Cetirizine use in childhood: an update of a friendly 30-year drug

Giuseppe Fabio Parisi; Salvatore Leonardi; Giorgio Ciprandi; Angelo Corsico; Amelia Licari; Michele Miraglia Del Giudice; Diego Peroni; Carmelo Salpietro; Gian Luigi Marseglia

doi:10.1186/s12948-020-00118-5

Cetirizine use in childhood: an update of a friendly 30-year drug

Clin Mol Allergy. 2020 Feb 26:18:2. doi: 10.1186/s12948-020-00118-5. eCollection 2020.

Authors

Giuseppe Fabio Parisi¹, Salvatore Leonardi¹, Giorgio Ciprandi², Angelo Corsico³, Amelia Licari⁴, Michele Miraglia Del Giudice⁵, Diego Peroni⁶, Carmelo Salpietro⁷, Gian Luigi Marseglia⁴

Affiliations

¹ 1Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Via Santa Sofia, 78, 95123 Catania, Italy.
² Allergy Clinic, Casa di Cura Villa Montallegro, Genoa, Italy.
³ 3Pulmonology Clinic, Foundation IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.
⁴ 4Department of Pediatrics, Foundation IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.
⁵ 5Department of Woman, Child and of General and Specialized Surgery, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Naples, Italy.
⁶ 6U.O. Pediatria, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana, Scuola di Specializzazione in Pediatria, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
⁷ 7Unit of Pediatric Genetics and Immunology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.

Abstract

Cetirizine is a second-generation antihistamine, derived from the metabolism of hydroxyzine, highly specific for the H1 receptors, and with marked antiallergic properties. Although its history began more than 30 years ago, it remains one of the most used drugs in children with a leading role in the medical care of children with allergic diseases. Cetirizine use is licensed for paediatric patients for the treatment of allergic rhinitis, and chronic spontaneous urticaria, in Europe in children older than 2 years old and in the USA in children older than 6 months old. This review provides a practical update on the use of cetirizine in children and adolescents.

Keywords: Adolescents; Antihistamines; Cetirizine; Children; H1 receptors; Histamine; Lactation; Pregnancy.

Publication types

Review