Dr. Leung said that while omalizumab should work in any disease with an elevated serum IgE level, “more often than not it doesn’t,” and it probably should be reserved for patients with a very clear history of allergen-induced eczema, underlying urticaria, or other forms of respiratory allergy that may be triggering asthma.
Two potential approaches in which allergists and dermatologists can work together, Dr. Leung said, are phototherapy and allergy immunotherapy. The latter is controversial in AD, he acknowledged, “but if somebody has mainly dust mite allergy or is monosensitized, it’s more likely you will get good benefit. If they’re polysensitized, it is unlikely because it’s mainly a barrier problem.”
Dr. Leung did not recommend antibiotics except in the case of overt Staphylococcus aureus infection, so as not to select for methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). “If you’re going to treat with some regimen, keep in mind that staph comes from the nose; that’s the body’s reservoir. You should always use an intranasal Bactroban [mupirocin] along with a systemic antibiotic.” Effective eradication of MRSA infection requires more drastic measures, including treatment of other family members and pets.
Dr. Leung disclosed doing consulting work for Celgene, Novartis, Regeneron, and Sanofi-Aventis, and a research grant from Horizon Pharma.