title: Evaluation of a non-Food and Drug Administration-approved use of cimetidine: treatment of pruritus resulting from epidural morphine analgesia.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a frequently used treatment at our hospital, intravenous cimetidine hydrochloride for pruritus resulting from epidural morphine sulfate analgesia in cesarean-section patients. Fifty-two patients were randomly assigned to receive either placebo or cimetidine 300 mg i.v. Thirty-nine patients experienced itching. Thirty-three patients completed the study (17 in the cimetidine group, 16 in the placebo group). For pruritus unrelieved by the study drug, bolus doses of naloxone hydrochloride 0.2 mg i.v. were administered at 30-minute intervals, if needed. Pruritus was assessed by two subjective rating scales and the number of naloxone doses needed for unrelieved pruritus. Using independent Student's t-tests, we identified no significant differences between the two groups. The mean numbers of naloxone boluses administered were 1.9 for placebo and 2.5 for cimetidine (p = 0.49). Our study demonstrates the importance of objectively evaluating the use of drugs for non-Food and Drug Administration-approved indications.
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque 87131.
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Raisch
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Barreuther
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Osborne
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015360:Analgesia, Epidural / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002927:Cimetidine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009020:Morphine; D011537:Pruritus / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D014481:United States; D014486:United States Food and Drug Administration
chemical_list: D009020:Morphine; D002927:Cimetidine