title: Efficacy and tolerability of levodropropizine and dropropizine in children with non-productive cough.
abstract: The antitussive efficacy and tolerability of dropropizine and of its enantiomer levodropropizine were evaluated in children with non-productive cough; 258 were evaluable for tolerability and 254 for efficacy. Patients randomly received either 1 mg/kg dropropizine or 2 mg/kg levodropropizine orally, three times daily for 3 days. There were statistically significant decreases in the frequency of coughing spells and nocturnal awakenings after both levodropropizine and dropropizine treatments (P < 0.001). Gastro-intestinal symptoms were mild in the two groups; somnolence was twice as frequent in the dropropizine group (10.3% vs 5.3%) and the difference is clinically relevant, though not statistically significant. Levodropropizine is as effective as an antitussive as dropropizine, but appears to carry a lower risk of daytime somnolence.
authors.affiliation: Fifth Department of Paediatrics, University of Milan, Medical School, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Banderali
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Riva
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fiocchi
authors.forename: C I
authors.initials: CI
authors.lastname: Cordaro
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Giovannini
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000996:Antitussive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003371:Cough / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011409:Propylene Glycols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000996:Antitussive Agents; D011409:Propylene Glycols; C035916:dipropizine