TY - JOUR
TI - Theophylline as `add-on' therapy to cetirizine in patients with chronic
idiopathic urticaria - A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled
pilot study
AU - Kalogeromitros, D
AU - Kempuraj, D
AU - Katsarou-Katsari, A
AU - Makris, M
AU - and Gregoriou, S
AU - Papaliodis, D
AU - Theoharides, TC
JO - International Archives of Allergy and Immunology
PY - 2006
VL - 139
TODO - 3
SP - 258-264
PB - Karger
SN - 1018-2438, 1423-0097
TODO - 10.1159/000091171
TODO - cetirizine; inflammation; phosphodiesterase; theophylline; urticaria
TODO - Background: Chronic urticaria is a prevalent condition associated with
substantial disability. Its pathogenesis is not clearly understood and
is divided into autoimmune and chronic idiopathic urticaria (CIU). We
investigated if the non-specific phosphodiesterase inhibitor
theophylline could provide additional benefit to the histamine-1
receptor (H-1R) antagonist cetirizine in CIU. Methods: This was a
double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel study. Patients were
randomized to receive either cetirizine and theophylline (200 mg twice
daily; group A, 67 subjects) or cetirizine and placebo for 6 months
(group B, 67 subjects). Group A patients took theophylline for 6 more
months. Response was assessed by visual analog scale ( VAS) and
treatment effectiveness score (TES). Blood theophylline levels were also
determined at visit t = 1 and t = 7. Results: The study was completed by
54 of the 67 patients (80.6%) in group A and 51 of the 67 patients
(76.1%) in group B. The physician VAS values for group A were lower
after t = 3, while the patient VAS values were decreased after t = 2.
The physician and patient TES values in group A were statistically
higher (p < 0.05) at all time points except for t = 1. At least 1 month
of theophylline addition was necessary to obtain statistically
significant benefit over cetirizine, and reducing theophylline by 50%
during phase 2 did not alter this benefit. Pruritus values were reduced,
but not statistically significant. Conclusions: Addition of theophylline
to conventional H-1R antagonists was well tolerated without any adverse
effects and provided considerable additional benefit in the management
of CIU. Copyright (C) 2006 S. Karger AG, Basel.
ER -