Effect of dupilumab on asthma and aeroallergen sensitization in pediatric atopic dermatitis patients: Results of the BioDay registry.

BACKGROUND: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is frequently associated with asthma and allergic rhinitis (AR). Dupilumab is an effective treatment for pediatric AD, although the effect on atopic comorbidities in pediatric AD patients is limited. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prevalence of asthma and AR in pediatric AD patients starting dupilumab treatment and to evaluate the effect of dupilumab on these comorbidities. METHODS: This study included pediatric AD patients (aged 3-17 years) treated with dupilumab between 2019 and 2023. Patients were screened at baseline by a pulmonologist for the presence of asthma and AR. Screening included evaluation of medical history and current symptoms, spirometry (including Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 s (FEV1)), Fractional exhaled Nitric Oxide (FeNO), and measurement of aeroallergen-specific IgE levels. In patients diagnosed with comorbid asthma and/or AR, measurements were repeated at weeks 16 and 52. Spirometry measurements, FeNO, and aeroallergen-specific IgE levels during treatment were analyzed using a covariance pattern model. RESULTS: Eighty-four patients were included. Asthma was diagnosed in 50 patients (59.5%) and AR in 72 patients (85.7%). Baseline FeNO levels were elevated in both patients with (29.0 ppb (95% CI 22.0-54.0)) and without asthma (26.0 ppb (95% CI 22.0-30.0)). During treatment, FeNO levels decreased (p < .001) and FEV1 scores increased (p < .001) in patients with asthma. In patients with asthma and/or AR, all aeroallergen-specific IgE levels decreased between 61.3% and 89.1% at 52 weeks of treatment. CONCLUSION: One year of dupilumab treatment, primarily indicated for AD, resulted in a significant improvement in comorbid asthma and a profound decrease in aeroallergen-specific IgE levels in patients with asthma and/or AR.

Development of the respiratory tract microbiota in cystic fibrosis.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Progression of lung disease in cystic fibrosis (CF) is punctuated by Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection and recurrent pulmonary exacerbations, and is the major determinant of a patient's life expectancy. With the advent of novel deep-sequencing techniques, polymicrobial bacterial assemblages rather than single pathogens seem to be responsible for the deterioration of pulmonary function. This review summarizes recent insights into the development of the CF respiratory tract microbiome, with its determinants and its relations to clinical parameters. RECENT FINDINGS: Research has moved from microbiota snapshots to intensive sampling over time, in an attempt to identify biomarkers of progression of CF lung disease. The developing respiratory tract microbiota in CF is perturbed by various endogenous and exogenous factors from the first months of life on. This work has revealed that both major pathogens such as P. aeruginosa and newly discovered players such as anaerobic species seem to contribute to CF lung disease. However, their interrelations remain to be unraveled. SUMMARY: Long-term follow-up of microbiome development and alterations in relation to progression of lung disease and treatment is recommended. Moreover, integrating this information with other systems such as the metabolome, genome, mycome and virome is likely to contribute significantly to insights into host-microbiome interactions and thereby CF lung disease pathogenesis.