| Pollack CV Jr and Romano TJ, 1995, USA | 43 adult outpatients with acute urticaria given IM diphenhydramine then randomised to oral hydroxyzine plus either 20 mg prednisone 12 hourly for four days or placebo | RCT | 10 point visual analogue itch score at 48 hours. Itch score at 5 days | Mean 48 hour itch score 1.3 in prednisone group v 4.4 in control group. Five day itch score 0 in prednisone group v 1.6 in control group | Adult patients only |
| | | | | Small study |
| | | | | No power calculation |
| | | Description of rash at 48 hours and 5 days | No difference between groups at 48 hours. Rash resolved completely at 5 days in prednisone group | Rash not described at five days in control group |
| Zuberbier T et al, 1996, Germany | 109 adult and paediatric patients with acute urticaria treated with loratidine 10 mg daily or prednisolone 50 mg daily for three days followed by loratidine 10 mg daily until remission of symptoms | Non-randomised prospective cohort study | Days until cessation of whealing | 65.9% of had cessation of whealing by 3 days and a further 15.9% by 7 days in Loratidine group, compared with 93.8% by 3 days and a further 3.1% by 7 days in the prednisolone group. Resolution in all patients after >21 days. NNT with prednisolone for resolution of symptoms by 3 days = 4 | Number of children unstated Different exclusion criteria between groups (potentially pregnant women excluded from loratidine group) |