title: How to prescribe antihistamines for chronic idiopathic urticaria: desloratadine daily vs PRN and quality of life.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chronic idiopathic urticaria (CIU) impairs quality of life (QoL). Currently, no consensus exists regarding how second-generation H(1)-antihistamines (proven to control CIU symptoms) should be taken long-term: as daily treatment or only when symptoms return (PRN). We sought to determine which regimen improves or better maintains QoL in CIU: desloratadine (DL) daily or PRN.
  
  
  METHODS
  Subjects with CIU initially responding to DL 5 mg/day for 4 weeks were randomized for an additional 8 weeks, to DL 5 mg/day (arm 1: 'continuous', n = 46) or to DL only on days when urticarial wheals were present (arm 2: "PRN", n = 60). To ensure blinding, treatment was presented in both arms as a combination of daily treatment (arm 1: DL; arm 2: placebo), plus a "rescue" tablet (arm 1: placebo; arm 2: DL) to be taken only in case of symptoms. The main outcome measure was QoL assessed by the VQ-Dermato, a validated French QoL instrument, and the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI).
  
  
  RESULTS
  At 4 and 8 weeks after randomization, subjects taking continuous DL showed statistically significant improvements in VQ-Dermato Global Index score (P = 0.001 and P = 0.016, respectively) and dimension scores for daily living activity, mood state, and social functioning vs subjects taking DL PRN. Improvement in DLQI score at Week 4 was also significantly greater with continuous DL (P = 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Continuous daily therapy with DL 5 mg is a better regimen than PRN treatment to maintain or improve QoL in subjects with CIU.
authors.affiliation: Hôpital Ste Marguerite, Marseille, France.
authors.forename: J-J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Grob
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Auquier
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Dreyfus
authors.forename: J-P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Ortonne
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D039563:Histamine H1 Antagonists, Non-Sedating / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D017336:Loratadine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D008297:Male; D011788:Quality of Life; D014581:Urticaria / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D039563:Histamine H1 Antagonists, Non-Sedating; D017336:Loratadine; C121345:desloratadine