Dimethindene maleate in the treatment of pruritus caused by varizella zoster virus infection in children.

The efficacy and tolerability of dimethindene maleate (CAS 3614-69-5, DMM, Fenistil) as drops in the treatment of pruritus in children suffering from chicken-pox were investigated in a study with two different doses of dimethindene maleate and placebo. 128 children, 1 to 6 years of age, were included in a double blind, randomized, placebo controlled, multi-center clinical trial. Patients received either a dosage of DMM of 0.1 mg/kg x d, or 0.05 mg/kg x d, or placebo, respectively. All patients received a commercially available astringent lotion for topical treatment of skin lesions. The primary efficacy criterion which was the change in the itching severity score from baseline to the end of the treatment assessed as area under the baseline (AUB) showed for both treatments with DMM a statistically significant superiority versus placebo in reducing the severity of itching. There was no statistically proven difference between the two verum groups.