title: Rupatadine 10 mg in the treatment of immediate mosquito-bite allergy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  People frequently experience wealing and delayed papules from mosquito bites. Wealing is mediated by antisaliva IgE antibodies and histamine. Rupatadine is a new antihistamine effective in allergic rhinitis and urticaria, but the effect on mosquito-bite allergy is not known.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the effectiveness of rupatadine in inmediate mosquito-bite allergy-confirmed adult patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  A double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over study was performed with rupatadine 10 mg and matched placebo in 30 mosquito-bite-sensitive adults. The mean age was 37 years and the subjects had suffered from harmful mosquito bites for a mean of 15 years. Either rupatadine or placebo was taken at 08:00 am for 4 days, followed by a 5 day wash out period and then alternative treatment was given for 4 days. On day 3, in both drug periods the subjects received two Aedes aegypti mosquito-bites on the forearm. The size of lesions and intensity of pruritus [visual analogue scale (VAS)] were measured after 15 min bite reaction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-six subjects were analysed for efficacy. The size of the 15 min bite reaction under placebo was of 106 mm2 and under rupatadine, of 55 mm2. This is a significant decrease (48%; P=0.0003). The accompanying pruritus decreased from 60 (VAS; median) under placebo to 47.5 under rupatadine, which also is a significant (P=0.019) difference. There was no significant (P=0.263) difference in adverse events under rupatadine and placebo.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present placebo-controlled study in mosquito-bite-sensitive adults shows that rupatadine 10 mg prophylactically given is an effective treatment for the mosquito-bite wealing and skin pruritus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Tampere University and University Hospital, Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Karppinen
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Brummer-Korvenkontio
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Reunala
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Izquierdo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000330:Aedes; D000818:Animals; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D003533:Cyproheptadine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D006634:Histamine H1 Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007299:Insect Bites and Stings / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010919:Placebos; D011537:Pruritus / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D006634:Histamine H1 Antagonists; D010919:Placebos; C103639:rupatadine; D003533:Cyproheptadine