Dupixent Side Effects Linked To Increased Risk of Transient Blood Eosinophilia: Study

The eczema drug Dupixent may prove to be an effective treatment for severe asthma, but researchers warn that side effects may result in an increase in white blood cells, suggesting that the body is having an allergic reaction to the drug. 

An international group of researchers published a study in the New England Journal of Medicine on May 21, which looked at the safety and effectiveness of using Dupixent (dupilumab) in treating glucocorticoid-dependent severe asthma. The study found that using Dupixent lowered patients’ dependence on oral glucocorticoid, but appeared to increase the risk of transient blood eosinophilia; which involves an increase in white blood cells.

Researchers conducted a clinical study involving 210 patients taking oral glucocorticoids for severe asthma, half of whom were treated with a 300 mg dose of Dupixent every two weeks for 24 weeks. The other patients were given a placebo.

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According to the findings, the drug lowered the need for steroid use and decreased the rate of severe exacerbations when compared to a placebo. However, 14% of those given Dupixent developed transient blood eosinophilia. This is usually indicative of an allergic reaction, and extended eosinophilia can result in tissue damage and other side effects.

The study also noted that there were more than double the number of injection-site reactions to Dupixent injections than with patients given a placebo.

Researchers said they were not surprised by the findings, as Dupixent is believed to block the migration of eosinophils into tissue.

“The high blood eosinophil counts returned to baseline levels by the end of the dupilumab treatment period,” the researchers noted. “Patients with transient elevations in the blood eosinophil counts did not have concomitant clinical adverse events or consequences. Since glucocorticoids suppress circulating eosinophils, the greater reduction in the oral glucocorticoid dose in the dupilumab group than in the placebo group could also have contributed to the elevations in the eosinophil counts.”

8 Comments

  • BillMarch 18, 2024 at 10:38 am

    I had sinus polyps. My ENT wanted to do surgery but before that he said that Dupixient would shrink the polyps. My entire life has changed since taking Dupixient. Took the shot and within a week starting having chest pains. Got so bad I went to emergency room (I NEVER go to emergency room). Said I had pericarditis, gave me some meds. Made a followup visit to a cardiologist the following week. Told[Show More]I had sinus polyps. My ENT wanted to do surgery but before that he said that Dupixient would shrink the polyps. My entire life has changed since taking Dupixient. Took the shot and within a week starting having chest pains. Got so bad I went to emergency room (I NEVER go to emergency room). Said I had pericarditis, gave me some meds. Made a followup visit to a cardiologist the following week. Told him I was experiencing shortness of breath. He took some xrays ultrasounds and ekg. Said heart looked fine but that I needed to see a pulmonologist immediately. Went to pulmonologist next day. I had 1.75 liters of fluid on my left lung from a plural effusion. They extracted the fluid. By then I was suspecting the Dupixent and called my ENT. He said get do not take it anymore. Throughout the next 4 months I had 3 more plural effusions. My pulmonologist said everything looked fine. I told them something wasnt right. I could feel something in my chest and still had shortness of breath. Took my scans and records to new pulmonologist and they couldn't believe what they seen. The entire left side and bottom of my left lung had new scar tissue. Was sent to a Thoracic surgeon. Lung surgery was schedule to do a total decortation and while they were in there they went ahead and did a pleurectomy. I am 6 months out and don't think I will ever be the same. I have much less lung capacity and can't do near the things I used to. PLEASE do your homework before taking this medicine.

  • DavidFebruary 20, 2024 at 4:53 pm

    I stared Dupixent in 2023, my hands were cracked and the skin chafed to the point of bleeding at the knuckles. I was diagnosed last week with bleeding gastric ulcers, I have a bad ear and my temporal bone is swelled. After a 21/2 hour appointment with my ENT she diagnosed me using a laryngoscope with the ulcers and felt around the inside of my mouth and said I was experiencing symptoms of cancer [Show More]I stared Dupixent in 2023, my hands were cracked and the skin chafed to the point of bleeding at the knuckles. I was diagnosed last week with bleeding gastric ulcers, I have a bad ear and my temporal bone is swelled. After a 21/2 hour appointment with my ENT she diagnosed me using a laryngoscope with the ulcers and felt around the inside of my mouth and said I was experiencing symptoms of cancer and immediately ordered a full brain MRI which I take in two days I called my dermatologist and told her my prognosis and immediately took me off this dangerous drug. I am still awaiting results. Two years ago I was on humira and had to stop it also.

  • MarkFebruary 12, 2024 at 6:20 am

    August 2023 I finally was able to obtain Dupixent thru Medicaid Nevada. This after almost 2 years using a number of topical medications. None worked as good as my first 2 doses of Dupixent for my atopic dermatitis namely excema. The severe itching drove me crazy! I worked construction and had to wear steel toe boots and let me tell you in summer after 8 hour day, I had all I could do to not c[Show More]August 2023 I finally was able to obtain Dupixent thru Medicaid Nevada. This after almost 2 years using a number of topical medications. None worked as good as my first 2 doses of Dupixent for my atopic dermatitis namely excema. The severe itching drove me crazy! I worked construction and had to wear steel toe boots and let me tell you in summer after 8 hour day, I had all I could do to not claw my skin from my legs at calves and ankles. To my amazement and after only first 2 initial injections of 300 MG given to me in both legs at my first office visit the itch was gone and in 2 days time my skin was healing looking so much better. I was instructed how to self inject the Dupixent and did so 2 weeks later. I was shocked at the cost per injection and truly grateful for having Medicaid as they paid 100% of the monthly cost. However, this did not last very long. What follows is the unfortunate downside to having been prescribed this drug Dupixent. Let me explain by first stating that I've been a healthy male for 61 years with no serious problems, none. That is until the summer of 2019 when the itching started. Covid-19 was doing its thing and yes I got it. As of 2024 had Covid 3 times! Questions to my doctor were "could covid have caused my skin to itch?" Red bumps that when scratched just oozed, bled and at times felt hot and possibly infected. I could barely face the day at work. Forward to August 2023 and 3 shots into my treatment using Dupixent. I wake from nights rest feeling strange, like swollen and had hard time getting up and out of bed. My joints felt puffy and at my knees, elbows and few fingers a lot of pain. I took 2 Ibuprofen and shrugged it off as old age must be catching up. I wasn't to alarmed until a morning 6 days later I could not bear the pain in my knees to drive my truck home. I called my dermatologist to explain what was going on and she told me not to administer my fourth shot. I was to wait until my next appointment before doing anymore Dupixent. Guess what, the itching came back and worse! Even more than the itching was this new pain in my knees that till this day and going on 6months now that my hourly level of pain is through the roof. I'm having trouble finding any relief from the pain and am crippled beyond belief. Not able to get sound sleep. Everything I used to be able to do all have been severely reduced to zero, I'm talking unable to drive, go down to pick say a coin of the ground, no way. Both my knees feel like they are going to explode. They are always hot and feel tight and unbendable. Only time some relief comes after icing them for 20 minutes. Heat only makes them worse along with any braces, tight pants etc. What little work I'm able to do is simply ridiculous compared to what I was able to do before Dupixent. Help, as I don't know what else to do and nobody, no doctors, no one has the answers. They like to say " your getting old and these things happen". MM

  • DorcusDecember 18, 2023 at 4:32 pm

    This med made me sick of stomach! my hair is thinning ! my eyes are blurred badly! they need to take off market! asap

  • MJanuary 12, 2023 at 6:38 pm

    Last March my husband was prescribed Dupixent for atopic dermatitis. He had been itching for many months and was told this drug would improve the dermatitis. A week or so after the first injection, his entire body above his knees was bright red. The itching was out of control. Several months later there were strange bumps on his arms and had a biopsy. . It was negative. Last month he had another b[Show More]Last March my husband was prescribed Dupixent for atopic dermatitis. He had been itching for many months and was told this drug would improve the dermatitis. A week or so after the first injection, his entire body above his knees was bright red. The itching was out of control. Several months later there were strange bumps on his arms and had a biopsy. . It was negative. Last month he had another biopsy. He has Cutaneous T Cell Lymphoma. The oncologist said the lymphoma was dormant until it was provoked by the dupixent. He is stage 3a. There is no cure. The skin lymphoma covers more than 60% of his skin. This is a known adverse reaction to dupixent. He eventually would have been diagnosed with CTCL but it probably would have been diagnosed at an earlier stage. Before going on Dupixent, demand blood work!

  • DeniseDecember 26, 2022 at 2:14 pm

    I've suffered with server eczema since I was born. After all the testing and exhausting all other options, didn't was introduced. I was told to no longer use Triamcinolone anymore bc after 15 years of use, I was told my medicine was giving my skin an adverse effect. It was thinning my skin and making me worse! I was told to use dupixent biweekly. In the year I've been on it, the eczema has spread.[Show More]I've suffered with server eczema since I was born. After all the testing and exhausting all other options, didn't was introduced. I was told to no longer use Triamcinolone anymore bc after 15 years of use, I was told my medicine was giving my skin an adverse effect. It was thinning my skin and making me worse! I was told to use dupixent biweekly. In the year I've been on it, the eczema has spread. I now have wrinkles and the age of 35. The only other option I was given so far was to raise the dose. I highly doubt I'll be signing up for that.

  • CherylJune 7, 2022 at 4:20 pm

    I was put on Dupixent Oct 2021 after a month of being on Dupixent I started having joint pain in the hips. I reported to my doctor who was following up on side effects. By March 2022 I could hardly move and pain was extreme, the joint pain also moved into my shoulder and I was unable to hardly lift my arms. Many X-rays and MRI followed with a visit with orthopedic surgeon resulting in side effect[Show More]I was put on Dupixent Oct 2021 after a month of being on Dupixent I started having joint pain in the hips. I reported to my doctor who was following up on side effects. By March 2022 I could hardly move and pain was extreme, the joint pain also moved into my shoulder and I was unable to hardly lift my arms. Many X-rays and MRI followed with a visit with orthopedic surgeon resulting in side effects from Dupixent. The Dupixent helped with the eczema but the side effects of severe joint pain and unable to move so I have been taken off Dupixent.

  • JohnJune 1, 2022 at 9:01 pm

    I was diagnosed with hyper eosinophilia blamed on Dupixent I was off of work for 14 months.

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