Effect of cetirizine on histamine- and leukotriene D4-induced bronchoconstriction in patients with atopic asthma.

Cetirizine, a derivative of hydroxyzine, is a new compound with potent antihistaminic property without antiserotonin and anticholinergic activities. The effect of both a single dose (15 mg) and 7 days of treatment (15 mg twice daily) with cetirizine, a potent H1 antagonist on bronchoconstriction induced by histamine and leukotriene D4 (LTD4) has been examined in 10 patients with mild atopic asthma in a placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover study. Cetirizine, after a single dose and 7 days of treatment with placebo, the geometric mean values of the provocative concentration of histamine causing a 20% fall in FEV1 (millimolars) were 1.60 (95% confidence interval, 0.82 to 3.11) and 1.67 (0.77 to 3.65), compared with 118.07 (77.22 to 180.54) (p less than 0.0001) and 53.16 (20.50 to 137.84) after cetirizine administration (p less than 0.0002). The mean inhibition after a single dose was twofold higher than after 1 week of treatment (p less than 0.05). After a single dose and 7 days of treatment with placebo, the geometric mean values of the provocative concentration of LTD4 causing a 20% fall in FEV1 (micromolars) were 2.26 (1.74 to 2.94) and 2.37 (1.77 to 3.17), compared with 3.90 (2.60 to 5.86) (p less than 0.05) and 3.21 (2.28 to 4.52) after cetirizine administration. This result suggests that cetirizine is a potent H1 antagonist in the human airways. Diminished activity after 1 week of treatment suggests subsensitivity of H1 receptors developing in human airways. The small protective effect after a single dose against LTD4-induced bronchoconstriction indicates a nonspecific rather than a specific receptor antagonism.