title: Treatment of chronic urticaria with terfenadine and ranitidine. A randomized double-blind study in 45 patients.
abstract: 45 patients with chronic urticaria were randomized to double blind therapy with terfenadine an H1-antihistamine or ranitidine, an H2-antihistamine, or a combination of both drugs. The therapeutic response was assessed by diary scores. The primary effect variable was "itching". The inference-statistical evaluation of the patient scores showed varying therapeutic effects. The Type-I error was p = 0.015. Itching was reported to be significantly lower by patients receiving both drugs than by those who were given terfenadine alone, while ranitidine in monotherapy had no significant effect on itching. A similar trend was seen in assessment of the severity of weals, while the treatment regimens had no influence on swelling.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001559:Benzhydryl Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006634:Histamine H1 Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011537:Pruritus / Q000188:drug therapy; D011897:Random Allocation; D011899:Ranitidine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016593:Terfenadine; D014581:Urticaria / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D001559:Benzhydryl Compounds; D006634:Histamine H1 Antagonists; D016593:Terfenadine; D011899:Ranitidine