Comparison of Hydroxyzine, Cetirizine and Doxepin in Treatment of Chronic Pruritus due to Sulfur Mustard

Document Type : Original Research

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Abstract

Aims. Materials and Methods: This randomized double-blind study was done on 75 veterans in Baqiyatallah (a.s.) hospital during 2005. Pruritus Score (PS) and Visual Analysis Score (VAS) were measured for all patients before initiating the treatment. Patients were randomly divided into three 25 groups: group one received Doxepin capsule, 10 mg/day group two received tablet of Hydroxyzine 25 mg/day and the third group received Cetirizine tablet 10 mg/day for one month. After one month treatment and also one month follow up, pruritus indecies were measured again and compared with the first day scores.Results:Discussion: Both Doxepin and Hydroxyzine had nearly the same efficacy, but considering that Doxepin had lower adverse effects than Hydroxyzine, we think that it is a better choice to treat pruritus of veterans. Patients in all three groups had significant decreases in their PS and VAS after one month therapy (P < 0.05), but in most of them, the indecies returned to the base score after one month follow up. 18 veterans in Hydroxyzine group, 14 in Doxepin, and 6 patients in Cetirizine group suffered from sedation, as drug side effects. In conclusion, Hydoxyzine and Doxepin had nearly the same efficacy (P>0.05) in decreasing of pruritus scores, while Cetirizine, although caused a significant (P < 0.05) decline, but it was not as much as the formers. Chronic pruritus, as one of the most prevalent complications in enormous Sulfur Mustard victims, can lead to long term disability. Due to side effects and low efficacy of long term therapy with some drugs, like corticosteroids, or low efficacy of some others like first generation anti-histamines, we decided to compare the efficacy and side effects of Cetirizine, Hydroxizine and Doxepin.

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Journal of Military Medicine
Volume 8, Issue 2 - Serial Number 24
July and August 2006
Pages 129-134

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