@article {560,
	title = {Evidence for clinical safety, efficacy, and parent and physician perceptions of levocetirizine for the treatment of children with allergic disease},
	journal = {Int Arch Allergy Immunol},
	volume = {155},
	number = {4},
	year = {2011},
	pages = {367-78},
	type = {Journal Article},
	abstract = {Allergic rhinitis (AR) and chronic idiopathic urticaria (CIU) are highly burdensome diseases, which are increasing in prevalence, especially in the paediatric population. Despite the availability of a large number of medications for treatment of AR and CIU, their use in children has primarily been based on data obtained from a limited number of clinical trials in children and/or testing in adults. The H(1)-antihistamines have traditionally been used as first-line treatment for the relief of both AR and CIU symptoms in children. The first-generation H(1)-antihistamines are associated with marked adverse effects such as sedation, sleepiness/drowsiness as well as difficulties in learning and cognitive processing; thus, they are recommended for limited or discontinued use in children with AR or CIU. In contrast, second-generation H(1)-antihistamines are more adapted for the use in children with AR and CIU due to better safety profiles. However, only a limited number of trials with these agents have been conducted and generally, data from well-designed trials in children are lacking. Levocetirizine is one of the most extensively investigated H(1)-antihistamines for its pharmacologic properties, safety, efficacy as well as overall global satisfaction in children aged 2-12 years. Levocetirizine is the only H(1)-antihistamine launched in the 21st century shown to lack clinically relevant adverse effects on physical and psychomotor development or routine laboratory tests over a long-term period of 18 months in 1- to 3-year-old children predisposed to development of allergic disease. Available data suggest that levocetirizine is a suitable treatment option for AR and CIU in children aged 6 months to 12 years.},
	keywords = {Adult Anti-Allergic Agents Attitude of Health Personnel Cetirizine Child Child, Allergic, Non-Sedating Humans Infant Parents Physicians Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic Rhinitis, Perennial Rhinitis, Preschool Chronic Disease Histamine H1 Antagonists, Seasonal Treatment Outcome Urticaria},
	issn = {1423-0097},
	doi = {10.1159/000321181},
	url = {http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21346367},
	author = {Pampura, A. N. and Papadopoulos, N. G. and Spi{\v c}{\'a}k, V. and Kurzawa, R.}
}
