Ciprandi G, Cirillo I G, Vizzaccaro A, Tosca M A
Ospedale San Martino, Genoa, Italy.
Eur Ann Allergy Clin Immunol. 2005 Jan;37(1):25-9.
Nasal obstruction is the main symptom in patients with persistent allergic rhinitis. Some antihistamines have been demonstrated to be capable of improving this symptom. The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate nasal symptoms, nasal airflow, and decongestent activity in patients with persistent allergic rhinitis, before and after treatment with levocetirizine or placebo.
Forty patients with persistent allergic rhinitis were evaluated, 35 males and 5 females (mean age 23.3 +/- 5.9 years). All of them received levocetirizine (5 mg/daily) or placebo for 4 weeks. The study was double-blind, parallel-group, placebo-controlled, and randomized. Total symptom score (including: nasal itching, sneezing, rhinorrhea, and nasal obstruction) was assessed before and after treatment. Rhinomanometry and decongestion test were performed in all subjects before and after treatment.
Levocetirizine treatment induced: significant symptom relief (p<0.001), improved nasal airflow (p<0.001), reduction of reversibility percentage (p<0.05), and increase of total airflow after decongestion test (p<0.03). Placebo did not improve nasal symptoms and airflow.
This pilot study demonstrates the effectiveness of levocetirizine in: i) relieving nasal symptoms, including obstruction, ii) improving nasal airflow, and iii) exerting decongestant activity. Thus, these findings are the first evidence of the impact on airflow and the decongestant activity exerted by levocetirizine in persistent allergic rhinitis.
鼻塞是持续性变应性鼻炎患者的主要症状。一些抗组胺药已被证明能够改善这一症状。本初步研究的目的是评估左西替利嗪或安慰剂治疗前后持续性变应性鼻炎患者的鼻部症状、鼻气流和减充血活性。
对40例持续性变应性鼻炎患者进行评估，其中男性35例，女性5例（平均年龄23.3±5.9岁）。所有患者接受左西替利嗪（5mg/日）或安慰剂治疗4周。该研究为双盲、平行组、安慰剂对照且随机化。在治疗前后评估总症状评分（包括：鼻痒、打喷嚏、流涕和鼻塞）。在所有受试者治疗前后进行鼻阻力测量和减充血试验。
左西替利嗪治疗可导致：显著的症状缓解（p<0.001）、改善鼻气流（p<0.001）、可逆性百分比降低（p<0.05）以及减充血试验后总气流增加（p<0.03）。安慰剂未改善鼻部症状和气流。
本初步研究证明左西替利嗪在以下方面有效：i）缓解鼻部症状，包括鼻塞；ii）改善鼻气流；iii）发挥减充血活性。因此，这些发现是左西替利嗪对持续性变应性鼻炎气流和减充血活性影响的首个证据。
