# Compassionate use of tezepelumab in near fatal asthma: A case report and review of the literature

**Authors:** Mako Nakajima, Masashi Matsuyama, Yuki Yamazaki, Hiroya Sunabe, Yuta Takahashi, Keishun Boku, Takeshi Miura, Tomohiro Tamura, Yoshiaki Inoue, Nobuyuki Hizawa

PMC · DOI: 10.1016/j.rmcr.2025.102223 · 2025-04-26

## TL;DR

A man with near fatal asthma was successfully treated with a single dose of tezepelumab after other treatments failed.

## Contribution

This is a rare case of using a biologic agent as rescue therapy for near fatal asthma.

## Key findings

- Tezepelumab was administered on a compassionate basis after high-dose corticosteroids failed.
- The patient was successfully extubated 7 days after tezepelumab administration.
- The case highlights the potential of biologics in treating severe asthma.

## Abstract

A 38-year-old man with near fatal asthma requiring intubation and invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) was transferred to our hospital. Veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV-ECMO) was initiated due to hypotension and mediastinal emphysema secondary to barotrauma. Since high-dose systemic corticosteroid therapy failed to relieve the severe bronchospasm, a single dose of tezepelumab was administered on a compassionate basis. This intervention resulted in successful extubation 7 days later. This is a rare case in which a biologic agent was used as a rescue therapy for near fatal asthma. This case is presented along with a review of the relevant literature.

## Linked entities

- **Diseases:** asthma (MONDO:0004979)

## Full-text entities

- **Diseases:** mediastinal emphysema (MESH:D008478), asthma (MESH:D001249), hypotension (MESH:D007022), bronchospasm (MESH:D001986), barotrauma (MESH:D001469)
- **Chemicals:** tezepelumab (MESH:C000622721)

## Figures

2 figures with captions in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12147447/full.md

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Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12147447