Cetirizine side effects: what 77,111 FDA adverse event reports show
Drug class
Not stated in label
Brand names
Cetirizine Hydrochloride
Who reports
77,111 reports · 76% serious · 8,614 with death outcome · 71% female
Used for
Perennial Allergic Rhinitis: Cetirizine hydrochloride is indicated for the relief of symptoms associated with perennial allergic rhinitis due to allergens such as dust mites, animal dander and molds in children 6 to 23 months of age. Symptoms treated effectively include sneezing, rhinorrhea, postnasal discharge, nasal pruritus, ocular pruritus, and tearing.
What it is
Cetirizine is a member of the class of piperazines that is piperazine in which the hydrogens attached to nitrogen are replaced by a (4-chlorophenyl)(phenyl)methyl and a 2-(carboxymethoxy)ethyl group respectively.
Boxed warning
None in the current label
Causality screen of the 40 strongest signals
What the badges mean
- Labeled (related wording) The label describes this effect under different wording (e.g. 'neutropenia' for 'neutrophil count decreased'). Treated as known.
- Lab value / disease marker A laboratory result, investigation or disease-activity marker (antibody positive, CRP abnormal, swollen joint count) not described in the label. These usually mirror the monitored disease or testing protocol rather than a drug effect; not screened further.
- Not in label — unassessed Not found in the label text, not an artifact pattern. This is a genuine candidate for a formal causality assessment (Bradford Hill / WHO-UMC); it has NOT had one here.
Strongest disproportionality signals
Flagged terms (PRR ≥ 2, χ² ≥ 4, n ≥ 10), ranked by PRR; infinite PRRs (no comparator reports) excluded. The EBGM column is a second, shrinkage-based estimate (MGPS) with its 5th percentile EB05 and the BCPNN IC025; a pair flagged by PRR alone is marked PRR-only and should be read as fragile. The strata column recomputes the PRR on serious reports only (and, for the 300 most-reported drugs, adjusted for age band), and flags pairs whose reports are unusually skewed by sex or come mostly from consumers. Each row also shows the PRR against the other drugs of the same FDA class, which removes most confounding by the condition being treated, and a calibrated p-value: on validation, known non-causes average an ROR of about 2, so significance is judged against that empirical null (✓ = p < 0.05 after calibration). 1,190 further terms are in the interactive explorer. Reaction links open the term's cross-drug page.
| Reaction | Reports | PRR 95% CI · ROR · χ²/p | EBGM EB05 · IC025 | Label screen | Serious-only & strata | Trial cross-check |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amyloid arthropathy | 56 | 1,870.6 891.8–3,923.8ROR 1,872.0 · calibrated p 1e-16 ✓ | 217.4 EB05 173.6 · IC025 +5.8 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | serious n=56 · ♀ 100% (drug 71%) · 100% clinician | not reported in cached trials |
| Anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody positive | 5,438 | 921.5 871.7–974.2ROR 991.3 · calibrated p 3e-17 ✓ | 207.8 EB05 203.2 · IC025 +7.6 3/3 methods agree | Lab value / disease marker | serious PRR 158.7 · ♀ 100% (drug 71%) · 93% clinician | not reported in cached trials |
| Swollen joint count increased | 2,278 | 760.0 701.4–823.5ROR 783.1 · calibrated p 5e-16 ✓ | 198.1 EB05 191.4 · IC025 +7.5 3/3 methods agree | Lab value / disease marker | serious n=2,277 · ♀ 100% (drug 71%) · 96% clinician | not reported in cached trials |
| Anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody | 478 | 705.7 594.9–837.3ROR 710.1 · calibrated p 2e-15 ✓ | 193.1 EB05 179.0 · IC025 +7.2 3/3 methods agree | Lab value / disease marker | serious n=478 · ♀ 100% (drug 71%) · 95% clinician | not reported in cached trials |
| Cardiospasm | 397 | 688.9 572.0–829.7ROR 692.5 · calibrated p 3e-15 ✓ | 191.5 EB05 176.2 · IC025 +7.1 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | serious n=396 | not reported in cached trials |
| Rheumatic fever | 3,085 | 671.9 629.1–717.6ROR 699.8 · calibrated p 2e-15 ✓ | 191.7 EB05 186.1 · IC025 +7.5 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | serious n=3,084 · ♀ 100% (drug 71%) · 95% clinician | not reported in cached trials |
| Pemphigus | 8,559 | 616.3 593.4–640.1ROR 693.1 · calibrated p 2e-15 ✓ | 187.0 EB05 183.7 · IC025 +7.5 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | serious PRR 142.8 · ♀ 100% (drug 71%) | not reported in cached trials |
| Duodenal ulcer perforation | 4,993 | 592.2 563.8–622.1ROR 633.1 · calibrated p 5e-15 ✓ | 184.7 EB05 180.4 · IC025 +7.5 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | serious PRR 140.5 · ♀ 100% (drug 71%) · 94% clinician | not reported in cached trials |
| Deep vein thrombosis postoperative | 1,296 | 541.2 492.4–594.7ROR 550.4 · calibrated p 2e-14 ✓ | 179.1 EB05 171.1 · IC025 +7.3 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | serious n=1,296 · ♀ 100% (drug 71%) · 94% clinician | not reported in cached trials |
| Lupus vulgaris | 784 | 535.8 474.7–604.8ROR 541.3 · calibrated p 3e-14 ✓ | 178.2 EB05 168.0 · IC025 +7.2 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | serious n=784 · ♀ 100% (drug 71%) · 96% clinician | not reported in cached trials |
| C-reactive protein | 563 | 451.8 394.6–517.3ROR 455.1 · calibrated p 2e-13 ✓ | 167.6 EB05 156.3 · IC025 +7.1 3/3 methods agree | Lab value / disease marker | serious n=563 · ♀ 100% (drug 71%) · 96% clinician | not reported in cached trials |
| Hepatic enzyme | 85 | 428.6 304.1–603.9ROR 429.1 · calibrated p 1e-12 ✓ | 159.4 EB05 132.9 · IC025 +6.0 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | serious n=85 · ♀ 100% (drug 71%) · 100% clinician | not reported in cached trials |
| Rheumatoid factor positive | 3,410 | 398.8 378.4–420.3ROR 417.2 · calibrated p 4e-13 ✓ | 160.5 EB05 156.0 · IC025 +7.2 3/3 methods agree | Lab value / disease marker | serious n=3,408 · ♀ 100% (drug 71%) · 94% clinician | not reported in cached trials |
| Immunisation | 255 | 393.9 324.8–477.7ROR 395.2 · calibrated p 1e-12 ✓ | 157.9 EB05 142.3 · IC025 +6.7 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | serious n=255 | not reported in cached trials |
| Grip strength | 135 | 383.8 295.0–499.3ROR 384.5 · calibrated p 2e-12 ✓ | 154.7 EB05 134.0 · IC025 +6.4 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | serious n=135 · ♀ 100% (drug 71%) · 100% clinician | not reported in cached trials |
| Facet joint syndrome | 1,804 | 368.6 343.4–395.6ROR 377.4 · calibrated p 1e-12 ✓ | 155.2 EB05 149.3 · IC025 +7.1 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | serious n=1,804 · ♀ 100% (drug 71%) · 96% clinician | not reported in cached trials |
| Vaginal flatulence | 171 | 348.8 277.9–437.9ROR 349.6 · calibrated p 4e-12 ✓ | 149.4 EB05 131.5 · IC025 +6.5 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | serious n=171 · ♀ 100% (drug 71%) | not reported in cached trials |
| Swollen joint count | 134 | 328.5 255.2–423.0ROR 329.1 · calibrated p 8e-12 ✓ | 144.9 EB05 125.4 · IC025 +6.3 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | serious n=134 · ♀ 100% (drug 71%) · 100% clinician | not reported in cached trials |
| Hand deformity | 7,034 | 319.7 309.1–330.8ROR 351.7 · calibrated p 2e-12 ✓ | 146.1 EB05 143.2 · IC025 +7.1 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | serious PRR 120.9 · ♀ 100% (drug 71%) · 92% clinician | not reported in cached trials |
| Palmoplantar keratoderma | 385 | 315.6 272.4–365.7ROR 317.2 · calibrated p 7e-12 ✓ | 144.2 EB05 132.5 · IC025 +6.8 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | serious n=385 | not reported in cached trials |
| Adjustment disorder with depressed mood | 1,035 | 289.6 265.3–316.2ROR 293.5 · calibrated p 1e-11 ✓ | 139.2 EB05 132.2 · IC025 +6.9 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | serious n=1,032 · ♀ 100% (drug 71%) · 96% clinician | not reported in cached trials |
| Helicobacter infection | 4,932 | 256.9 247.2–267.0ROR 274.4 · calibrated p 2e-11 ✓ | 131.4 EB05 128.4 · IC025 +7.0 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | serious PRR 105.7 · ♀ 100% (drug 71%) · 94% clinician | not reported in cached trials |
| Muscle injury | 3,831 | 239.8 229.7–250.3ROR 252.2 · calibrated p 5e-11 ✓ | 126.8 EB05 123.4 · IC025 +6.9 3/3 methods agree | Labeled (related wording) related wording | serious PRR 104.5 · ♀ 100% (drug 71%) · 94% clinician | not reported in cached trials |
| Dislocation of vertebra | 1,017 | 230.5 212.0–250.6ROR 233.6 · calibrated p 1e-10 ✓ | 123.9 EB05 117.7 · IC025 +6.8 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | serious n=1,017 · ♀ 100% (drug 71%) · 95% clinician | not reported in cached trials |
| Sleep disorder due to general medical condition, insomnia type | 2,758 | 204.9 195.1–215.2ROR 212.5 · calibrated p 2e-10 ✓ | 116.3 EB05 112.7 · IC025 +6.8 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | serious n=2,752 · ♀ 100% (drug 71%) · 94% clinician | not reported in cached trials |
| Folliculitis | 4,331 | 197.4 189.9–205.1ROR 209.1 · calibrated p 3e-10 ✓ | 113.9 EB05 111.1 · IC025 +6.8 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | serious PRR 101.9 · ♀ 99% (drug 71%) · 94% clinician | not reported in cached trials |
| X-ray abnormal | 737 | 192.1 174.8–211.2ROR 194.0 · calibrated p 5e-10 ✓ | 111.9 EB05 105.3 · IC025 +6.6 3/3 methods agree | Lab value / disease marker | serious n=737 · ♀ 100% (drug 71%) · 97% clinician | not reported in cached trials |
| Retinitis | 669 | 182.6 165.6–201.4ROR 184.2 · calibrated p 9e-10 ✓ | 108.6 EB05 101.8 · IC025 +6.5 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | serious n=669 · ♀ 100% (drug 71%) · 96% clinician | not reported in cached trials |
| Subcutaneous drug absorption impaired | 218 | 182.1 153.3–216.2ROR 182.6 · calibrated p 1e-9 ✓ | 107.7 EB05 96.2 · IC025 +6.2 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | serious n=216 · ♀ 100% (drug 71%) · 100% clinician | not reported in cached trials |
| Pericarditis | 6,432 | 171.6 166.5–176.9ROR 187.1 · calibrated p 7e-10 ✓ | 104.9 EB05 102.7 · IC025 +6.7 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | serious PRR 80.5 · ♀ 97% (drug 71%) · 91% clinician | not reported in cached trials |
| Anticipatory anxiety | 99 | 157.5 122.9–201.8ROR 157.7 · calibrated p 5e-9 ✓ | 97.6 EB05 82.5 · IC025 +5.7 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | serious n=99 · ♀ 100% (drug 71%) | not reported in cached trials |
| Glossodynia (burning tongue/mouth pain) | 8,025 | 152.8 148.8–156.9ROR 170.4 · calibrated p 2e-9 ✓ | 97.5 EB05 95.8 · IC025 +6.6 3/3 methods agree | Labeled (related wording) related wording | serious PRR 107.2 · ♀ 100% (drug 71%) · 91% clinician | not reported in cached trials |
| Synovitis | 6,152 | 141.0 136.8–145.3ROR 153.1 · calibrated p 4e-9 ✓ | 92.6 EB05 90.7 · IC025 +6.5 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | serious PRR 73.8 · ♀ 100% (drug 71%) · 93% clinician | not reported in cached trials |
| Peripheral venous disease | 1,356 | 140.1 131.3–149.6ROR 142.6 · calibrated p 7e-9 ✓ | 92.2 EB05 88.1 · IC025 +6.4 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | serious n=1,354 · ♀ 100% (drug 71%) · 95% clinician | not reported in cached trials |
| Hypocholesterolaemia | 90 | 112.4 87.9–143.8ROR 112.5 · calibrated p 7e-8 ✓ | 78.1 EB05 65.5 · IC025 +5.4 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | serious n=90 · ♀ 100% (drug 71%) · 100% clinician | not reported in cached trials |
| Seronegative arthritis | 328 | 112.4 98.8–127.8ROR 112.9 · calibrated p 5e-8 ✓ | 79.1 EB05 72.1 · IC025 +6.0 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | serious n=328 · ♀ 100% (drug 71%) · 100% clinician | not reported in cached trials |
| C-reactive protein abnormal | 1,662 | 95.3 90.1–100.7ROR 97.3 · calibrated p 1e-7 ✓ | 70.4 EB05 67.6 · IC025 +6.0 3/3 methods agree | Lab value / disease marker | serious n=1,662 · ♀ 100% (drug 71%) · 95% clinician | not reported in cached trials |
| Systemic lupus erythematosus | 8,763 | 89.6 87.5–91.7ROR 100.9 · calibrated p 1e-7 ✓ | 67.3 EB05 66.1 · IC025 +6.0 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | age-adj. PRR 68.1 · serious PRR 52.6 · ♀ 100% (drug 71%) | not reported in cached trials |
| Wound | 6,786 | 87.8 85.5–90.2ROR 96.2 · calibrated p 1e-7 ✓ | 66.3 EB05 65.0 · IC025 +6.0 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | age-adj. PRR 64.7 · serious PRR 60.0 · ♀ 99% (drug 71%) · 92% clinician | not reported in cached trials |
| Breast cancer stage iii | 1,486 | 81.6 77.1–86.5ROR 83.2 · calibrated p 4e-7 ✓ | 62.7 EB05 60.1 · IC025 +5.9 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | serious n=1,486 · ♀ 100% (drug 71%) · 94% clinician | not reported in cached trials |
Clinical concept groups
MedDRA splits one clinical problem across several terms (e.g. "neutropenia", "neutrophil count decreased", "agranulocytosis"), which dilutes term-level signals. These rows count reports with any term in a concept group (an exact union, not a sum), compared with all other drugs. Groups are hand-built and listed in the methods.
| Concept | Reports | PRR 95% CI | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liver injury | 9,123 | 8.48.3–8.6 | signal |
| Anaphylaxis / angioedema | 2,506 | 5.55.3–5.7 | signal |
| Interstitial lung disease | 1,717 | 4.94.7–5.2 | signal |
| Hyperglycaemia / diabetes | 4,888 | 3.93.8–4.0 | signal |
| Depression | 3,347 | 3.33.2–3.4 | signal |
| Serious infection | 9,038 | 3.23.1–3.3 | signal |
| Severe cutaneous reaction | 661 | 2.42.2–2.6 | signal |
| Pancreatitis | 535 | 1.81.7–2.0 | raised |
| Arrhythmia / qt | 1,159 | 1.61.5–1.7 | raised |
| Rhabdomyolysis / myopathy | 471 | 1.61.4–1.7 | raised |
| Hyponatraemia | 462 | 1.61.4–1.7 | raised |
| Tendon disorder | 217 | 1.61.4–1.8 | raised |
| Thrombocytopenia | 1,250 | 1.51.5–1.6 | raised |
| Fall / fracture | 2,129 | 1.51.5–1.6 | raised |
| Gi bleeding | 977 | 1.51.4–1.5 | raised |
| Opportunistic infection | 645 | 1.31.2–1.4 | raised |
Trial evidence (ClinicalTrials.gov)
✓ Trial adverse-event data found on ClinicalTrials.gov
Largest completed trials with posted results that list Cetirizine as a study intervention. The right-hand column of the signal table shows whether each FAERS term was also recorded in these trials, with a real denominator (0 of 40 signal terms matched).
- NCT00974571 — Montelukast in Perennial Allergic Rhinitis - 2001-2002 Study (0476-246) (N=1365, PHASE3; 5 AE terms posted; arms: Montelukast 10 mg; Cetirizine 10 mg; Placebo)
- NCT01916226 — A Comparator Study of Fluticasone Propionate Nasal Spray Verses (vs) Cetirizine in the Treatment of Seasonal A (N=682, PHASE4; 34 AE terms posted; arms: FPNS 200 μg; Cetirizine 10 mg; FPNS Matching Placebo; Cetirizine Matching Placebo)
Caveats: trial populations, doses and follow-up differ from the reporting population; AE terms are sponsor-coded and matched here by wording; absence from a trial list means the term was not reported above the sponsor's frequency threshold, not that it cannot occur.
Most frequently reported reactions
By raw co-report count, regardless of disproportionality. Common terms here are often the illness itself or generic outcomes.
| Reaction | Reports | PRR 95% CI · ROR · χ²/p | EBGM EB05 · IC025 | Label screen | Serious-only & strata | Trial cross-check |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drug ineffective (drug did not work) | 13,508 | 2.8 2.8–2.9ROR 3.2 · calibrated p 0.567 | 2.8 EB05 2.7 · IC025 +1.5 3/3 methods agree | Reporting / coding artifact | age-adj. PRR 2.6 · serious PRR 5.0 | not reported in cached trials |
| Fatigue (tiredness) | 13,440 | 4.8 4.7–4.8ROR 5.6 · calibrated p 0.181 | 4.7 EB05 4.6 · IC025 +2.2 3/3 methods agree | Labeled adverse reaction exact term | age-adj. PRR 3.9 · serious PRR 6.2 | NCT01916226: 1/170 (0.6%) on Cetirizine |
| Pain | 12,536 | 5.6 5.5–5.7ROR 6.5 · calibrated p 0.120 | 5.5 EB05 5.5 · IC025 +2.4 3/3 methods agree | Labeled adverse reaction exact term | age-adj. PRR 4.8 · serious PRR 6.4 · ♀ 93% (drug 71%) | NCT01916226: 1/170 (0.6%) on Cetirizine |
| Rash | 10,265 | 6.6 6.4–6.7ROR 7.4 · calibrated p 0.083 | 6.4 EB05 6.3 · IC025 +2.7 3/3 methods agree | Labeled adverse reaction exact term | age-adj. PRR 5.6 · serious PRR 10.0 | not reported in cached trials |
| Off label use (used outside approved label) | 9,972 | 3.1 3.1–3.2ROR 3.5 · calibrated p 0.493 | 3.1 EB05 3.1 · IC025 +1.6 3/3 methods agree | Reporting / coding artifact | age-adj. PRR 2.8 · serious PRR 3.9 | not reported in cached trials |
| Abdominal discomfort | 9,641 | 16.6 16.3–16.9ROR 18.8 · calibrated p 0.003 ✓ | 15.7 EB05 15.4 · IC025 +3.9 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | age-adj. PRR 12.4 · serious PRR 26.1 · ♀ 96% (drug 71%) | not reported in cached trials |
| Alopecia (hair loss) | 9,534 | 13.8 13.5–14.1ROR 15.6 · calibrated p 0.006 ✓ | 13.2 EB05 12.9 · IC025 +3.7 3/3 methods agree | Labeled adverse reaction exact term | age-adj. PRR 10.2 · serious PRR 21.0 · ♀ 97% (drug 71%) | not reported in cached trials |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 8,996 | 23.4 23.0–23.9ROR 26.4 · calibrated p 5e-4 ✓ | 21.6 EB05 21.3 · IC025 +4.4 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | age-adj. PRR 17.0 · serious PRR 20.1 · ♀ 100% (drug 71%) | not reported in cached trials |
| Systemic lupus erythematosus | 8,763 | 89.6 87.5–91.7ROR 100.9 · calibrated p 1e-7 ✓ | 67.3 EB05 66.1 · IC025 +6.0 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | age-adj. PRR 68.1 · serious PRR 52.6 · ♀ 100% (drug 71%) | not reported in cached trials |
| Pemphigus | 8,559 | 616.3 593.4–640.1ROR 693.1 · calibrated p 2e-15 ✓ | 187.0 EB05 183.7 · IC025 +7.5 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | serious PRR 142.8 · ♀ 100% (drug 71%) | not reported in cached trials |
| Swelling | 8,196 | 26.1 25.5–26.7ROR 29.1 · calibrated p 3e-4 ✓ | 23.9 EB05 23.4 · IC025 +4.5 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | age-adj. PRR 19.7 · serious PRR 29.1 · ♀ 98% (drug 71%) | not reported in cached trials |
| Hypersensitivity (allergic reaction) | 8,046 | 12.3 12.0–12.6ROR 13.6 · calibrated p 0.010 ✓ | 11.8 EB05 11.6 · IC025 +3.5 3/3 methods agree | Labeled adverse reaction exact term | age-adj. PRR 11.1 · serious PRR 16.3 · ♀ 95% (drug 71%) | not reported in cached trials |
| Glossodynia (burning tongue/mouth pain) | 8,025 | 152.8 148.8–156.9ROR 170.4 · calibrated p 2e-9 ✓ | 97.5 EB05 95.8 · IC025 +6.6 3/3 methods agree | Labeled (related wording) related wording | serious PRR 107.2 · ♀ 100% (drug 71%) · 91% clinician | not reported in cached trials |
| Headache | 7,893 | 3.5 3.4–3.5ROR 3.7 · calibrated p 0.430 | 3.4 EB05 3.4 · IC025 +1.7 3/3 methods agree | Labeled adverse reaction exact term | age-adj. PRR 3.1 · serious PRR 4.8 | NCT00974571: 8/122 (6.6%) on Cetirizine; 36/613 (5.9%) control |
| Pruritus (itching) | 7,886 | 5.8 5.7–5.9ROR 6.3 · calibrated p 0.131 | 5.7 EB05 5.6 · IC025 +2.5 3/3 methods agree | Likely indication confounding term in indications; also in warnings | age-adj. PRR 5.2 · serious PRR 9.2 | not reported in cached trials |
Unlabeled candidate signals
These flagged terms were not found in the FDA label text and do not match an artifact pattern. They are the pairs that would merit a structured assessment (temporality, dose-response, biological plausibility, consistency across databases, trial or cohort evidence). The screen has not done that; string-matching misses label wording, and a strong PRR can still be stimulated reporting, co-medication, or the disease itself.
- Amyloid arthropathy — n=56, PRR 1,870.6
- Cardiospasm — n=397, PRR 688.9
- Rheumatic fever — n=3,085, PRR 671.9
- Pemphigus — n=8,559, PRR 616.3
- Duodenal ulcer perforation — n=4,993, PRR 592.2
- Deep vein thrombosis postoperative — n=1,296, PRR 541.2
- Lupus vulgaris — n=784, PRR 535.8
- Hepatic enzyme — n=85, PRR 428.6
- Immunisation — n=255, PRR 393.9
- Grip strength — n=135, PRR 383.8
Want to assess one of these properly? The runbook describes the Bradford Hill / trial-evidence workflow used on the assessment page, and handoff_top1000_signals.csv lists the strongest unassessed pairs across all drugs.
Common questions
What are the most reported side effects of Cetirizine?
In FDA FAERS, the most frequently co-reported reaction terms for Cetirizine are fatigue, pain, rash, abdominal discomfort, alopecia, rheumatoid arthritis. These are report counts, not rates: FAERS has no denominator, reporting is voluntary and uneven, and a term can be reported because of the illness being treated rather than the drug.
Does Cetirizine have an FDA boxed warning?
No. The FDA label retrieved for Cetirizine has no boxed warning; see the label's Warnings and Precautions for the recognised risks.
Do FAERS signals prove that Cetirizine causes these side effects?
No. A disproportionality signal (PRR, ROR) means a reaction is reported more often with this drug than with others in the database. That can reflect a real effect, but also the disease being treated, stimulated reporting after news or litigation, co-medications, or how reports are coded. Causality needs temporality, dose-response, biological plausibility, consistency across data sources and, ideally, trial or cohort evidence. This page screens each term against the FDA label and ClinicalTrials.gov results; it does not establish causation.
Sources & methods
- FDA label via openFDA (set ID 365cbabe-535b-4c34-852b-6cd63782e3e5, effective 20250501; matched on
openfda.generic_name.exact:"CETIRIZINE" AND openfda.product_type:"HUMAN PRESCRIPTION DRUG") - PubChem CID 2678 description (ChEBI)
- Bayesian shrinkage measures computed offline over all 1,317,300 cached pairs: BCPNN information component (IC, with Norén closed-form IC025) and MGPS empirical-Bayes geometric mean (EBGM, EB05) with a two-component gamma prior fitted by maximum marginal likelihood (α₁=0.57, β₁=0.02, α₂=1.42, β₂=0.70, w=0.17); unstratified
- FAERS pair statistics from the OpenPV build of 2026-09-14 (openFDA
count=aggregation, fieldpatient.drug.openfda.generic_name.exact, 1,230 reaction terms, min 3 co-reports); PRR/ROR with 95% CI, chi-square with Yates correction - Serious-only and stratified counts (serious:1, patient.patientsex, primarysource.qualification) from openFDA count queries; serious-only PRR uses the drug serious report total and the term global serious total (N_serious=11,882,979); strata shown only when n ≥ 20
- Seriousness and sex counts from openFDA
count=serious,patient.patientsex,seriousnessdeath - ClinicalTrials.gov API v2 (query
CETIRIZINE, results-bearing studies sorted by enrollment)
Page generated 2026-10-14. Label and PubChem text are retrieved automatically and may lag the current label; always check the current prescribing information. OpenPV is a beta research tool of the Open Source Medicine Foundation.