Clobetasol propionate 0.05% in a novel foam formulation is safe and effective in the short-term treatment of patients with delayed pressure urticaria: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Delayed pressure urticaria (DPU) is characterized by the appearance of typical painful skin lesions (weals) after pressure stimulus. Oral corticosteroids are effective treatments but long-term therapy is problematic. A new topical formulation of clobetasol propionate 0.05% in thermophobic foam (CF) (Olux) has recently become available. The foam is easy to apply, with low skin residues. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate in a double-blind placebo-controlled trial the efficacy, tolerability and safety of CF in the topical treatment of DPU. METHODS: Twenty-six subjects with a positive history of DPU (13 men, mean age 44 years) were enrolled in a 4-week trial. CF or the corresponding placebo were applied twice daily. Drug application was performed in the most affected areas and in a target area where a standardized pressure challenge test was performed at baseline and at week 4. Efficacy was evaluated by scoring skin lesions regarding erythema, oedema and itching (0, no sign; 4, severe signs) and by calculating the area of the pressure challenge-induced lesion. Safety was evaluated by measuring plasma levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol. RESULTS: CF significantly (P = 0.0001) reduced lesion area by 84% in comparison with baseline values and by 97% in comparison with the placebo group values. Lesion area in the CF group was reduced from 144 cm(2) to 21 cm(2) at the end of the study. No significant differences in lesion area and clinical lesion scores were observed in the placebo group (lesion area 201 cm(2) at baseline; 216 cm(2) after 4 weeks). A significant clinical improvement was observed in all treated skin areas in the CF group. Mean +/- SD erythema score was reduced by CF from 1.8 +/- 0.6 at baseline to 0.6 +/- 0.5 at the end of the treatment (P = 0.001). Similar modifications were observed also for oedema (from 1.6 +/- 0.6 to 0.2 +/- 0.5) and itching score. Nonsignificant modifications of plasma levels of ACTH, cortisol and glucose were observed in both study groups, in comparison with baseline values. No adverse events were recorded during the trial in either treatment group. CONCLUSIONS: CF is effective, safe, convenient and well tolerated in the short-term treatment of DPU.

Over-expression of Mn-superoxide dismutase as a marker of oxidative stress in lesional skin of chronic idiopathic urticaria.

We studied the involvement of oxidative stress in chronic idiopathic urticaria (CIU), assessing the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione and the levels of malondialdeyde (MDA), a marker of lipid peroxidation, in samples taken from lesional skin (n = 16) and nonlesional skin (n = 11) of CIU patients. The activity of SOD and glutathione and the levels of MDA were markedly increased in lesional skin as compared with skin of healthy subjects, whereas no differences were detected between nonlesional skin of CIU patients and control samples. Immuno-dot blot assay revealed an up-regulation of Mn-SOD expression in lesional skin. These findings show that oxidative stress is crucially involved in CIU. The evidence of lipid peroxidation and compensatory increase of Mn-SOD and glutathione activities in lesional skin, in the absence of any alteration in uninvolved skin, suggests that oxidative stress is secondary to the development of inflammation.

Fexofenadine in chronic idiopathic urticaria: a clinical and immunohistochemical evaluation.

Fexofenadine is a non-sedating selective third-generation antihistamine, which also exerts an anti-inflammatory action. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence on the expression of inflammatory skin mediators, together with the efficacy and tolerability, of fexofenadine in chronic idiopathic urticaria (CIU). Fexofenadine 180mg was administered once daily for 4 weeks after a placebo run-in phase of 3 to 7 days. Efficacy paramaters were obtained from patients' assessment of urticaria symptoms. Non-lesional skin of patients with active CIU was studied immunohistochemically before and after treatment. The expression of the following mediators was evaluated: adhesion molecules (ICAM-1, ELAM-1, VCAM-1); mast cell proteases (chymase and tryptase) and proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1beta, IL-3, IL-6 and TNF-alpha). Of the 20 subjects enrolled, 3 dropped out of the study. Treatment proved successful in most cases (88.2%) (p <0.01) and a significant improvement of all symptoms was registered. Treatment was well-tolerated by all patients; adverse events, neither serious nor drug-related, occurred in any case. Immunochemistry revealed at the baseline a significant expression of ELAM-1, VCAM-1, tryptase, chymase, and TNF-alpha (p= 0.05) in non-lesional skin of patients compared to normal controls. After treatment with fexofenadine, there was a significant decrease in the expression of ELAM-1 (p= 0.02), VCAM-1 (p= 0.04) and tryptase (p= 0.04), whereas no relevant change was observed for the other parameters examined. This work confirms the efficacy and tolerability of fexofenadine HCl 180mg in CIU. These preliminary data show a trend towards a decrease in the expression of tryptase and some adhesion molecules after treatment, suggesting an anti-inflammatory activity of fexofenadine.

Oxidative stress in physical urticarias.

The pathogenesis of the physical urticarias has not been completely defined. Indeed, different stimuli can induce similar clinical manifestations, some of which are capable of generating reactive oxygen species. In order to evaluate whether the generation of an oxidative stress response could be a common pathogenetic mechanism of the disease, we have determined the profile of a number of chemical and enzymatic antioxidants in blood samples from a group of patients with physical urticarias. Compared with controls, a systemic imbalance of the antioxidants was detected in the patient group with a decrease of both plasma vitamin E and cellular catalase and glutathione peroxidase activities along with an increase of superoxide dismutase activity. Moreover, an increase in the percentage of plasma polyunsaturated fatty acids, as a target for peroxidative damage, was also observed. These alterations may lead to an increased percentage of peroxidable compounds in skin and to the intracellular generation of reactive oxygen species and could therefore provide one possible explanation for the patients' urticarial response to stimuli. Even if the alteration of the antioxidant status is secondary to changes in cytokine or complement activation, our results suggest a common biochemical profile in patients with different forms of physical urticaria.