Cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events among patients receiving omalizumab: Results from EXCELS, a prospective cohort study of moderate-to-severe asthma

Iribarren, C., Rahmaoui, A., Long, A. A., Szefler, S. J., Bradley, M. S., Carrigan, G., ... Rothman, K. (2016). Cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events among patients receiving omalizumab: Results from EXCELS, a prospective cohort study of moderate-to-severe asthma. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Advance Online Publication. DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2016.07.038

CONCLUSION:

Results from this observational study demonstrated a higher incidence rate of CV/CBV events in the omalizumab versus non-omalizumab cohorts. Differences in asthma severity between cohorts likely contributed to this imbalance, but some increase in risk cannot be excluded (NCT00252135).

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS:

Current asthma management guidelines should not be affected. However, health professionals should be aware of a possible association of omalizumab and serious cardiovascular/cerebrovascular events.