title: Theophylline as "add-on" therapy in patients with delayed pressure urticaria: a prospective self-controlled study.
abstract: Delayed pressure urticaria (DPU) is a skin condition that involves the gradual development of wheals and edema at sites of physical pressure. Its pathogenesis is not clear and histamine-1 receptor (H-1R) antagonists provide only partial relief. In this prospective, clinical study, we investigated the effect of theophylline, which has a long history of benefit in allergic asthma, added to cetirizine in patients with DPU. Twenty three patients received during period 1 cetirizine (10 mg po QD) and theophylline (200 mg po BID) for 6 months, followed by period 2 of 1 month washout with only rescue medication as needed, and then by period 3 with cetirizine (10 mg QD plus placebo (BID) for 5 more months. The addition of theophylline resulted in statistically significant improvement over cetirizine alone by 2 months and continued for the duration of treatment. Treatment of cultured human mast cells with theophylline (10 microM) did not inhibit allergic histamine release, but the in vivo beneficial effect of theophylline may require significant pretreatment period to manifest itself, or may involve inhibition of other mast cell dependent mediators. A double-blind study, accompanied by serum histamine and tryptase levels, should be in order.
authors.affiliation: Division of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Attikon Hospital, University of Athens School of Medicine, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kalogeromitros
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kempuraj
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Katsarou-Katsari
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gregoriou
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Makris
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Boucher
authors.forename: T C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Theoharides
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D017332:Cetirizine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D039563:Histamine H1 Antagonists, Non-Sedating / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000187:drug effects; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013806:Theophylline / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013997:Time Factors; D014581:Urticaria / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D039563:Histamine H1 Antagonists, Non-Sedating; D013806:Theophylline; D017332:Cetirizine