Background: When considering the effects of dupilumab on severe chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNPs), dupilumab is expected to achieve CRSwNPs remission. The aim of this study was to assess the rate of remission of CRSwNPs with comorbid asthma and its predictors on a 24-month course of dupilumab. Methods: Adult patients with severe CRSwNPs and comorbid asthma who had completed a 24-month course of dupilumab were included in this post hoc analysis. The primary outcome was the rate of CRSwNPs remission at 12 and 24 months of dupilumab. The secondary outcome was to identify factors associated with CRSwNPs remission at 12 and 24 months. Based on the European criteria and a previous definition, remission was defined as the absence of symptoms, improved quality of life, no need for surgery, no exacerbations, recovery of olfactory function, and inactive disease by nasal endoscopy for ≥12 months. A rigorous six-component remission, including olfactory testing, was initially used. Results: Of 16 patients, 4 (25%) and 5 (31%) achieved six-component remission of CRSwNPs at 12 and 24 months, respectively. Patients with shorter disease duration and better olfactory function at baseline achieved six-component remission of CRSwNPs more frequently than those without at 24 months (both p < 0.05). Conclusions: Remission of severe CRSwNPs with comorbid asthma is attainable with a 24-month course of dupilumab.

Objective: Omalizumab has demonstrated clinical efficacy in patients with severe allergic asthma sensitized to perennial allergens and/or severe pollinosis through inhibition of IgE-dependent allergic response. When considering the “one airway, one disease” concept, sensitization to pollen could predict responsiveness to omalizumab. This study aimed to assess whether the pretreatment specific IgE response could be a predictor of responsiveness to omalizumab in severe allergic asthma sensitized to perennial allergens. Methods: In this retrospective study, 41 adult patients with severe allergic asthma sensitized to perennial allergens (27 females; mean age 59 years) who had completed 52-week omalizumab treatment were enrolled. The Global Evaluation of Treatment Effectiveness was performed, and demographic characteristics and the positive ratios of specific IgE responses classified into five subgroups (pollen, dust mite, house dust, mold, and animal dander) were compared between responders and non-responders. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify predictors of responsiveness to omalizumab. Results: Thirty-one patients (76%) were identified as responders. The number of sensitized aeroallergen subgroups and sensitization to pollens were significantly higher in responders than in non-responders (both p< 0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that sensitization to pollen (OR = 8.41, p = 0.02) was independently associated with the effectiveness of omalizumab. Conclusion: Pretreatment serum pollen-specific IgE could be a predictor of responsiveness to omalizumab.

A female nurse in her 40s caring for a patient with severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pneumonia treated with a high‐flow nasal cannula (HFNC) presented with fever, cough and dyspnoea. Based on imaging findings and a positive reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2), COVID‐19 pneumonia was diagnosed, although her cohabiting family had similar symptoms and their RT‐PCR tests were negative. Laboratory results showed Mycoplasma antigen (+). She was started on ciclesonide 1200 μg/day and favipiravir (3600 mg/day on the first day and 1600 mg/day from Day 2). As Mycoplasma antigen was positive on admission and her family had similar symptoms, levofloxacin 500 mg/day was started. The patient recovered and was discharged on Day 10. The patient did not have Mycoplasma infection because the Mycoplasma antibody measured by particle agglutination (PA) method was increased only up to 80 times after 4 weeks. This case highlights that healthcare workers wearing full personal protective equipment can nevertheless acquire COVID‐19 from patients treated with HFNCs.