Refractory status asthmaticus is the cause of rare cases of in-hospital death due to acute bronchial asthma. The most severe cases unresponsive to first, second and next line treatment may be fatal despite aggressive organ support with invasive ventilation and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Omalizumab, a humanized recombinant monoclonal anti-IgE antibody, is an approved add-on biological treatment for severe asthma. However, it is not indicated in an acute setting. Here, we report the case of a young patient with status asthmaticus fully dependent on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation refractory to any therapy for six days, who was successfully treated with omalizumab.

Center for Research and Development Dept of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Faculty of Medicine in Hradec Kralove Charles University Prague Hradec Kralove Czechia

Department of Clinical Immunology and Allergology Masaryk Hospital J E Purkinje University Usti nad Labem Czechia

Department of Pneumology 3rd Faculty of Medicine Charles University and University Hospital Bulovka Prague Czechia

Dept of Anesthesia Pain Management and Perioperative Medicine Dalhousie University Halifax Canada

Dept of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Faculty of Medicine in Hradec Kralove Charles University Prague University Hospital Hradec Kralove Hradec Kralove Czechia

Dept of Anesthesiology Perioperative Medicine and Intensive Care Masaryk Hospital J E Purkinje University Usti nad Labem Czechia

Emergency Medical Service of the Central Bohemian Region Kladno Czechia

Faculty of Health Studies J E Purkinje University Usti nad Labem Czechia

Faculty of Medicine in Hradec Kralove Charles University Prague University Hospital Hradec Kralove Hradec Kralove Czechia

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