Cimetidine and chlorpheniramine in the treatment of chronic idiopathic urticaria: a multi-centre randomized double-blind study.
One hundred and twenty patients with chronic idiopathic urticaria, who entered a study at five centres (Sheffield, London, Bristol, Cardiff and Leeds) were treated with therapeutic doses of the H1 antagonist chlorpheniramine for 6 weeks. Histamine H1 non-responders (40 patients) were entered into a double-blind study and received chlorpheniramine plus cimetidine 400 mg q.d.s. (21 patients) or chlorpheniramine plus placebo (19 patients) for a further 8 weeks. The most important response measure was the change from baseline of the total symptom score: an assessment of the number and duration of new weals and degree of itching. There was a statistically significant difference between the average response in the two treatment groups in favour of chlorpheniramine plus cimetidine after 4 and 8 weeks' treatment (P less than 0.05 and P less than 0.01, respectively). No significant side-effects related to treatment were noted.
Bleehen
S S
SS
Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield, U.K.
Thomas
S E
SE
Greaves
M W
MW
Newton
J
J
Kennedy
C T
CT
Hindley
F
F
Marks
R
R
Hazell
M
M
Rowell
N R
NR
Fairiss
G M
GM
D002744:Chlorpheniramine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002927:Cimetidine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006801:Humans; D011897:Random Allocation; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology; D014581:Urticaria / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology
D002744:Chlorpheniramine; D002927:Cimetidine