Dupilumab improves eosinophilic otitis media associated with eosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis

Background

Eosinophilic otitis media (EOM) is a refractory condition associated with eosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis and bronchial asthma. EOM is characterized by type-2 inflammation and is refractory to various treatments. We investigated the efficacy of dupilumab, interleukin-4 receptor alpha antagonist, for patients with EOM complicated by eosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis (ECRS).

Methods

Between April 2017 and April 2022, we treated 124 patients with dupilumab for refractory CRS or bronchial asthma. Of these, 14 had EOM concurrently, and 10 of them who had been treated for >6 months were included in our study. We retrospectively evaluated the efficacy of dupilumab by the amount of systemic corticosteroid used, the frequency of exacerbations, severity score of EOM, computed tomography (CT) score of temporal bones, and pure tone audiometry. We also enrolled 8 EOM patients without dupilumab treatment as a control group.

Results

Dupilumab significantly improved the amount of systemic corticosteroid used and the frequency of exacerbation and compared with before dupilumab was used (p = 0.01 and <0.01, respectively). All patients could be weaned from systemic-corticosteroid therapy by 54 weeks of dupilumab use. The severity score of EOM and CT score for temporal bones were significantly lower than before the treatment (p = 0.01 and 0.01, respectively). Compared to the control group, the systemic corticosteroid used and severity scores were improved in the dupilumab group (p = 0.02 and < 0.01, respectively).

Conclusions

Dupilumab could be used to wean patients from systemic corticosteroids with the improvement of severity score in EOM associated with ECRS and bronchial asthma.