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Giornale Italiano di Dermatologia e Venereologia 1999 December;134(6):571-7

Copyright © 1999 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: Italian

Pharmacological therapy in allergic skin diseases during pregnancy

Motolese A. ¹, Gaddoni G. ², Corazza M. ³, Caraffini S. ⁴

¹ Università degli Studi - Modena, Clinica Dermatologica, Ospedale per gli Infermi - Faenza; ² Servizio di Dermatologia, Università degli Studi - Ferrara; ³ Clinica Dermatologica, Università degli Studi - Perugia; ⁴ Clinica Dermatologica, Gruppo di Studio GIRDCA

Background. The treatment of allergic skin diseases during pregnancy is extremely difficult due to a lack of literature data regarding both topical and systemic drugs suitable for these pathologies. In practice we resort to the few drugs known as “safe” during pregnancy or to “old” harmless remedies, according to suggestions contained in clinical pharmacology texts. There are two problems to cope with: pharmacological therapy during pregnancy and pregnancy during pharmacological therapy, a fairly common event considering the high incidence of allergic diseases in young women.
Methods. From the literature data, different categories of drugs such as corticosteroids, antihistamines and DSCG for topical and systemic use are listed.
Results. Topical steroids can be administered for long periods and during the first three months of pregnancy provided their effects on the axis of the hypothalamus-pituitary-suprarenal gland are born in mind.
Conclusions. Systemic antihistamines should only be used after careful medical evaluation, since no molecule is classified in group A. DSCG can be employed as their systemic absorption is very limited and does not cause undesirable effects even if data are lacking.