Publication:

A comparative study of effectiveness of autologus serum therapy with oral antihistamines versus oral methotrexate and oral antihistamines in chronic urticaria patients

Background Chronic urticaria (CU) is a worrisome problem and patients of CU suffer from the morbidity that arises from irritable itch thus they are subjected to a huge antihistamine pill burden. The symptoms are more prominent in autoreactive urticaria (AU) where auto-antibodies in blood causing recurrent flares. Therefore a need of adjunctive drug to reduce the pill burden is felt need.

Methods A randomized, controlled study was done. 50 patients were given AST and 50 patients were given oral pulse methotrexate (10-15 mg once weekly) along with levocetrizine in an on-demand basis in both groups. AST was given weekly for nine weeks and followed-up for a total period of 24 weeks. Urticaria total severity score (UTSS) was used to evaluate the effectiveness of treatment. Safety parameters assessed were the spontaneously reported adverse events and laboratory parameters.

Results UTSS showed significant improvement from baseline, 7th week and 8th week onwards in AST group and methotrexate group respectively. Group comparison showed significant improvement 4th week onwards.

Conclusions Autologous serum therapy as well as methotrexate both proved effective in chronic urticaria patients. On follow-up improvement is sustained for at least 3-4 months after the last injection in case of AST.