Comparison of the new antihistamine acrivastine (BW 825C) versus cyproheptadine in the treatment of idiopathic cold urticaria.

A double-blind, crossover trial with a new triprolidine derivative, acrivastine (BW 825C; 8 mg 3 times daily), cyproheptadine (4 mg 3 times daily) and placebo was carried out in 18 patients suffering from idiopathic cold urticaria. Acrivastine and cyproheptadine significantly (p less than 0.01) reduced weal areas following ice cube challenge when compared to placebo. Acrivastine was found to be significantly more effective (p less than 0.01) than cyproheptadine in reducing weal areas. Furthermore, cyproheptadine caused significantly more drowsiness than acrivastine (p = 0.021) or placebo (p = 0.013), which did not differ from each other. This study shows that acrivastine is an effective agent in the treatment of cold urticaria and suggests that acrivastine in the dose used lacks adverse effects, such as drowsiness, traditionally associated with antihistamine therapy.