Antihistamines

Patients with knee osteoarthritis receiving antihistamines demonstrate less structural disease progression, compared with those who did not take antihistamines, over 2 years, according to data presented at the EULAR 2022 Congress.

Researchers conducted a study to determine whether commonly used medications influence responses to cancer treatment. They found that antihistamines were associated with improved immunotherapy efficacy.

Cancer cell-derived or allergic reaction-released histamine dampened antitumor immunity and conferred resistance to cancer immunotherapy, according to a retrospective study published in Cancer Cell.

Lirentelimab improved disease control among patients with antihistamine-refractory chronic urticaria, according to results of an open-label, proof-of-concept study published in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.

Antihistamine premedication can improve the safety and efficacy of allergen immunotherapy, according to results of a meta-analysis published in Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.

Bausch + Lomb’s Alaway, an over-the-counter eye drop, is set to launch in the U.S., the company announced in a press release.

NEW ORLEANS — Giving antihistamines to children who experience anaphylaxis only endangers their lives by delaying emergency treatment, researchers reported. Instead, children should be administered epinephrine and go straight to the ED.

During a recent 10-year period, physicians in the United States ordered at least one off-label systemic drug in nearly 19% of pediatric ambulatory care visits, and around 75% of the orders were for unapproved conditions, according to findings published in Pediatrics. This trend contradicts recent efforts to increase evidence and drug approvals for children, researchers noted.

Methotrexate may be used as a third-line therapy for treating chronic spontaneous urticaria, but it was not superior to placebo added to H1-antihistamines, according to a research letter in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

There has been a sharp decline since 2008 in recommendations for cough and cold medicines for respiratory infections in children, but an increase in recommendations for antihistamines, according to study results published in JAMA Pediatrics.