Once-daily fexofenadine HCl improves quality of life and reduces work and activity impairment in patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis.
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.
Meltzer
E O
EO
Allergy and Asthma Medical Group & Research Center, San Diego, California, USA.
Casale
T B
TB
Nathan
R A
RA
Thompson
A K
AK
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
D018926:Anti-Allergic Agents; D006634:Histamine H1 Antagonists; D016593:Terfenadine; C093230:fexofenadine