Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy/safety of bilastine in pruritus relief in patients with chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) or other pruritic skin diseases.Methods: In this multicenter, open-label, exploratory study (EudraCT No.: 2016-001505-17), 115 adults with CSU (n = 34), eczema/dermatitis (n = 30), prurigo (n = 25) or cutaneous pruritus (n = 26), received bilastine 20 mg once daily for 8 weeks, or in non-responder patients (<30% improvement in pruritus score at week 2), 40 mg/day from week 2.Results: The mean change in weekly pruritus severity score from baseline to week 8 (primary endpoint) was reduced with bilastine (overall and by disease group); overall, percentage and absolute reductions were 71.16% and 1.63 points, respectively (p < .001). Updosed non-responders (n = 31) had improved weekly pruritus severity scores from baseline to week 8; percentage and absolute reductions were 49.08% and 1.13 points, respectively (p < .001). Bilastine improved the Dermatology Life Quality Index at weeks 4 and 8 (p < .001) in all disease groups, and the 7-day Urticaria Activity Score in CSU patients (p < .001). Bilastine was well tolerated.Conclusions: Bilastine relieved pruritus associated with urticaria and other skin diseases, with a very good safety profile.
Keywords: Bilastine; chronic spontaneous urticaria; pruritus; skin diseases; updosing.