A STUDY ON TREATMENT OF CHRONIC IDIOPATHIC URTICARIA WITH CETIRIZINE.

In a prospective study a comparison has been made between the clinical efficacy and safety of cetirizine, a third generation H1 receptor antagonist with chlorpheniramine and cyprohepatadine, the most widely used antithistamines in the treatment of chronic idiopathic urticaria. One hundred and five patients with chronic idiopathic urticaria were studied where the effects of chlorpheniramine, 4 mg and cyproheptadine, 4 mg administered twice daily were compared with cetirizine, 10 mg given once daily for 4 weeks or earlier till the relief of symptoms and regression of lesions. Local therapy consisted of calamine lotion in all cases. Out of 35 patients receiving chlorpheniramine excellent response was achieved in 9 (25.7%) cases by subjective evaluation (SE) and 11 (31.4%) by objective evaluation (OE). Out of 35 cases, 7 (20%) and 10 (28.5%) cases treated with cyproheptadine have shown excellent response by SE and OE respectively. Out of 35 patients taking cetirizine 25 (71.4%) had shown excellent response by SE and 22 (62.8%) cases by OE. Drowsiness was an important side effect observed in 19 (54.2%) cases receiving chlorpheniramine, 22 (62.8%) patients taking cyproheptadine and 1 (2.8%) case getting cetirizine. These results suggest that cetirizine has got superior antiallergic activity than chlorpheniramine and cyproheptadine in the treatment of chronic idiopathic urticaria.