Efficacy and safety of mizolastine 10 mg in a placebo-controlled comparison with loratadine in chronic idiopathic urticaria: results of the MILOR Study.
BACKGROUND
Mizolastine is a novel histamine H1-antagonist registered in Europe for the management of allergic rhinitis and urticaria.


OBJECTIVE
To compare the clinical efficacy and safety of mizolastine with loratadine and placebo in patients with chronic idiopathic urticaria (CIU).


METHODS
A multicentre, double-blind, parallel group study was designed in which 247 patients with CIU were randomised after a 1-week placebo run-in period to 10 mg daily mizolastine (n = 88), 10 mg daily loratadine (n = 79), or placebo (n = 80) for a 4-week treatment period.


RESULTS
Mizolastine and loratadine both relieved symptoms of CIU. After 2 weeks' treatment, the severity of pruritus (visual analogue score (VAS) assessed by patients) decreased significantly in both the mizolastine and loratadine groups compared with placebo (mizolastine: -36.7 mm, P = 0.0001; loratadine: -29.8, P = 0.0071; placebo: -16.3); this improvement with both active treatments was maintained throughout the treatment period, the difference being significant only for the mizolastine group (P = 0.0090). Both active treatments were also associated with reduced weekly episodes of urticaria compared with placebo, which was significant after 2 weeks' treatment (mizolastine: 7.9 episodes, P = 0.0061; loratadine: 8.3, P = 0.0221; placebo: 13.3). Angioedema was improved to a clinically significant extent with mizolastine, and loratadine compared with placebo in those patients who had this symptom before treatment. Overall tolerability of both treatments was similar to placebo, and there were no clinically relevant effects on cardiac repolarisation with either mizolastine or loratadine.


CONCLUSIONS
Mizolastine (10 mg daily) is confirmed as an effective and well tolerated agent, comparable to loratadine and superior to placebo, for the management of CIU. Mizolastine acted as rapidly as loratadine in improving urticarial symptoms from the first day of treatment.
Dubertret
L
L
Service de Dermatologie, Hôpital St. Louis, Paris, France.
Murrieta Aguttes
M
M
Tonet
J
J
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001064:Appendicitis / Q000139:chemically induced; D001562:Benzimidazoles / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006634:Histamine H1 Antagonists / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D017336:Loratadine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010352:Patient Dropouts; D011537:Pruritus / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014581:Urticaria / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D014657:Vasculitis / Q000139:chemically induced
D001562:Benzimidazoles; D006634:Histamine H1 Antagonists; C076170:mizolastine; D017336:Loratadine