title: Oral allergy syndrome: the effect of astemizole.
abstract: The effect of treatment with astemizole (Hismanal) on symptoms elicited by ingestion of hazelnuts in birch pollen-allergic patients (the oral allergy syndrome) was investigated. Thirty patients with a well-documented allergy to silver birch, experiencing symptoms when ingesting hazelnuts, were included in the study. All had a positive skin prick test (SPT) to birch, whereas 29 and 27, respectively, showed a positive RAST and basophil histamine release test (HR) to birch. In contrast, only 15 patients had a positive SPT to hazelnut, 13 had a positive RAST, whereas 24 had a positive HR. After two oral provocations with hazelnuts the patients were randomized to receive either 10 mg of astemizole or placebo daily for 2 weeks in a double blind protocol followed by two oral provocations. Treatment with astemizole significantly reduced the symptoms compared with placebo (P = 0.004); however, without completely abolishing the symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Medical Department TTA, National University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bindslev-Jensen
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vibits
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Stahl Skov
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Weeke
mesh_terms: D016589:Astemizole / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003429:Cross Reactions; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004487:Edema / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006636:Histamine Release; D006801:Humans; D009059:Mouth Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D009754:Nuts / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010608:Pharyngeal Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D011058:Pollen; D011852:Radioallergosorbent Test
chemical_list: D016589:Astemizole