Pharmacotherapeutic group: antihistamines-H1 antagonist, ATC code: R06A X27
Mechanism of action
Desloratadine is a non-sedating, long-acting histamine antagonist with selective peripheral H
1
- receptor antagonist activity. After oral administration, desloratadine selectively blocks peripheral histamine H
1
- receptors because the substance is excluded from entry to the central nervous system.
Desloratadine has demonstrated antiallergic properties from
in vitro
studies.
These include inhibiting the release of proinflammatory cytokines such as IL4, IL-6, IL-8, and IL-13 from human mast cells/basophils, as well as inhibition of the expression of the adhesion molecule P- selectin on endothelial cells. The clinical relevance of these observations remains to be confirmed.
Clinical efficacy and safety
In a multiple dose clinical trial, in which up to 20 mg of desloratadine was administered daily for
14 days, no statistically or clinically relevant cardiovascular effect was observed. In a clinical pharmacology trial, in which desloratadine was administered at a dose of 45 mg daily (nine times the clinical dose) for ten days, no prolongation of QTc interval was seen.
No clinically relevant changes in desloratadine plasma concentrations were observed in multiple- dose ketoconazole and erythromycin interaction trials.
Desloratadine does not readily penetrate the central nervous system. In controlled clinical trials, at the recommended dose of 5 mg daily, there was no excess incidence of somnolence as compared to placebo. Desloratadine given at a single daily dose of 7.5 mg did not affect psychomotor performance in clinical trials. In a single dose study performed in adults, desloratadine 5 mg did not affect standard measures of flight performance including exacerbation of subjective sleepiness or tasks related to flying.
In clinical pharmacology trials, co-administration with alcohol did not increase the alcohol- induced impairment in performance or increase in sleepiness. No significant differences were found in the psychomotor test results between desloratadine and placebo groups, whether administered alone or with alcohol.
In patients with allergic rhinitis, desloratadine was effective in relieving symptoms such as sneezing, nasal discharge and itching, as well as ocular itching, tearing and redness, and itching of palate. Desloratadine effectively controlled symptoms for 24 hours.
Paediatric population
The efficacy of desloratadine tablets has not been clearly demonstrated in trials with adolescent patients 12 through 17 years of age.
In addition to the established classifications of seasonal and perennial, allergic rhinitis can alternatively be classified as intermittent allergic rhinitis and persistent allergic rhinitis according to the duration of symptoms. Intermittent allergic rhinitis is defined as the presence of symptoms for less than 4 days per week or for less than 4 weeks. Persistent allergic rhinitis is defined as the presence of symptoms for 4 days or more per week and for more than 4 weeks.
Desloratadine was effective in alleviating the burden of seasonal allergic rhinitis as shown by the total score of the rhino-conjunctivitis quality of life questionnaire. The greatest amelioration was seen in the domains of practical problems and daily activities limited by symptoms.
Chronic idiopathic urticaria was studied as a clinical model for urticarial conditions, since the underlying pathophysiology is similar, regardless of etiology, and because chronic patients can be more easily recruited prospectively. Since histamine release is a causal factor in all urticarial diseases, desloratadine is expected to be effective in providing symptomatic relief for other urticarial conditions, in addition to chronic idiopathic urticaria, as advised in clinical guidelines.
In two placebo-controlled six week trials in patients with chronic idiopathic urticaria, desloratadine was effective in relieving pruritus and decreasing the size and number of hives by the end of the first dosing interval. In each trial, the effects were sustained over the 24 hour dosing interval. As with other antihistamine trials in chronic idiopathic urticaria, the minority of patients who were identified as non-responsive to antihistamines was excluded. An improvement in pruritus of more than 50 % was observed in 55 % of patients treated with desloratadine compared with 19 % of patients treated with placebo. Treatment with desloratadine also significantly reduced interference with sleep and daytime function, as measured by a four-point scale used to assess these variables.
