Omalizumab benefited patients with moderate to severe allergic asthma regardless of their body mass index (BMI), finds the latest study by Dr Bob Geng, assistant clinical professor at University of California San Diego School of Medicine and an allergist and immunologist at Rady Children’s Hospital. The study findings, published in Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, pointed out that out of the 397 adults categorised as underweight/normal, participants treated with omalizumab saw consistently lower asthma exacerbation rates than participants treated with placebo. It also highlighted conventional therapy for asthma such as corticosteroids, both inhaled and systemic, in that it could have an impact in increasing metabolic and weight-based complications.