Baseline blood eosinophil count as a predictor of treatment response to the licensed dose of mepolizumab in severe eosinophilic asthma

• Published in: Respiratory medicine 2019-11, Vol.159 (C), p.105806-105806, Article 105806
• Main Authors: Albers, Frank C., Licskai, Christopher, Chanez, Pascal, Bratton, Daniel J., Bradford, Eric S., Yancey, Steven W., Kwon, Namhee, Quirce, Santiago
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Asthma; Blood; Blood eosinophil; Clinical trials; Cytokines; Data analysis; Emergency medical care; Emergency medical services; Exacerbation; Human health and pathology; Leukocytes (eosinophilic); Licenses; Life Sciences; Lung function; Mepolizumab; Meta-analysis; Monoclonal antibodies; Patients; Predictor; Questionnaires; Subgroups
• ISSN: 0954-6111; 1532-3064
• DOI: 10.1016/j.rmed.2019.105806

Previous analyses examining the relationship between blood eosinophil count and mepolizumab treatment effects in severe eosinophilic asthma have used a range of doses and administration routes. This post hoc meta-analysis included data from the MENSA (MEA115588/NCT01691521) and MUSCA (200862/NCT02281318) trials. Patients (≥12 years) with severe eosinophilic asthma who experienced ≥2 exacerbations in the prior year received either mepolizumab 100 mg subcutaneously (SC) or 75 mg intravenously, or placebo plus standard of care every 4 weeks. This meta-analysis reports data from patients receiving the licensed dose of mepolizumab (100 mg SC) or placebo only. The primary endpoint was the annual rate of clinically significant exacerbations; secondary endpoints included rate of exacerbations requiring hospitalization/emergency room (ER) visit, proportion of patients with no clinically significant exacerbations, and changes from baseline in forced expiratory volume in 1 s, Asthma Control Questionnaire-5 and St George's Respiratory Questionnaire scores. Analyses were stratified by baseline blood eosinophil count (