Alice He1, Steven R Feldman2, Alan B Fleischer3. 1. Center for Dermatology Research, Department of Dermatology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina. 2. Center for Dermatology Research, Department of Dermatology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina; Department of Pathology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina; Department of Public Health Sciences, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Electronic address: sfeldman@wakehealth.edu. 3. Department of Surgery, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, Kentucky.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Antihistamines are often used to treat pruritus associated with atopic dermatitis (AD) despite lack of evidence for their efficacy. The American Academy of Dermatology does not recommend the general use of antihistamines in the management of AD, although the value of short-term sedating antihistamine use for insomnia secondary to itch is recognized. OBJECTIVE: To assess the use of sedating and nonsedating antihistamines for AD in 2003-2012. METHODS: The National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey provided data on physician visits in 2003-2012. Sedating and nonsedating antihistamine use was identified at visits for AD. RESULTS: There were 990,000 annual visits for AD. Antihistamines were prescribed for AD in a significant proportion of visits across physician specialties (16%-44%). Dermatologists and pediatricians primarily used sedating antihistamines (58%-70%), whereas the majority of family/general practitioners, internists, and other specialists prescribed nonsedating antihistamines for AD (55%-100%) LIMITATIONS: We were limited by the accuracy of AD diagnosis and medication recording. CONCLUSIONS: Antihistamines are widely used for the treatment of AD. There is no high-level evidence to suggest that nonsedating antihistamines reduce itch in patients with AD or that sedating antihistamines provide benefit in controlling AD symptoms (except perhaps sleep and AD comorbidities, such as allergic rhinitis).
BACKGROUND: Antihistamines are often used to treat pruritus associated with atopic dermatitis (AD) despite lack of evidence for their efficacy. The American Academy of Dermatology does not recommend the general use of antihistamines in the management of AD, although the value of short-term sedating antihistamine use for insomnia secondary to itch is recognized. OBJECTIVE: To assess the use of sedating and nonsedating antihistamines for AD in 2003-2012. METHODS: The National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey provided data on physician visits in 2003-2012. Sedating and nonsedating antihistamine use was identified at visits for AD. RESULTS: There were 990,000 annual visits for AD. Antihistamines were prescribed for AD in a significant proportion of visits across physician specialties (16%-44%). Dermatologists and pediatricians primarily used sedating antihistamines (58%-70%), whereas the majority of family/general practitioners, internists, and other specialists prescribed nonsedating antihistamines for AD (55%-100%) LIMITATIONS: We were limited by the accuracy of AD diagnosis and medication recording. CONCLUSIONS: Antihistamines are widely used for the treatment of AD. There is no high-level evidence to suggest that nonsedating antihistamines reduce itch in patients with AD or that sedating antihistamines provide benefit in controlling AD symptoms (except perhaps sleep and AD comorbidities, such as allergic rhinitis).
Authors: Leah Laageide; Stephanie Radke; Donna Santillan; Patrick Ten Eyck; Jennifer Powers Journal: Breastfeed Med Date: 2020-12-18 Impact factor: 1.817
Authors: Fang Wang; Anna M Trier; Fengxian Li; Seonyoung Kim; Zhen Chen; Jiani N Chai; Madison R Mack; Stephanie A Morrison; Jennifer D Hamilton; Jinok Baek; Ting-Lin B Yang; Aaron M Ver Heul; Amy Z Xu; Zili Xie; Xintong Dong; Masato Kubo; Hongzhen Hu; Chyi-Song Hsieh; Xinzhong Dong; Qin Liu; David J Margolis; Marius Ardeleanu; Mark J Miller; Brian S Kim Journal: Cell Date: 2021-01-14 Impact factor: 66.850