Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0042109 (urticaria)
 6,569 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Astemizole is often administered to children in the treatment of rhinoconjunctivitis and urticaria with good efficacy and few side effects. Both astemizole and its major metabolite desmethylastemizole (DMA) are clinically effective without annoying side effects such as sedation. The pharmacokinetics in adults is well known. In three different studies we have investigated the pharmacokinetical properties of the drug in children. Study I (absorption): Thirty-eight children 8-16 years old (mean 12.6 years) and weighing 25-80 kg (mean 45 kg), with rhinoconjunctivitis due to birch pollinosis, were pretreated with either astemizole 5 mg daily or placebo for two weeks. Then, all children were treated with astemizole in doses increasing every week, i.e. 5, 10, 20 and 40 mg per day. There was a good correlation between the given dose per kg body weight and the plasma concentration of astemizole plus hydroxylated metabolites, indicating that astemizole is completely absorbed. Study II (time to reach steady state): A group of 21 children 7-18 years old (mean 13.9 years), plus 2 younger children, 2 and 5 years old, with allergy against birch- or grass pollen were treated with astemizole 10 mg daily for 12 weeks. Astemizole had reached steady-state plasma levels when the first sample was taken after 1 week, DMA reached steady state within 4 weeks. Study III (elimination half-life [t1/2 beta]): In 10 of the children from study II, t1/2 beta for astemizole plus DMA could be calculated (two samples) and was 10.8 days.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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PMID:Pharmacokinetics of astemizole in children. 141 23

Urticaria is a rather common, often vexing skin disease, characterized by evanescent, pruritic, erythematous wheals, and sometimes by giant hives (angioedema). The cause of chronic urticaria remains unknown in 75 to 80 percent of the cases. Its pathogenesis is related to the activation of tissue mast cells by many immunologic or non-immunologic mechanisms, resulting in a release of biologically active products. The therapeutic possibilities in practice are discussed. Non-sedative antihistaminic drugs of the H1 type (Terfenadine, Astemizole, Loratidine and Cetirizine) are the main stay in the treatment of urticaria. In case of failure the sedative non-selective antihistaminics from the old generation are used. Particular emphasis is given the possibilities to combining various antiallergic drugs. The combination of a H1 and H1 antihistamine can be effective in individual patients.
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PMID:[Therapy of acute and chronic urticaria and of Quincke's edema]. 256 13

Astemizole is a new, long-acting H1 receptor antagonist that has proven effective in controlling the signs and symptoms of chronic idiopathic urticaria, without the sedative and anticholinergic side effects that typify use of many antihistamines. In an eight-week open study of 20 patients, astemizole significantly decreased the signs and symptoms of urticaria, as well as the severity of urticaria by anatomic location. Five patients reported complete clearing. Modest weight gain while on chronic therapy appears to be a significant side effect.
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PMID:Treatment of chronic idiopathic urticaria with astemizole. 256 89

Astemizole is a potent H1-antagonist devoid of sedative effects, which was found at single oral daily doses to be very effective in the treatment of allergic rhinitis, allergic conjunctivitis, and urticaria. Its interaction potential on other drugs was studied in various ways. Studies on salivary antipyrine clearance, the 6-beta-hydrocortisol excretion, the elimination rate of ethanol and the indocyanine-green clearance are presented. No changes were observed. Astemizole also was given in combination with diazepam or alcohol. Psychomotor performance failed to show any effects. In none of these studies was there any evidence of interaction of astemizole on other drugs. This review summarizes the data available thus far.
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PMID:Potential of interaction between the H1-antagonist astemizole and other drugs. 287 1

20 patients, 12 suffering from chronic urticaria, 2 from acute urticaria, 1 from pressure urticaria, 2 from cold urticaria and 3 from urticaria factitia were treated in an open pilot study with the new H1-antihistamine Astemizole. The dosage was in all cases 1 X 10 mg per day. The onset of action as well as the efficacy maximum were registered. Astemizole proved in this study to be a very effective antihistamine being able to achieve good results even in hard to cure cases like cold urticaria. On the 1. day 35% of the patients had noticed an onset of action. 75% of the patients had an onset of action within the first 2 days. The efficacy maximum was achieved within the first 2 days in 60% of the patients.
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PMID:[Treatment of urticaria with the new H1 antihistaminic astemizole--with special reference to the time of onset of effect and maximum effect]. 288 Apr 31

Astemizole, one of the newer generation of nonsedating antihistamines, was evaluated in a double-blind study of forty-six patients who had chronic idiopathic urticaria with or without angioedema; most had severe disease. Nineteen of twenty-three patients who were on placebo discontinued treatment because of lack of response compared to only five of twenty-three astemizole-treated patients (p less than 0.0001). Fourteen of twenty-two astemizole-treated patients and two of twenty-two placebo-treated patients considered the results to be good or excellent (p less than 0.0001). Blinded assessment by the investigators yielded similar results (p less than 0.0001). Therapeutic response was the same in patients with and without angioedema in addition to urticaria and in those requiring corticosteroids. Duration of urticaria also did not influence the results. Increased appetite and weight gain were the main side effects reported more frequently in the astemizole-treated than in the placebo-treated group, and no significant toxicity was noted. Follow-up after terminating the drug study indicated a high frequency of remissions during the subsequent year.
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PMID:Controlled clinical assessment of astemizole in the treatment of chronic idiopathic urticaria and angioedema. 288 2

Two new non-sedating antihistamines, astemizole (10 mg per day) and terfenadine (120 mg per day), were compared in a double-blind randomized study in 42 adult patients suffering from chronic urticaria. The trial lasted 4 weeks. Patients were evaluated at 2 and 4 weeks and kept a daily diary of their symptoms. There was a statistically significant decrease in pruritus, erythema and urticaria papules in both groups throughout the study. Changes in papule size, number and frequency were greater in the astemizole group though not significantly different to the terfenadine group. The effect of astemizole increased with time whereas that of terfenadine decreased after about 3 weeks of treatment. Astemizole was globally considered to be the most effective drug by both investigator and patients, with excellent/good results in 77% of the patients compared with 55% to 60% in the terfenadine group. Both drugs were reported to be more effective and faster acting than other antihistamines taken previously. Side-effects were infrequent and minor in both groups.
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PMID:Double-blind comparison of astemizole and terfenadine in the treatment of chronic urticaria. 288 54

Astemizole is a new H1 histamine-receptor antagonist that has a long elimination half-life and high H1-receptor affinity. This double-blind study evaluated the safety and efficacy of astemizole in the treatment of chronic idiopathic urticaria (more than or equal to 3 months). Seventeen male and 34 female adult patients with chronic idiopathic urticaria entered the 2-month study. After a 48- to 72-hour washout, half the subjects were prerandomized to receive astemizole (10 mg), and the other half received placebo. Placebo-treated patients who were unable to complete the full 8 weeks because of uncontrolled chronic urticaria symptoms were entered into a 2-month open astemizole trial. Treatment with astemizole, as measured at the end point of each patient's treatment and compared to placebo, resulted in significant improvement of pruritus, erythema, number of wheals, frequency of urticarial attacks, and control of urticaria (p less than or equal to 0.03). The overall response to astemizole was significantly better than for placebo, according to both the investigator's and the patient's global evaluations (p less than 0.01) and as indicated by dropouts caused by treatment failure with placebo (p = 0.005). Six of 26 (24%) of the placebo-treated patients in the double-blind study had good to excellent results on the basis of global assessments. Thirteen of 16 patients with placebo-treatment failures who received astemizole in the open trial improved significantly from baseline symptoms of pruritus, erythema, and number of wheals (p less than or equal to 0.05). No significant side effects were reported except mild sedation in three astemizole-treated subjects.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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PMID:The treatment of mild to severe chronic idiopathic urticaria with astemizole: double-blind and open trials. 309 9