Comparative efficacy of H[1] blocker, H[2] blocker, and corticosteroid individually and in combination in resolution of sign and symptoms of acute Urticaria

ABSTRACT

To compare the efficacy of H[1] blocker, H[2] blocker, corticosteroid in combination or individually in resolution of the sign and symptoms of acute urticaria. Randomized control trial. This study was carried out at Medical Department, Naseer Teaching Hospital, Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa [KPK] for the period of six months [July 2012 through December 2012]. In this study 140 adult patients of both gender with acute urticaria were treated with either H[1] blocker [group A], H[2] blocker [group B] or in combinations of H[1] blocker + H[2] blocker [group C], H[1] blocker + H[2] blocker + dexamethasone [group D], H[1] blocker + dexamethasone [Group E], H[2] blocker + dexamethasone [Group F] or Dexamethasone [group G] alone. The end points were resolution of sign and symptoms in each group of patients [minimum 3 hours after treatment]. Pregnant females, anemic and Patients with cardiac disease were excluded. H[1]+ H[2] blockers + dexamethasone found to be most effective therapeutic combination [95% of patients] in resolution of sign and symptoms of acute urticaria, followed by H[1] blocker + dexamethasone [90%] and H[1]+ H[2] blockers [85%]. This study concludes that the combination of H[1]+H[2] blockers + dexamethasone is more effective in relieving the patient from the sign and symptom of acute urticaria as compared to H[1] blocker or H[2] blocker or dexamethasone given alone or in combination of any two