Premium
Effect of a non‐sedative antihistaminic (loratadine) in moderate asthma
Author(s) -
DIRKSEN A.,
ENGEL T.,
FRØLUND L.,
HEINIG J. H.,
SVENDSEN U. G.,
WEEKE B.
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
allergy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.363
H-Index - 173
eISSN - 1398-9995
pISSN - 0105-4538
DOI - 10.1111/j.1398-9995.1989.tb04201.x
Subject(s) - loratadine , antihistamine , placebo , medicine , asthma , sedative , histamine , anesthesia , histamine h1 receptor , antagonist , allergy , crossover study , pharmacology , receptor , immunology , alternative medicine , pathology
Seventeen patients with perennial asthma, stable on a moderate dose of inhaled steroid, participated in a crossover study comparing the clinical effect of a non‐sedative, potent and highly selective H 1 antagonist (loratadine 10 mg) with placebo. Each treatment period began with 2 weeks run‐in followed by 8 weeks on either antihistamine or placebo. During the 8‐week periods inhaled steroid was gradually tapered according to a fixed scheme. One patient was withdrawn from active treatment and three from placebo periods because of decreasing lung function ( P > 0.1). Among the remaining 13 patients there was a threefold (1.8–4.8) decrease in the bronchial sensitivity to histamine during treatment with antihistamine compared to placebo ( P < 0.01). There was a trend in favour of active treatment with regard to changes in all symptom scores, lung function and use of escape medication, but these differences were not statistically significant. The increase in FEV, was < 5% of predicted normal ( P < 0.05). We concluded that the bronchial response to histamine can be attenuated by loratadine, an oral H 1 receptor antagonist, but further studies are necessary to assess the clinical usefulness and place of loratadine in the therapy of asthma.