Abstract
The clinical effect of loratadine, a low-sedating anti-allergy drug, was examined as both induction and maintenance therapy for acute and chronic urticaria. Of 33 patients with acute urticaria receiving induction therapy, marked global improvement was observed in 16 (48.5%) and moderate improvement in 13 (39.4%). Of 34 patients with chronic urticaria receiving induction therapy, marked global improvement was observed in 20 (58.8%) and moderate improvement in 10 (29.4%). Patients responding to induction therapy then received maintenance therapy, and global improvement was observed in 20 of 21 patients with acute urticaria and in 23 of 28 patients with chronic urticaria. The rate of disappearance of symptoms was 84.8% in acute urticaria and 73.5% in chronic urticaria. When daytime itching, nighttime itching, and wheals were scored and compared to baseline, significant reduction was observed at the end of both induction and maintenance therapy (p<0.0001, Wilcoxon matched pairs signed rank test). In the 28 acute urticaria and 25 chronic urticaria patients whose symptoms disappeared, recurrence was monitored for 2 months or more after the end of treatment with loratadine. No recurrence was observed in 17 of 21 patients (81.0%) with acute urticaria and in 13 of 21 patients (61.9%) with chronic urticaria. No adverse events were observed in patients with acute urticaria, while sleepiness was reported in one patient (2.9%) with chronic urticaria. Loratadine not only has low sedating effect but also provides reliable therapeutic effects, suggesting its usefulness as drug treatment for urticaria.
