Thorax doi:10.1136/thoraxjnl-2013-203738

• Chest clinic

• Opinion

Against all odds: anti-IgE for intrinsic asthma?

1. Marek Lommatzsch1, 
2. Stephanie Korn2, 
3. Roland Buhl2, 
4. Johann Christian Virchow1

+Author Affiliations

1. ¹Department of Pneumology and Critical Care Medicine, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany
2. ²Pulmonary Department, Mainz University Hospital, Mainz, Germany

1. Correspondence toDr Marek Lommatzsch, Abteilung für Pneumologie und Internistische Intensivmedizin, Zentrum für Innere Medizin, Universität Rostock, Ernst-Heydemann-Str. 6, Rostock 18057, Germany;marek.lommatzsch@med.uni-rostock.de

• Received 14 April 2013
• Revised 19 April 2013
• Accepted 26 April 2013
• Published Online First 24 May 2013

Abstract

For many years, pathogenetic concepts and the results of clinical trials supported the view that anti-IgE treatment is specifically effective in allergic asthma. However, there is now growing clinical and mechanistic evidence suggesting that treatment with the anti-IgE antibody omalizumab can be effective in patients with intrinsic asthma. Therefore, large and well-controlled clinical trials with anti-IgE are urgently warranted in patients with intrinsic asthma. In addition, there is a need to find new biomarkers which can identify patients with asthma who respond to anti-IgE treatment.

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