Mepolizumab is effective in severe eosinophilic asthmatics: an Austrian real-life study

Background: Efficacy of mepolizumab in severe eosinophilic asthma has been demonstrated in large randomized controlled trials (RCTs) but patients included in RCTs poorly reflect real-life patients. Objectives: The objective was to investigate whether mepolizumab is effective in a real-life setting. The primary outcome was patient reported asthma control (asthma control test, ACT) Methods: In this single-centre, single-arm, real-life study patients received 100 mg mepolizumab by subcutaneous injection every four weeks for treatment of severe eosinophilic asthma. ACT, FEV1 and OCS dose were collected at baseline and every four weeks for up to 24 weeks. Results: Thirty-five patients with a mean age of 57 years (60% female) were included. The median ACT at baseline was 14.5 and almost two-thirds of patients were on OCS (median dose 9.3 mg). Already at the first follow-up visit, four weeks after the first treatment, median ACT increased to 18 (+3.5, p Conclusion: Mepolizumab is effective and safe in severe eosinophilic asthmatics. This effectiveness is comparable to the efficacy seen in large RCTs.