Fumaric acid esters for psoriasis, can Cetirizine help with adverse effects ?

[Fred]

Fumaric acid esters (FAEs) are being used more as safe form of treatment for psoriasis, but 30–40% stop using it due to adverse effects. This small study looked at the use of cetirizine, an oral histamine-1 receptor antagonist as way of reducing those adverse effects.

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Background:
Fumaric acid esters (FAEs) are considered an effective and safe long-term treatment for psoriasis. However, 30–40% of patients need to discontinue FAE treatment due to intolerable adverse events.

Objectives:
To assess whether the addition of cetirizine, an oral histamine-1 receptor antagonist, to FAEs would reduce the incidence of adverse events.

Methods:
In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, patients with psoriasis with a Psoriasis Area and Severity Index ≥ 10 starting an FAE up to a dose of dimethylfumarate 720 mg per day were randomized 1 : 1 to receive either additional cetirizine 10 mg once daily (n = 25) or placebo (n = 25) for 12 weeks. Randomization and treatment allocation were done at our hospital trial pharmacy. Primary outcomes were the incidence of adverse events and the proportion of patients discontinuing treatment.

Results:
Fifty patients (33 male, 17 female; median age 44 years) were enrolled. Addition of cetirizine did not reduce the incidence of adverse events compared with placebo (84% vs. 84%, P = 1·00). The types of adverse events were not different between the cetirizine and placebo groups, the most common being gastrointestinal complaints (68% vs. 64%) and flushes (60% vs. 48%). The proportion of patients discontinuing treatment was not statistically different between the cetirizine and placebo groups (24% vs. 32%, P = 0·53).

Conclusions:
Addition of oral cetirizine 10 mg once daily to FAE treatment did not reduce adverse events in patients with psoriasis during the first 12 weeks of treatment. The mechanisms underlying FAE-induced gastrointestinal and flushing symptoms likely involve mediators other than histamine.

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*Early view, no funding declared.