P072 : The synergistic effect of antihistamines and topical corticosteroids on the treatment of atopic dermatitis: a meta-analysis

Background: H1-antihistamines have been used widely to treat pruritus in atopic dermatitis (AD). Although the evidence for H1-antihistamine monotherapy for pruritus in AD is inconclusive, combination therapy with topical glucocorticoids are particularly considered as to be effective as both short-term intensive therapy and maintenance treatment in patients with frequent relapse. Objectives: We conducted a meta-analysis for confirming the efficacy of antihistamine as an adjunct to topical corticosteroid application in the treatment of AD. Methods: We identified 1,206 studies through systematically searching Medline, Embase, and CENTRAL databases for articles published from 1967 to 2015. Random effects meta-analysis was used to calculate mean differences (MD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results: Two studies satisfying the inclusion criteria of antihistamine therapy with mandatory topical steroid use were selected. Comparing antihistamine monotherapy with combination therapy, patients treated with the addition of antihistamine to topical corticosteroids showed a statistically significant clinical improvement (standard MD, -0.24; 95% CI, -0.42 to -0.05; p = 0.01). Conclusion: This meta-analysis based on two studies suggests that antihistamine therapy as an adjunctive therapy for pruritus in AD may have beneficial effects in combination with topical corticosteroid treatment.