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Comparison of the efficacy and safety of bilastine 20 mg vs levocetirizine 5 mg for the treatment of chronic idiopathic urticaria: a multi-centre, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study

Torsten Zuberbier, Alexandru Oanţă, Ewa Bogacka, I. Medina, F. Wesel, Patrizia Uhl, I. Antépara, Ignacio Jauregui et al.

Allergy, 2009

147 citations

Abstract

To cite this article: Zuberbier T, Oanta A, Bogacka E, Medina I, Wesel F, Uhl P, Antépara I, Jáuregui I, Valiente R, the Bilastine International Working Group. Comparison of the efficacy and safety of bilastine 20 mg vs levocetirizine 5 mg for the treatment of chronic idiopathic urticaria: a multi‐centre, double‐blind, randomized, placebo‐controlled study. Allergy 2010; 65 : 516–528. Abstract Background: Bilastine is a novel nonsedative H 1 ‐receptor antagonist, which may be used for the symptomatic treatment of chronic idiopathic urticaria (CU). The aim of this study was to compare the clinical efficacy and safety of bilastine 20 mg vs levocetirizine 5 mg and placebo in CU patients with moderate‐to‐severe symptoms. Methods: Overall 525 male and female subjects aged 18–70 years were randomized to receive bilastine 20 mg, levocetirizine 5 mg or placebo, once daily for 28 days, in double‐blind manner, in 46 centres across Europe and Argentina. Patients rated symptoms of pruritus, number of wheals, and maximum size of wheals (on predefined scales) as reflective (over past 12 h) symptoms twice daily, for assessment of change from baseline in the total symptoms scores (TSS) over 28 days as the primary efficacy measure. Changes in reflective and instantaneous symptoms scores, Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), and CU‐associated discomfort and sleep disturbance were assessed as secondary outcomes. Safety was assessed according to adverse events, laboratory tests and…

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Evidence Hub reads this as a randomized trial, done in people. Its evidence level is 2 of 5 (High · randomized trial). Randomized trials of a reasonable size are the strongest single-study design.

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