Asthma Remission in a Patient with Rheumatoid Arthritits While on Antiangiogenesis Therapy During a Rheumatoid Arthritis Trial Demonstrated by Forced Oscillation and Spirometry

Abstract

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory condition. An integral part of the inflammation is angiogenesis (neovascularization). This report describes a patient with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and moderately severe asthma despite maintenance on inhaled corticosteroids (ics) and intermittent systemic steroids (ss). While enrolled in a clinical trial for RA employing MEDI-522 (Vitaxin), her asthma symptoms remitted substantially, with significant improvement in spirometry and airflow resistance measured by forced oscillation. The patient was able to discontinue ics and required no ss while taking MEDI-522. After termination of the clinical trial, the patient's asthma symptoms again increased and required reinstitution of ics for control.

Keywords:

• spirometry
• angiogenesis
• inflammation
• oscillometry
• asthma