Anti-IgE therapy
The anti-IgE monoclonal antibody, omalizumab, has
been shown to reduce the frequency of asthma exacerbations
by approximately 50%. The drug is administered
subcutaneously once every 2-4 weeks and is approved in
Canada for the treatment of moderate to severe, persistent
allergic asthma in patients 12 years of age or older.
At present, omalizumab is reserved for patients with difficult
to control asthma who have documented allergies
and whose asthma symptoms remain uncontrolled
despite ICS therapy [6].
Table 3 provides a list of the commonly used controller
therapies and their recommended dosing regimens.
It is important to note that long-term compliance with
controller therapy is poor because patients tend to stop
therapy when their symptoms subside. Therefore, regular
follow-up visits are important to help promote treatment
adherence.