title: No high level evidence to support the use of oral H1 antihistamines as monotherapy for eczema: a summary of a Cochrane systematic review
creator: van Zuuren, Esther J.
creator: Apfelbacher, Christian J.
creator: Fedorowicz, Zbys
creator: Jupiter, Aldrin
creator: Matterne, Uwe
creator: Weisshaar, Elke
subject: ddc-610
subject: 610 Medical sciences Medicine
description: Background: The most important symptom as well as one of the major diagnostic criteria for eczema is itch. Although oral antihistamines continue to be prescribed for people with eczema, it is unclear if they are effective and safe in relieving itch and skin lesions. We sought to evaluate the available evidence on effectiveness of oral antihistamines (H1 antagonists) as monotherapy in children and adults with eczema.   Methods: Searches included 10 databases and trial registers as well as conference proceedings (January 2014). Randomised controlled trials that assessed the effects of oral H1 antihistamines as monotherapy in children and adults with eczema were included.   Results: Our searches retrieved 757 references, but no randomised controlled trial met our inclusion criteria. Most studies allowed concomitant treatments, making the assessment of the individual effects of oral H1 antihistamines impossible.   Conclusions: There is currently no high-level evidence to support or refute the efficacy or safety of oral H1 antihistamines used as monotherapy for eczema. A further review of studies that assesses the effects of oral H1 antihistamines as ‘add-on’ therapy together with concomitant treatments is warranted to determine the beneficial effects of this group of medications in the treatment of eczema.  
publisher: BioMed Central
date: 2014
type: Article
type: info:eu-repo/semantics/article
type: NonPeerReviewed
format: application/pdf
identifier: https://archiv.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/volltextserverhttps://archiv.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/volltextserver/19402/1/13643_2013_Article_333.pdf
identifier: DOI:
identifier: urn:nbn:de:bsz:16-heidok-194023
identifier:   van Zuuren, Esther J. ; Apfelbacher, Christian J. ; Fedorowicz, Zbys ; Jupiter, Aldrin ; Matterne, Uwe ; Weisshaar, Elke  (2014) No high level evidence to support the use of oral H1 antihistamines as monotherapy for eczema: a summary of a Cochrane systematic review.  Systematic Reviews, 3 (25).  pp. 1-5.  ISSN 2046-4053     
relation: https://archiv.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/volltextserver/19402/
rights: info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
rights: Please see front page of the work (Sorry, Dublin Core plugin does not recognise license id)
language: eng