Kapp, Alexander; Pichler, Werner J (2006). Levocetirizine is an effective treatment in patients suffering from chronic idiopathic urticaria: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel, multicenter study. International journal of dermatology, 45(4), pp. 469-74. Oxford: Blackwell Science 10.1111/j.1365-4632.2005.02609.x
Full text not available from this repository.BACKGROUND: Chronic idiopathic urticaria (CIU) is defined by the almost daily presence of urticaria for at least 6 weeks without an identifiable cause. Symptoms include short-lived wheals, itching, and erythema. CIU impedes significantly a patient's quality of life (QoL). Levocetirizine is an antihistamine from the latest generation approved for CIU. AIM: To investigate the efficacy of levocetirizine, 5 mg, and placebo for the symptoms and signs of CIU, as well as for the QoL and productivity. METHODS: The primary criteria of evaluation were the pruritus severity scores over 1 week of treatment and over 4 weeks. The QoL was assessed via the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI). RESULTS: Baseline pruritus severity scores were comparable in the two treatment groups (2.06+/-0.58). After 1 week, levocetirizine was superior to placebo and demonstrated a considerable efficacy (difference=0.78, P<0.001). This efficacy was maintained over the entire study period (4 weeks, P<0.001). The number and size of wheals were considerably reduced compared with placebo over 1 week and over the total treatment period (P <or= 0.001). This was paralleled by an improvement in the QoL (DLQI: 7.3 units in the levocetirizine group and 2.4 units in the placebo group) and a higher productivity at work in the levocetirizine group (3.0 workdays lost per patient per month in the placebo group, 0.3 in the levocetirizine group). No unexpected adverse events occurred. CONCLUSIONS: Levocetirizine, 5 mg once daily, is an effective treatment for CIU, characterized not only by a rapid and sustained response, but also by an important improvement in QoL.
Item Type: |
Journal Article (Original Article) |
|---|---|
Division/Institute: |
04 Faculty of Medicine > Department of Dermatology, Urology, Rheumatology, Nephrology, Osteoporosis (DURN) > Clinic of Rheumatology and Immunology |
UniBE Contributor: |
Pichler, Werner Joseph |
ISSN: |
0011-9059 |
ISBN: |
16650180 |
Publisher: |
Blackwell Science |
Language: |
English |
Submitter: |
Factscience Import |
Date Deposited: |
04 Oct 2013 14:51 |
Last Modified: |
05 Dec 2022 14:16 |
Publisher DOI: |
10.1111/j.1365-4632.2005.02609.x |
PubMed ID: |
16650180 |
Web of Science ID: |
000236585200027 |
URI: |
https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/21728 (FactScience: 13395) |
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