Table 1.
Baseline clinical characteristics of the study population (before omalizumab or mepolizumab administration)
| Variable | Omalizumab (n = 25) | Mepolizumab (n = 24) | p value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age (years) | 62.04 (± 14.57) | 63.67 (± 19.22) | 0.739 |
| Male, n (%) | 7 (28.0) | 12 (50.0) | 0.198 |
| BMI (kg/m2) | 24.60 (± 5.67) | 23.26 (± 2.85) | 0.302 |
| Smoking status | 0.587 | ||
| Current, n (%) | 1 (4.0) | 0 (0.0) | |
| Former, n (%) | 9 (36.0) | 10 (41.7) | |
| Never, n (%) | 15 (60.0) | 14 (58.3) | |
| Inhaler | 0.153 | ||
| ICS, n (%) | 2 (8.0) | 3 (12.5) | |
| ICS/LABA, n (%) | 13 (52.0) | 6 (25.0) | |
| ICS/LABA/LAMA, n (%) | 10 (40.0) | 15 (62.5) | |
| Oral glucocorticoid therapy | |||
| Receiving OCS, n (%) | 10 (40.0) | 12 (50.0) | 0.677 |
| Dose in LTOCS users (mg/day, prednisolone equivalent) | 10.55 (± 11.07) | 6.54 (± 3.45) | 0.247 |
| Asthma events in prior year | |||
| Number of exacerbations | 4.08 (± 3.58) | 1.42 (± 1.72) | 0.002 |
| Number of ER visits | 1.04 (± 1.43) | 0.33 (± 0.56) | 0.029 |
| Number of hospitalizations | 0.56 (± 0.92) | 0.17 (± 0.38) | 0.058 |
| Comorbidities | |||
| Allergic rhinitis, n (%) | 7 (28.0) | 8 (33.3) | 0.924 |
| Chronic sinusitis, n (%) | 2 (8.0) | 4 (16.7) | 0.625 |
| Chronic urticaria, n (%) | 1 (4.0) | 0 (0.0) | 1.000 |
| Atopic dermatitis, n (%) | 1 (4.0) | 1 (4.2) | 1.000 |
| Blood test findings | |||
| White blood cell count (cells/μL) | 8,792.00 (± 3,448.66) | 8,279.17 (± 3308.22) | 0.598 |
| Eosinophil count (cells/μL) | 428.81 (± 434.14) | 606.09 (± 553.88) | 0.218 |
| Maximum eosinophil count (cells/μL)a | 658.17 (± 428.89) | 1845.35 (± 3596.11) | 0.108 |
| Low eosinophil group (< 300 cells/μL), n (%) | 13 (52.0) | 10 (41.7) | 0.661 |
| Total IgE (IU/mL) | 540.59 (± 710.97) | 1646.47 (± 2,617.31) | 0.047 |
Continuous variables are expressed as the mean ± standard deviation, and categorical variables are expressed as numbers (%)
BMI: body mass index, ICS: inhaled corticosteroid, LABA: long-acting β-agonists, LAMA: long-acting muscarinic antagonist, LTOCS: long-term oral corticosteroid, ER: emergency room
aThe maximum eosinophil count was recorded within 1 year before treatment initiation