Effectiveness and safety of combination treatment of herbal medicines and oral antihistamines for atopic dermatitis: a retrospective chart review

摘要

Abstract Background Patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) exhibit various symptoms, especially itching. Recently, herbal medicines (HMs) are being used in combination with antihistamines for the treatment of {AD} in Korea. While oral antihistamines can alleviate itching, {HMs} appear to exert anti-inflammatory effects with minimal side effects. However, there is little evidence regarding the effectiveness and safety of using {HMs} in combination with antihistamines for AD. Methods To observe the effectiveness and safety of combination treatment with {HMs} and antihistamines, we performed a retrospective chart review of inpatients with {AD} who received this combination treatment for at least 7 days in a hospital. Results Of 163 inpatients, 40 met the inclusion criteria. All patients received {HMs} three times, and one or two antihistamines, a day after {HM} intake. A large proportion of patients received first-generation antihistamines. {HMs} comprised a mixture of an average of 20.69 different herbs in decoction. The mean total, objective, and subjective {SCORing} Atopic Dermatitis scores showed a significant decrease after combination treatment. Changes in the mean levels of aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, blood urea nitrogen, and creatinine were not statistically significant among treatments. There were no adverse events of pseudoaldosteronism or interstitial pneumonia. Conclusion We observed that the short-term use of {HMs} in combination with oral antihistamines was safe and effective, with a low risk of adverse reactions. This study was limited by its retrospective design, and prospective studies with long-term follow-up periods are warranted to further elucidate the safety of this combination treatment for AD.