline
subjective disease markers compared to responder groups. Current
criteria used to measure trial outcomes for MEPO, but not OMA, missed
some modalities of response. Conclusion In a difficult asthma cohort,
OMA and MEPO were used for distinct SA phenotypes, yet both were
multidimensionally efficacious. Among these phenotypes, some clinical
features associated with response were identified which emphasized the
importance of addressing treatable traits when considering biologic
therapy.