Anti-interleukin (IL)-5 as a steroid-sparing agent in chronic eosinophilic pneumonia

Abstract

<i>Introduction</i>: Anti-interleukin (IL)-5 therapy is a novel drug class clinically effective in patients with diverse eosinophil-related disorders such as allergic eosinophilic asthma, eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA), nasal polyposis, eosinophilic COPD, and other non-pulmonary disorders such as eosinophilic esophagitis. Chronic eosinophilic pneumonia (CEP) is a steroid responsive disorder, however, relapses are common following corticosteroid tapering. <i>Case Study</i>: We present the case of a 42-year-old woman with steroid-dependent relapsing CEP successfully treated with anti-IL-5 antibody. <i>Results</i>: Treatment with anti-IL-5 antibody resulted in remission with the ability to taper off the steroids, and no recurrence of the disease for 6 months. <i>Conclusion</i>: Our case report supports the potential use of anti-IL-5 therapy for remission of patients with CEP with recurrent relapses. Whether, it would also be an effective initial therapy might also be an area that deserves future investigation.