The purpose of this study is to investigate whether addition of Omalizumab enables a reduction in the dose of prednisone in patients with asthma and eosinophilic bronchitis. This will be a double-blind placebo-controlled, 3-centre, randomized parallel group trial divided into two sequential study periods. Period 1: After establishing the minimum dose of prednisone to maintain asthma control and maintain sputum eosinophils \<3%, subjects will be randomized to either placebo or Omalizumab for 16 weeks (either once monthly for 4 months or every 2 weeks for 4 months). Period 2: standardised prednisone reduction at intervals of 4-weeks until there is a clinical and eosinophilic exacerbation or bothersome steroid withdrawal effects. If patients have an exacerbation, they will be treated with prednisone. This patient will continue on Omalizumab or placebo during the entire duration of the study but not continue the phase of steroid reduction.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
TRIPLE
Enrollment
11
Richard Leigh
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
University of British Columbia
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
McMaster University
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
University of Laval
Laval, Quebec, Canada
University of Montreal
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Proportion of patients with change in absolute % count of sputum eosinophil week 0 to week 12, and week 12 to week 32
Time frame: From Week 0 to Week 12 and Week 12 to week 32
Magnitude of the reduction in the dose of corticosteroid from week 12 to week 32.
Time frame: From Week 12 to Week 32
change in % sputum eosinophil
Time frame: From Week 0 to Week 32
Blood eosinophils
Time frame: From Week 0 to week 32
Forced Expired Volume in 1 second (FEV1)
Time frame: From Week 0 to Week 32
Ratio of Forced Expired Volume in 1 second to Forced Vital Capacity (FEV1/VC)
Time frame: From Week 0 to Week 32
Provocative concentration causing a 20% drop in FEV1 (PC20)
Time frame: From Week 0 to Week 32
Asthma Control Questionnaire
Time frame: From Week 0 to Week 32
Fraction of exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO)
Time frame: From Week 0 to Week 32
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