A COMPARISON OF THE EFFICACY OF CETIRIZINE AND TERFENADINE - A DOUBLE-BLIND, CONTROLLED-STUDY OF CHRONIC IDIOPATHIC URTICARIA

In a 20-d, double-blind, randomized, parallel study, the efficacy of c etirizine and terfenadine was compared in 30 patients with chronic idi opathic urticaria. Subjects were randomly divided into two 15-patient groups. The first group was given cetirizine (10 mg once daily); the s econd terfenadine (60 mg twice daily). Cetirizine proved to be more ef fective than terfenadine in controlling urticaria symptoms. In fact, t he score of the investigators' overall assessment was significantly lo wer in the cetirizine-treated group than in the terfenadine-treated gr oup. Moreover, patient evaluation by a visual analog scale and symptom s assessed on a 4-point scale showed a better improvement in the cetir izine group. The number and severity of side-effects were similar in b oth treatment groups.