Abstract
To assess the usefulness of a second-generation antihistamine, ebastine (EBASTEL®), for pruritic skin disease, we investigated the efficacy and safety of ebastine administration at 20 mg/day to patients who showed an insufficient response at 10 mg/day. A total of 115 patients with pruritic skin disease, including new patients and those with an insufficient response to other antihistamines, were treated with 10 mg/day of ebastine for two weeks. Those in whom the drug showed insufficient efficacy then received treatment at 20 mg/day for another two weeks. If the patient showed a good response at 20 mg/day, the dose was decreased to 10 mg/day again, while it was maintained at 20 mg/day if the response was inadequate, followed by a further two-week treatment period in both groups of patients. As a result, of 99 patients who completed the first two-week treatment period with 10 mg/day of ebastine, 61 showed a good response and 38 did not. Thirty-seven of the 38 patients with an inadequate response (except for 1 dropout), then received two weeks of treatment at 20 mg/day, after which 11 showed a good response. In these 11 patients, significant improvement of skin symptoms and improvement of itching (VAS) was maintained. High-dose administration of ebastine caused no new adverse events. The above findings indicate that ebastine is an effective drug for pruritic skin disease and that increasing the dose to 20 mg/day in patients with poor response to 10 mg/day can achieve a better effect.
