
Personalized Care and the Use of New Biologics
Two large trials, DREAM and MENSA have found IL-5 therapy with mepolizumab to lower risk of exacerbation in patients with asthma with an eosinophilic phenotype.
Hairdressers May be More Likely to React to Neuromuscular Blocking Agents (NMBA)
A study was performed to evaluate if quaternary and tertiary ammonium ions may be important antigens. The study included 128 hairdressers and 108 bakers/pastry makers with occupational exposure to quaternary ammonium ions, along with 379 controls. Positive IgE against quaternary ammonium ions was 4.6 times more frequent in hairdressers, compared to bakers or controls.
These authors found that prior occupational contact exposure in hairdressers may result in IgE sensitization that cross reacts with NMBAs. The results showed that the frequency of IgE to NMBAs was indeed higher among hairdressers, compared to bakers or normal controls.