H1-antihistamines for chronic spontaneous urticaria

Current and future management of chronic spontaneous urticaria and chronic inducible urticaria

Background: Chronic urticaria (CU), characterized by ≥6 weeks of intense pruritus, remains a debilitating condition for patients. New and safe treatments are needed to manage CU recalcitrant to standard therapy. Objective: A review of the current literature of standard and novel therapeutics in the management of CU was conducted. Methods: A literature search via a medical literature data base and clinical trial data base was conducted to identify treatment options for CU and current clinical trials. Results: Second-generation antihistamines, omalizumab, and cyclosporine remain the most proven therapeutic options for CU. Dupilumab, mepolizumab, benralizumab, tezepelumab, and CDX-0159 are all undergoing clinical trials for CU. Although ligelizumab demonstrated initial promising results, a phase III study was discontinued due to a nonsuperior clinical impact compared with omalizumab. Conclusion: Novel therapies are needed for the treatment of recalcitrant CU. With a deeper understanding of the pathophysiology of CU, promising therapeutics are in clinical trials for CU.

Plasma-derived exosomes in chronic spontaneous urticaria induce the production of mediators by human mast cells

Mast cell activation and inflammatory mediators play central roles in the pathogenesis of chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU). The factors that induce mast cell activation in CSU are still largely unknown. Exosomes are extracellular vesicles that activate mast cells. Here, we enriched exosomes derived from the plasma of healthy volunteers and CSU patients with antihistamine sensitivity (EXs-CSU-S) or resistance (EXs-CSU-R) using ultracentrifugation. We then incubated these exosomes with HMC-1 human mast cells. Notably, EXs-CSU-S and EXs-CSU-R increased tryptase-1 expression; histamine production; inflammatory mediator production; and Toll-like receptor-2 (TLR-2), TLR-4, and phospho-mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) levels in HMC-1 cells. These effects were more significant in the EXs-CSU-R group than in the EXs-CSU-S group. TLR-2, TLR-4, and MAPK inhibitors (CC-401, TAK-715, and SCH772984, respectively) reduced EXs-CSU-Stimulated production of inflammatory mediators in HMC-1 cells. Overall, exosomes in the plasma of patients with CSU were found to activate mast cells and elicit the production of multiple inflammatory mediators, partly via the TLR-2, TLR-4, and MAPK pathways. Additionally, EXs-CSU-R had more powerful mast cell-activating and histamine-release abilities. Thus, these exosomes may be involved in the pathogenesis of CSU with antihistamine resistance.

Pharmacologic Management of Chronic Urticaria in Pediatric Patients: The Gap Between Guidelines and Practice

Chronic urticaria is an uncommon disorder in children but can present considerable morbidity, as well as frustration for the healthcare provider and parent. The prevalence is 0.1-0.3% but can vary considerably by country. Chronic spontaneous urticaria (no identifiable cause) is responsible for 70-80% of chronic urticaria, about half of this due to a subtype called chronic autoimmune urticaria identified by the presence of autoantibodies to IgE or the IgE receptor. Chronic urticaria that is triggered by external physical stimuli is called chronic inducible urticaria and is present in another 15-20%. Allergies, infection, and other underlying diseases such as thyroid disease, celiac disease, or Helicobacter pylori infection cause a minor proportion of cases. Chronic urticaria has considerable impact on quality of life and healthcare costs. An adverse impact on quality of life is more prevalent in older children and adolescents and can be comparable to other diseases of childhood such as diabetes and epilepsy. Healthcare costs can be 50% higher than the national estimates for healthy patients and include more hospitalizations, longer duration of hospitalizations, and more emergency department (ED) and outpatient visits. Allergic and autoimmune diseases can be comorbidities that add to healthcare utilization. Resolution can take years. Guidelines are available for diagnosis and treatment. A good history is the key to identifying the cause. Minimal laboratory tests are required and should be guided by the history. Patients with easily controlled urticaria may not need any laboratory tests. Suggested treatment emphasizes the use of non-sedating antihistamines, utilized in a step-wise fashion beginning with normal doses and advancing the dose based on the response up to four times the recommended dose for age. Other treatments are left to the urticaria specialist and are not discussed in this paper. These guidelines are not well utilized based on real-world studies; sedating antihistamines and oral steroids are overutilized. Medications should be taken daily, not as needed. Additional medications, if required, should be added to prior medications in a step-wise fashion. The gap between the guidelines for diagnosis and treatment and what is happening in the real world needs to be closed to reduce the cost and morbidity associated with this disorder.

Chronic Urticaria: An Overview of Treatment and Recent Patents

Background:

Up to 1% of the general population in the USA and Europe suffer from chronic urticaria (CU) at some point in their lifetime. CU has an adverse effect on the quality of life.

Objective:

This study aims to provide an update on the epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical manifesta-tions, diagnosis, aggravating factors, complications, treatment and prognosis of CU.

Methods:

The search strategy included meta-analyses, randomized controlled trials, clinical trials, reviews and pertinent references. Patents were searched using the key term “chronic urticaria” at the following links: www.google.com/patents, www.uspto.gov, and www.freepatentsonline.com.

Results:

CU is a clinical diagnosis, based on the episodic appearance of characteristic urticarial lesions that wax and wane rapidly, with or without angioedema, on most days of the week, for a period of six weeks or longer. Triggers such as medications, physical stimuli, and stress can be identified in 10 to 20% of cases. C-reactive protein/erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and complete blood cell count with differential are the screening tests that may be used to rule out an underlying disorder. The mainstay of therapy is reassurance, patient education, avoidance of known triggers, and pharmacotherapy. Second-generation H1 antihistamines are the drugs of choice for initial therapy because of their safety and efficacy profile. If satisfactory improvement does not occur after 2 to 4 weeks or earlier if the symptoms are intolerable, the dose of second-generation H1 antihistamines can be increased up to fourfold the manufacturer’s recom-mended dose (all be it off license). If satisfactory improvement does not occur after 2 to 4 weeks or earlier if the symptoms are intolerable after the fourfold increase in the dosage of second-generation H1 antihis-tamines, omalizumab should be added. If satisfactory improvement does not occur after 6 months or earli-er if the symptoms are intolerable after omalizumab has been added, treatment with cyclosporine and sec-ond-generation H1 antihistamines is recommended. Short-term use of systemic corticosteroids may be considered for acute exacerbation of CU and in refractory cases. Recent patents for the management of chronic urticaria are also discussed. Complications of CU may include skin excoriations, adverse effect on quality of life, anxiety, depression, and considerable humanistic and economic impacts. On average, the duration of CU is around two to five years. Disease severity has an association with disease duration.

Conclusion:

CU is idiopathic in the majority of cases. On average, the duration of CU is around two to five years. Treatment is primarily symptomatic with second generation antihistamines being the first line. Omalizumab has been a remarkable advancement in the management of CU and improves the quality of life beyond symptom control.

Focus on the cetirizine use in clinical practice: a reappraisal 30 years later

Antihistamines are currently one of the most commonly administered categories of drugs. They are used to treat symptoms that are secondary to histamine release, which is typical of certain allergic conditions, including rhinitis, conjunctivitis, asthma, urticaria, and anaphylaxis. Cetirizine belongs to the second-generation family, so, it is very selective for peripheral H1 receptors, is potent and quickly relieves symptoms, exerts additional anti-allergic/anti-inflammatory effects, and is usually well-tolerated. It has been marketed 30 years ago. In these years, a remarkable body of evidence has been built. The current review provides a practical update on the use of cetirizine in clinical practice.

Management of chronic urticaria in children: a clinical guideline

The aim of this guidance is to provide recommendations to clinicians and other interested parties on chronic urticaria in children. The Italian Society for Pediatrics (SIP), the Italian Society for Allergy and Immunology (SIAIP), the Italian Society for Pediatric dermatology (SIDerP) convened a multidisciplinary panel that prepared clinical guidelines for diagnosis and management of chronic urticaria in childhood. Key questions on epidemiology, natural history, diagnosis, and management were developed. The literature was systematically searched and evaluated, recommendations were rated and algorithms for diagnosis and treatment were developed. The recommendations focus on identification of diseases and comorbidities, strategies to recognize triggering factors, improvement of treatment by individualized care.

High-dose antihistamines for chronic spontaneous urticaria in adults

Chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) is a common skin disease characterised by intermittent weals (hives), angioedema or both lasting for at least 6 weeks.1-3 Second-generation antihistamines are widely used to manage symptoms but are not completely effective in many patients at licensed doses.4 Some guidelines recommend off-label use of high-dose antihistamines as the next therapeutic step.2,3 Here, we review the evidence supporting this recommendation.

Pediatric Angioedema

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The aims of this study are to update the clinician on current understanding of angioedema as it presents in the pediatric population and to review proper diagnostic techniques and treatment modalities for various types of angioedema.

RECENT FINDINGS

Angioedema is still best classified by whether it is likely histaminergic or kinin-mediated. New guidelines have been published around the world to help diagnose and treat both forms (urticaria/angioedema and hereditary angioedema). The vast majority of the studies on treatment have been conducted in the adult population; however, there are data available in the pediatric population. In the realm of hereditary angioedema, there are multiple new therapies that have been studied in the pediatric population (down to 2 years in some studies) in recent years and offer the clinician options for treatment. Angioedema (whether occurring with or without urticaria) is common in the pediatric population. The majority of the recent studies has been conducted in hereditary angioedema, and now, the clinician should have various options to treat all forms of angioedema. Many treatment options, especially for hereditary angioedema, are further being examined specifically in the pediatric population.

Allergic Dermatoses

The purpose of this article is to review the current available material pertaining to atopic dermatitis, contact dermatitis, urticaria, and angioedema. This article focuses on each disease process's clinical presentation, diagnosis, and management. Although atopic dermatitis and contact dermatitis are similar, their development is different and can affect a patient's quality of life. Urticaria and angioedema are also similar, but the differentiation of the two processes is crucial in that they have significant morbidity and mortality, each with a different prognosis.

A stepwise approach in the management of chronic spontaneous urticaria in children

Background

There is limited literature in the management of chronic urticaria in children. Treatment algorithms are generally extrapolated from adult studies.

Objective

Utility of a weight and age-based algorithm for antihistamines in management of chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) in childhood. To document associated factors that predict for step of control of CSU and time taken to attain control of symptoms in children.

Methods

A workgroup comprising of allergists, nurses, and pharmacists convened to develop a stepwise treatment algorithm in management of children with CSU. Sequential patients presenting to the paediatric allergy service with CSU were included in this observational, prospective study.

Results

Ninety-eight patients were recruited from September 2012 to September 2013. Majority were male, Chinese with median age 4 years 7 months. A third of patients with CSU had a family history of acute urticaria. Ten point two percent had previously resolved CSU, 25.5% had associated angioedema, and 53.1% had a history of atopy. A total of 96.9% of patients achieved control of symptoms, of which 91.8% achieved control with cetirizine. Fifty percent of all the patients were controlled on step 2 or higher. Forty-seven point eight percent of those on step 2 or higher were between 2 to 6 years of age compared to 32.6% and 19.6% who were 6 years and older and lesser than 2 years of age respectively. Eighty percent of those with previously resolved CSU required an increase to step 2 and above to achieve chronic urticaria control.

Conclusion

We propose a weight- and age-based titration algorithm for different antihistamines for CSU in children using a stepwise approach to achieve control. This algorithm may improve the management and safety profile for paediatric CSU patients and allow for review in a more systematic manner for physicians dealing with CSU in children.

Dermatological Manifestations of Postural Tachycardia Syndrome Are Common and Diverse

Background and Purpose

Postural tachycardia syndrome (POTS) is a syndrome of orthostatic intolerance in the setting of excessive tachycardia with orthostatic challenge, and these symptoms are relieved when recumbent. Apart from symptoms of orthostatic intolerance, there are many other comorbid conditions such as chronic headache, fibromyalgia, gastrointestinal disorders, and sleep disturbances. Dermatological manifestations of POTS are also common and range widely from livedo reticularis to Raynaud's phenomenon.

Methods

Questionnaires were distributed to 26 patients with POTS who presented to the neurology clinic. They were asked to report on various characteristics of dermatological symptoms, with their answers recorded on a Likert rating scale. Symptoms were considered positive if patients answered with "strongly agree" or "agree", and negative if they answered with "neutral", "strongly disagree", or "disagree".

Results

The most commonly reported symptom was rash (77%). Raynaud's phenomenon was reported by over half of the patients, and about a quarter of patients reported livedo reticularis. The rash was most commonly found on the arms, legs, and trunk. Some patients reported that the rash could spread, and was likely to be pruritic or painful. Very few reported worsening of symptoms on standing.

Conclusions

The results suggest that dermatological manifestations in POTS vary but are highly prevalent, and are therefore of important diagnostic and therapeutic significance for physicians and patients alike to gain a better understanding thereof. Further research exploring the underlying pathophysiology, incidence, and treatment strategies is necessary.

Acupuncture for patients with chronic urticaria: a systematic review protocol

INTRODUCTION

This systematic review protocol aims to describe a meta-analysis to assess the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture therapy for patients with chronic urticaria.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

We will electronically search the following databases: the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), PubMed, EMBASE, the Web of Science, Traditional Chinese Medicine, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM), Chinese Scientific Journal Database (VIP database) and Wan-Fang Database from their inception. Other sources will also be searched, including the reference lists of identified publications and conference proceedings. Any clinical randomised controlled trials related to acupuncture for treating chronic urticaria without restriction of publication status and languages will be included. Study selection, data extraction and assessment of study quality will be performed independently by 2 researchers. Data will be synthesised by either the fixed-effects or random-effects model according to a heterogeneity test. Improvement in pruritus and wheals will be assessed as the primary outcomes. Adverse events, quality of life and the recurrence rate after at least 3 months of the treatment will also be evaluated as secondary outcomes. RevMan V.5.2 statistical software will be used for meta-analysis, if possible. If it is not appropriate for a meta-analysis, then a descriptive analysis or a subgroup analysis will be conducted. The results will be expressed as a risk ratio for dichotomous data and mean difference (MD) or standardised MD for continuous data.

DISSEMINATION AND ETHICS

The protocol of this systematic review will be disseminated in a peer-reviewed journal and presented at relevant conferences. It is not necessary for a formal ethical approval because the data are not individualised.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

PROSPERO CRD42015015702.

GPCR structure, function, drug discovery and crystallography: report from Academia-Industry International Conference (UK Royal Society) Chicheley Hall, 1-2 September 2014

G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) are the targets of over half of all prescribed drugs today. The UniProt database has records for about 800 proteins classified as GPCRs, but drugs have only been developed against 50 of these. Thus, there is huge potential in terms of the number of targets for new therapies to be designed. Several breakthroughs in GPCRs biased pharmacology, structural biology, modelling and scoring have resulted in a resurgence of interest in GPCRs as drug targets. Therefore, an international conference, sponsored by the Royal Society, with world-renowned researchers from industry and academia was recently held to discuss recent progress and highlight key areas of future research needed to accelerate GPCR drug discovery. Several key points emerged. Firstly, structures for all three major classes of GPCRs have now been solved and there is increasing coverage across the GPCR phylogenetic tree. This is likely to be substantially enhanced with data from x-ray free electron sources as they move beyond proof of concept. Secondly, the concept of biased signalling or functional selectivity is likely to be prevalent in many GPCRs, and this presents exciting new opportunities for selectivity and the control of side effects, especially when combined with increasing data regarding allosteric modulation. Thirdly, there will almost certainly be some GPCRs that will remain difficult targets because they exhibit complex ligand dependencies and have many metastable states rendering them difficult to resolve by crystallographic methods. Subtle effects within the packing of the transmembrane helices are likely to mask and contribute to this aspect, which may play a role in species dependent behaviour. This is particularly important because it has ramifications for how we interpret pre-clinical data. In summary, collaborative efforts between industry and academia have delivered significant progress in terms of structure and understanding of GPCRs and will be essential for resolving problems associated with the more difficult targets in the future.