Treatment of CSU
Treatment protocols were available for 213 patients (85.2%) (Table 2).
Monotherapy was given to 161 (64.4%) and 52 (20.8%) received a
combination of at least two medications. Of the 161 treated with
monotherapy, 153 (95%) received antihistamine in the regular
recommended dose and 7 (4.35%) received high dose antihistamines. One
patient was treated with corticosteroids only. Of the 52 children
treated with combination therapies, 32 (61.5%) received a regular dose
of antihistamine and oral corticosteroids. Six patients needed a
combination of three medications, 1 (16.66%) was treated with a
combination that included omalizumab. Details regarding the treatment
regimens are listed in Table 2.
Relapses were treated with regular dose antihistamines in 41.6%.
However, relapsing patients used high dose antihistamine, or combination
therapy more often (8.3% and 29.1%, respectively vs. 2.8% and 20.8%
for the first episode, p=NS). Three of six patients who were treated
with a combination of three medications in the first episode, suffered
from relapse during the following years; significantly more than those
treated with monotherapy or a combination of two medications (50% vs.
10.14%, p< 0.01, RR = 4.93).