[Treatment of solar urticaria: advantage of terfenadine]

Solar urticaria is a rare photodermatosis, but it is extremely incapacitating and therapy is usually ineffective. Three patients who took a daily dose of 240 mg terfenadine were able to be normally exposed to sunlight. This efficacy was confirmed by photobiological tests. The minimal dose necessary to induce urticaria was increased at least three times. These results confirming recently published ones. Terfenadine at 240 mg per day seems to be the treatment of choice for solar urticaria because of its efficacy and excellent tolerance-especially as there is no sedative effect.