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The effect of terfenadine on dermographic wealing
Author(s) -
KRAUSE L. B.,
SHUSTER SAM
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
british journal of dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.304
H-Index - 179
eISSN - 1365-2133
pISSN - 0007-0963
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2133.1984.tb07315.x
Subject(s) - terfenadine , medicine , potency , placebo , histamine h1 receptor , histamine , sedative , pharmacology , anesthesia , chemistry , antagonist , biochemistry , alternative medicine , receptor , pathology , in vitro
SUMMARY A double‐blind comparison of terfenadine with placebo showed a reduction in potency of measured dermographic force‐response of 67%, which is similar to that for inhibition of histamine weals by terfenadine. This and the parallel displacement of the force–response curves indicates that histamine is the main cause of dermographic wealing. Dermographic threshold and itch change together and appear to be the main determinant of the patients' subjective response. Dermographism relapsed towards its pre‐treatment state during the 3 days after treatment was stopped. There was a small decrease in effect after administration of 60 mg b. d. for 47–84 days and a further small increase in response when the dose was increased to 120 mg t. d. s., but neither change was significant. None of the patients had a sedative response to the drug and terfenadine should prove useful in the treatment of wealing disorders. Terfenadine is an H1 receptor antagonist without soporific activity in doses which produce significant inhibition of histamine wealing (Huther et al ., 1977; Reinberg et al ., 1978; Nicholson & Stone, 1982; Ford, Krause & Shuster, in preparation). We therefore studied its effect on patients with dermographism both by objective measurement and by subjective self‐assessment.