Discontinuation of omalizumab during COVID-19 pandemic associated with poor outcomes for chronic spontaneous urticaria

Urticaria activity scores (UAS) went up and urticaria control test (UCT) scores went down in patients with chronic spontaneous urticaria who discontinued omalizumab during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dr Ailye Sevdem Gulcan’s (Bezmialem Vakif University, Turkey) poster presented the results of a single-centre, cross-sectional study that followed 43 patients with a diagnosis of chronic spontaneous urticaria  [1]. On account of the COVID-19 pandemic, 15 of the patients (34.9%) discontinued their omalizumab injections. All 43 patients were interviewed by phone and completed the UAS and UCT questionnaires; these results were then compared with previous UAS and UCT scores in their files.

In patients who had discontinued omalizumab, there was a statistically significant increase in their UAS scores and a statistically significant decrease in their UCT scores. Among the patients who had kept up their omalizumab treatment regimen, neither their UAS nor their UCT scores were significantly different.

The team concludes that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a negative impact on the management of CSU in patients who discontinued their treatment protocol due to the pandemic.

 

1. 
   
   1. Gulcan S. Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Chronic Spontaneous urticaria: A Cross-sectional study from Turkey. P1616, EADV Virtual Congres, 29-31 October 2020.

 



Posted on 2 November 202018 December 2020