The UAS is a composite diary-recorded score with numeric severity ratings (0=none to 3=intense) for the number of wheals per 24 hours and the intensity of the pruritus. The total daily score (sum of the wheal and pruritus scores) ranges from 0 to 6. Because of variations in chronic urticaria disease intensity, assessment of disease activity was based on a weekly (7 days) UAS score called UAS7, that is, the sum of the daily UASs, ranging from 0 to 42 per week. A higher score indicates worse disease. A negative change score (Week 24 score minus Baseline score) indicates improvement.

Intent-to-treat (ITT) population: All randomized patients who received at least 1 dose of study drug and had at least 1 post-baseline assessment of the primary efficacy variable.

Patients kept a daily diary of the number of wheals and erythema and the severity of pruritus and angioedemas during the study.

Intent-to-treat (ITT) population: All randomized patients who received at least 1 dose of study drug and had at least 1 post-baseline assessment of the primary efficacy variable.

The UAS is a composite diary-recorded score with numeric severity ratings (0=none to 3=intense) for the number of wheals per 24 hours and the intensity of the pruritus. The total daily score (sum of the wheal and pruritus scores) ranges from 0 to 6. A higher score indicates worse disease. AUC was calculated from daily UASs where no urticaria medication was taken using the trapezoidal rule. The standardized AUC UAS was calculated as the sum of trapezoids divided by the length of time.

Intent-to-treat (ITT) population: All randomized patients who received at least 1 dose of study drug and had at least 1 post-baseline assessment of the primary efficacy variable.

Data was collected from the patients' diaries about the number of clemastine and loratadine pills taken during the last 7 days of each month of the study.

Intent-to-treat (ITT) population: All randomized patients who received at least 1 dose of study drug and had at least 1 post-baseline assessment of the primary efficacy variable.

The DLQI is a dermatology-specific quality of life (QoL) questionnaire designed for use in patients over 16 years of age. Patients are asked to respond to each of 10 questions on a 4-point Likert scale in regard to how much their skin problem has affected their life over the last week (0=not at all, 1=a little, 2=a lot, 3=very much). The overall (total) DLQI score (range=0 to 30) is calculated by summing the scores of all 10 questions. The higher the score, the more QoL is impaired. A negative change score (Week 24 score minus Baseline score) indicates improvement.

Intent-to-treat (ITT) population: All randomized patients who received at least 1 dose of study drug and had at least 1 post-baseline assessment of the primary efficacy variable.

Skindex is a 30-item questionnaire with 3 scores (functioning, emotions,symptoms) and a composite score (average scale score) that assesses the effects of skin disease on patients' quality of life (QoL). Item responses are standardized on a scale from 0 to 100. The mean of all 61 items was calculated. A higher score indicates a lower QoL. A negative change score (Week 24 score minus Baseline score) indicates improvement.

Intent-to-treat (ITT) population: All randomized patients who received at least 1 dose of study drug and had at least 1 post-baseline assessment of the primary efficacy variable.

The CU-Q2oL (German version) is a questionnaire that measures the relative burden of chronic urticaria on subjective well-being. It has 23 questions in 3 domains (symptoms, general impairment, difficulties and problems due to urticaria). Patients are asked to respond how much they are troubled by each problem on a 5-point Likert scale (1=not at all to 5=very much). Each domain and the overall (total) scores are normalized to a scale of 1 to 100. A higher score indicates lower QoL. A negative change score (Week 24 score minus Baseline score) indicates improvement.

Intent-to-treat (ITT) population: All randomized patients who received at least 1 dose of study drug and had at least 1 post-baseline assessment of the primary efficacy variable.

Patients made a global assessment of their chronic urticaria symptoms on a 4-point Likert scale (none, mild moderate, severe) at Baseline and again at the end of the study. The number of patients in each category is reported.

Intent-to-treat (ITT) population: All randomized patients who received at least 1 dose of study drug and had at least 1 post-baseline assessment of the primary efficacy variable.

The investigator made a global assessment of the patient's chronic urticaria symptoms on a 4-point Likert scale (none, mild, moderate, severe) at Baseline and again at the end of the study. The number of patients in each category is reported.

Intent-to-treat (ITT) population: All randomized patients who received at least 1 dose of study drug and had at least 1 post-baseline assessment of the primary efficacy variable.