Desloratadine and pseudoephedrine combination therapy as a comprehensive treatment for allergic rhinitis and nasal congestion.

BACKGROUND

Allergic rhinitis (AR) is rapidly increasing in global prevalence. Symptoms of AR, particularly nasal congestion, can cause quality of life (QoL) impairment. Second-generation antihistamines are a recommended first-line therapy for AR but are not viewed as very effective for the treatment of congestion. Therefore, an antihistamine plus a decongestant, such as the combination of desloratadine and pseudoephedrine, is a convenient and efficacious treatment.

OBJECTIVE

To review the clinical evidence on the efficacy and safety of combination desloratadine/pseudoephedrine for the treatment of AR symptoms, particularly nasal congestion.

RESULTS

Four large studies found that improvement in nasal congestion is enhanced when patients are treated with combination desloratadine/pseudoephedrine. The combination drug significantly improved mean reflective nasal congestion scores in these studies compared with either component as monotherapy (p <or= .009 for all). These improvements in congestion were observed by day 2. Mean reductions in nasal congestion scores were comparable between the once- and twice-daily dosing regimens of the combination drug.

CONCLUSION

Comprehensive treatment of AR that effectively relieves nasal congestion can also improve patient QoL. Administration of the second-generation antihistamine desloratadine in combination with the decongestant pseudoephedrine may be regarded as an efficacious and convenient option for patients with AR who are particularly troubled by nasal congestion.