Pulmonology Daily Report: 01/23/2024

Asthma

A phase 3 open-label extension study investigated the effect of dupilumab in patients with moderate-to-severe asthma and found that dupilumab improved pre-bronchodilator FEV(1), FVC, and FEF(25-75 %) in QUEST; these improvements were sustained in TRAVERSE. In QUEST patients who received placebo, dupilumab initiation in TRAVERSE resulted in rapid lung function improvements (1). Mean changes from PSBL at TRAVERSE Weeks 48 and 96 in pre-bronchodilator FEV(1) were 0.52 (0.59) and 0.45 (0.49) L in the dupilumab/dupilumab group, and 0.47 (0.42) and 0.44 L (0.45) in the placebo/dupilumab group, respectively.

Reference

Papi A, Castro M, Corren J, Pavord ID, Tohda Y, Altincatal A, Pandit-Abid N, Laws E, Akinlade B, Mannent LP, Gall R, Jacob-Nara JA, Deniz Y, Rowe PJ, Lederer DJ, Hardin M. Dupilumab sustains lung function improvements in patients with moderate-to-severe asthma. Respir Med. 2024 Jan 23:107535. doi: 10.1016/j.rmed.2024.107535. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38272376.

Pneumothorax (Secondary Intractable)

A Phase 2 study investigated the efficacy and safety of talc slurry pleurodesis in 31 patients with inoperable secondary intractable pneumothorax and found that the drainage tube could be removed within 30 days after talc instillation in 23 out of 28 patients (82.1%, 95% CI = 63.1-93.9) (1). The most common side effect was pain, occurring in 39.3% of patients.

Reference

Saka H, Oki M, Yamauchi Y, Kitagawa C, Kada A, Saito AM, Kondo H, Kida H, Takahashi N, Bessho A, Okuda K, Miyazawa H. Talc slurry pleurodesis in patients with secondary intractable pneumothorax: A phase 2 study. Respir Investig. 2024 Jan 23;62(2):277-283. doi: 10.1016/j.resinv.2024.01.005. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38266551.