title: Once-daily fexofenadine HCl improves quality of life and reduces work and activity impairment in patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Fexofenadine HCl (Allegra, Telfast) is approved in the US for twice-daily dosing for treatment of seasonal allergic rhinitis.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the effect of once-daily fexofenadine HCl on patient-reported quality of life and impairment at work, in the classroom, and in daily activities due to seasonal allergic rhinitis symptoms.
  
  
  METHODS
  This placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomized study included patients aged 12 to 65 years with moderate-to-severe seasonal allergic rhinitis symptoms. Outcomes were assessed using self-administered questionnaires at baseline, week 1, and week 2. Outcome measures included change from baseline in: overall Rhinoconjunctivitis Quality of Life Questionnaire (RQLQ) score; individual RQLQ domain scores; work, classroom, and daily activity impairment measured using the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment (WPAI) instrument; and ratings in 3 generic health domains from the SF-36 Health Survey.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Intent to treat efficacy analyses included 845 patients from 40 sites. Patients receiving either 120 or 180 mg QD fexofenadine HCl reported significantly greater improvement (P < or = .006) in overall RQLQ score than patients receiving placebo. Similarly, both fexofenadine treatment groups reported significantly greater reductions in overall work impairment and daily activity impairment compared with the placebo group (P < or = .004). There was a trend for improvement in classroom impairment with fexofenadine treatment, although differences from placebo were not statistically significant. Generic health measures demonstrated fexofenadine HCl treatment had a positive effect on general health.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Once-daily fexofenadine HCl, 120 or 180 mg, significantly improved patient-reported quality of life and reduced performance impairment in work and daily activities due to seasonal allergic rhinitis symptoms compared with placebo.
authors.affiliation: Allergy and Asthma Medical Group & Research Center, San Diego, California, USA.
authors.forename: E O
authors.initials: EO
authors.lastname: Meltzer
authors.forename: T B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Casale
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Nathan
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Thompson
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000293:Adolescent; D000368:Aged; D018926:Anti-Allergic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006634:Histamine H1 Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D006255:Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016593:Terfenadine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014938:Work Capacity Evaluation
chemical_list: D018926:Anti-Allergic Agents; D006634:Histamine H1 Antagonists; D016593:Terfenadine; C093230:fexofenadine