Dose ranging study: cetirizine in the treatment of atopic dermatitis in adults.

One hundred seventy-eight adults with atopic dermatitis were included in this double-blind, parallel, randomized study where the effects of placebo, and cetirizine, 10, 20, and 40 mg administered daily during 4 weeks were measured. Local rescue therapy, which consisted of emollients and 1% hydrocortisone, was permitted and patients in all four groups used it in the same regular way. Severity of atopic dermatitis was measured via the following parameters: pruritus (visual analog scales used by both the investigator and patients), four point scale (absent, slight, moderate and serious) symptom scores for erythema, vesicles, excoriation, and lichenification in 14 body areas and a final visit assessment of the patient's general condition. The patient's quality of sleep was also measured along with standard blood chemistry tests. Adverse events during the study were recorded as well. In total 127 patients were assessed for efficacy. A statistically significant (P < or = .05) improvement was observed in all therapeutic groups for the following parameters: erythema, excoriation, lichenification, total symptom score, area involved, and pruritus. Cetirizine showed a dose-related improvement in the following parameters measured: erythema, lichenification, total symptom score, area involved, final assessment, and pruritus (measured by the patient at each visit). At 40 mg, cetirizine was significantly (P < or = .05) more effective than placebo for these parameters. At 20 mg, this was true only for pruritus (measured by the patient at each visit).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Inhibitory effects of orally or sublingually administered cetirizine on histamine-induced weals and flares and their correlation with cetirizine plasma concentrations.

In an open, randomized crossover study, the inhibition of histamine-induced weals and flares after one dose of 10 mg cetirizine administered orally or sublingually to seven healthy volunteers was compared. Formation of both weals and flares was significantly inhibited by cetirizine administered by either route; weals were inhibited as early as 20 min after oral intake but not clearly inhibited until 90 min after sublingual intake. There was no clinically relevant difference between the effects of the two routes of administration on flare area. Cetirizine was not well tolerated when given sublingually: two patients reported a burning sensation in the tongue and one reported a local anaesthetic effect. Plasma cetirizine concentrations showed no clear difference between the two routes of administration.