%0 Journal Article
%T Basophil Fc¦ÅRI Expression in Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria: A Potential Immunological Predictor of Response to Omalizumab Therapy
%A Ana M. Gim¨¦nez-Arnau
%A Dulce Soto
%A Gustavo Deza
%A Laia Curto-Barredo
%A Maribel Garc¨ªa
%A Marta Bertol¨ªn-Colilla
%A Pilar Hern¨¢ndez
%A Ramon Gimeno
%A Ramon M. Pujol
%J -
%@ 1651-2057
%D 2017
%R 10.2340/00015555-2654
%X Although the efficacy of omalizumab has been clearly demonstrated in the treatment of chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU), its mechanism of action, which results in improvement in CSU symptoms, is not entirely understood. This study investigated the effect of omalizumab on expression of the high-affinity IgE receptor (Fc¦ÅRI) on blood basophils from patients with active CSU, and its association with the clinical response. Patients exhibiting significant clinical improvement showed a sharp reduction in the levels of basophil Fc¦ÅRI after 4 weeks, which was maintained throughout the total duration of the treatment. Such evolution was not observed in non-responder patients. Furthermore, non-responders showed significantly lower baseline levels of Fc¦ÅRI than responders. Baseline basophil Fc¦ÅRI expression was found to be a potential immunological predictor of response to omalizumab (100% sensitivity and 73.2% specificity). The results of this study contribute to our knowledge of the therapeutic benefit and mechanism of action of anti-IgE therapy in CSU.
%U http://www.medicaljournals.se/acta/content/abstract/10.2340/00015555-2654