Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Treatment of chronic urticaria with terfenadine and ranitidine

A randomized double-blind study in 45 patients

  • Originals
  • Published:
European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

45 patients with chronic urticaria were randomized to double blind therapy with terfenadine an H1-antihistamine or ranitidine, an H2-antihistamine, or a combination of both drugs. The therapeutic response was assessed by diary scores. The primary effect variable was “itching”. The inference-statistical evaluation of the patient scores showed varying therapeutic effects. The Type-I error wasp=0.015. Itching was reported to be significantly lower by patients receiving both drugs than by those who were given terfenadine alone, while ranitidine in monotherapy had no significant effect on itching. A similar trend was seen in assessment of the severity of weals, while the treatment regimens had no influence on swelling.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Greaves MW, Marks R, Robertson I (1977) Receptors for histamine in human skin blood vessels. A review. Br J Dermatol 97: 225–228

    Google Scholar 

  2. Robertson J, Greaves MW (1978) Response of human skin blood vessels to synthetic histamine analogues. Br J Clin Pharmacol 5: 319–322

    Google Scholar 

  3. Fermont DC, Haggie SJ, Wyllie JH (1976) Histamine receptors in human skin, abstracted. Br J Surg 63: 160

    Google Scholar 

  4. Davies MG, Marks R, Horton RJ, Storari FE (1979) The efficacy of histamine antagonists as antipruritics in experimentally induced pruritus. Arch Dermatol Res 266: 117–120

    Google Scholar 

  5. Harvey RP, Schocket AL (1981) The effect of H1- and H2-blockade on cutaneous histamine response in man. J Allergy Clin Immunol 65: 136–139

    Google Scholar 

  6. Commens CA, Greaves MW (1978) Cimetidine in chronic idiopathic urticaria: a randomized double-blind study. Br J Dermatol 99: 675–679

    Google Scholar 

  7. Phanuphak P, Schocket AL, Kohler PF (1978) Treatment of chronic idiopathic urticaria with combined H1- and H2-blockers. Clinical Allergy 8: 429–433

    Google Scholar 

  8. Cook J, Shuster S (1979) Lack of effect of H2-blockade in chronic urticaria. Br J Dermatol 101 [Suppl 17]: 21–22

    Google Scholar 

  9. Kaiser HB, Weisberg SC, Morris RJ (1980) Cimetidine in chronic urticaria. Lancet 2: p 206

  10. Harvey RP, Wegs J, Schocket AL (1981) A controlled trial of therapy in chronic urticaria. J Allergy Clin Immunol 68: 262–266

    Google Scholar 

  11. Monroe EW, Cohen SH, Kalbfleisch J, Schulz CJ (1981) Combined H1 and H2 antihistamine therapy in chronic urticaria. Arch Dermatol 117: 404–407

    Google Scholar 

  12. Boyle J, MacKie RM (1982) The use of combined H1 and H2 receptor blockers in urticaria with dermographism. Br J Dermatol 107 [Suppl 22]: 18

    Google Scholar 

  13. Matthews CNA, Boss JM, Warin RP, Storari F (1969) The effect of H1 and H2-histamine antagonists on symptomatic dermographism. Br J Dermatol 101: 57–61

    Google Scholar 

  14. Kaur S, Greaves MW, Eftekhari N (1981) Factitious urticaria (dermographism): treatment by cimetidine and chlorpheniramine in a randomized double-blind study. Br J Dermatol 104: 185–190

    Google Scholar 

  15. Mansfield LE, Smith JA, Nelson HS (1983) Greater inhibition of dermographia with a combination of H1- and H2-antagonists. Ann Allergy 50: 264–265

    Google Scholar 

  16. Domschke S, Domschke W (1982) Modifizierte H2-Rezeptorenblockade in der Ulcustherapie. Eine Standortbestimmung. Dtsch Med Wochenschr 107: 1827–1830

    Google Scholar 

  17. Schichtl H (1982) Ulkus-Therapie: Auch H2-Rezeptorenblocker sind noch entwicklungsfähig. Med Klin 77: 62–66

    Google Scholar 

  18. Anonymously (1982) Ranitidin (Sostril, Zantic). BGA fordert zusätzliche Hinweise bei Nebenwirkungen. Dtsch Apotheker Zeitung 41: 2150

  19. Anonymously (1982) Ranitidin (Sostril, Zantic) im Vergleich mit Cimetidine (Tagamet). Arznei-Telegramm 10: 86–89

  20. Dixon GT, Fowler PA, Maconochie JG (1981) Preclinical volunteer studies with ranitidine. In: Misiewicz JJ, Wormsley KG (eds) The clinical use of ranitidine. Medicine Publications Found, Oxford, pp 11–17

    Google Scholar 

  21. Greaves MW (1981) Antihistamine treatment: a patient self-assessment method in chronic urticaria. Br Med J 283: 1435–1436

    Google Scholar 

  22. Matthews KP (1981) Management of urticaria and angioedema. J Allergy Clin Immunol 66: 347–357

    Google Scholar 

  23. Angeles DA, Solamon MO (1981) Cimetidine: Clinical trial in 30 patients with chronic urticaria. Allergia 28: 47–55

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Zentrum für Dermatologie und Andrologie (Hautklinik), Justus Liebig-Universität Giessen, Giessen, Federal Republic of Germany

    E. Paul

  2. Institut für Medizinische Informatik, Justus Liebig-Universität Giessen, Giessen, Federal Republic of Germany

    R. H. Bödeker

Authors
  1. E. Paul
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. R. H. Bödeker
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Paul, E., Bödeker, R.H. Treatment of chronic urticaria with terfenadine and ranitidine. Eur J Clin Pharmacol 31, 277–280 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00981123

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00981123

Key words

Search

Navigation