Does omalizumab treatment affect serum dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate levels in chronic idiopathic urticaria?

Introduction: It is known that serum dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEA-S) levels are low in patients with chronic idiopathic urticaria.

Aim: In the study, the effect of the drug on the DHEA-S serum levels and its correlation with the remission and relapse times of the disease was investigated.

Material and methods: Fifty-seven patients with chronic idiopathic urticaria who were referred to our hospital and 20 healthy volunteers were included in the study. A subcutaneous injection of 300 mg omalizumab was administered to the patient group. Drug injections at this dose were completed (6 injections in total, one per month). Relations between serum DHEA-S levels and relapse rates, treatment response and remission duration of the patients and control group were investigated in the groups.

Results: Median DHEA-S value before treatment was 116.3 (21.5-448.7) µg/dl; the median DHEA-S value measured after 3 months was 98.4 (10.0-410.0) µg/dl ( p = 0.003). The median DHEA-S value before treatment was 123.1 (21.5-299.6) µg/dl when the initial and 3-month DHEA-S levels of the 34 complete remission patients were compared; after 3 months the value was 100.4 (23.1-301.9) µg/dl ( p = 0.021).

Conclusions: This is the first study to investigate the effect of omalizumab treatment on DHEA-S levels in the treatment of chronic urticaria according to our literature review. The DHEA-S levels were found to be significantly lower after omalizumab therapy but not related to remission and relapse times.