[Treatment of chronic urticaria with astemizole: a multicenter pediatric study].

An open multicentric pediatric clinical trial has been performed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of astemizole (HISMANAL suspension) at a 1 ml (2 mg) dosage per 10 kg body weight once daily in children with chronic urticaria. A good and very good effect has been observed in 63.2% of the children at day 7, in 79.2% after 2 weeks and in 88.9% at the end of the treatment (4 weeks). A marked improvement of the symptoms was reported in 63.8% of children at day 7. There was no decrease of efficacy at the end of the treatment. Tolerance was good in 87.% of the cases. Astemizole seems to be a useful treatment for chronic urticaria in pediatrics.