Mepolizumab para el tratamiento de asma grave eosinofílica

Abstract

Severe asthma is a heterogeneous and complex disease that affects approximately 5% of patients with asthma and is associated with a significant burden of symptoms, frequent severe exacerbations, and negative impacts on functionality and quality of life. Different innovation strategies have updated the therapeutic options available for these patients, but monoclonal antibodies represent the alternative with the greatest clinical relevance. It is important that the asthma specialist is kept up-to-date to correctly identify those patients who may benefit from treatment with these medications. This article provides an up-to-date and practical review focused on mepolizumab, a humanized anti-IL-5 monoclonal antibody approved as an add-on treatment in patients with severe eosinophilic asthma. In this document, a synthesis of the evidence of efficacy, safety and effectiveness of mepolizumab has been made with the aim of providing a consultation and decision support tool for the specialist who evaluates, diagnoses and treats patients with severe asthma. In controlled conditions of clinical trials and in real-life studies, mepolizumab has been documented to consistently and significantly reduce asthma exacerbations, improve disease control, and patients’ quality of life; likewise, it decreases the dose or makes possible the withdrawal of systemic corticosteroids.