Clinical efficiency of cyclosporine in chronic idiopathic urticaria in adults

The purpose of the research is to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of cyclosporine and other antihistamines in patients with chronic forms of urticaria resistant to basic first-line therapy. Open randomized controlled study has been performed in parallel groups. 53 patients with chronic idiopathic urticaria ages 18-50 years have been examined. In case of ineffectiveness of previous therapy, patients have been randomized into 2 groups: group I receiving cyclosporine (Sandimmune Neoral ®) 2,5 mg/kg/day, group II receiving cetirizine (Zyrtec ®) 10 mg/day and ranitidine (Zantac ®) 300 mg/day orally. It has been found that the administration of cyclosporine in patients with severe chronic idiopathic urticaria provides a more rapid achievement of clinical effect than the therapy with H1/H2 histamine antagonists. It is confirmed by a significant decrease of total index of severity of illness and major symptoms of skin lesions. This tendency towards normalization of quality of life of patients taking cyclosporine remains during 8 weeks after the medication. Thus administration of cyclosporine can be considered as therapy of choice in patients with chronic idio-pathic urticaria with a severe course and ineffective long-term therapy with antihistamines / systemic corticosteroids