Further improvement of quality of life by cetirizine in perennial allergic rhinitis as a function of treatment duration.
The SF-36 Health Status Questionnaire is a generic quality of life questionnaire based on 36 questions selected to represent nine health concepts. Perennial allergic rhinitis is a disease which causes variable restrictions on the physical, psychological and social aspects of patients' lives. According to the SF-36 questionnaire assessment, quality of life is impaired in these patients. Cetirizine, a potent, reliable histamine H1-receptor antagonist, has already been found to induce significant improvement in the quality of life of patients with chronic rhinitis, as assessed by the same SF-36 questionnaire after 1 and 6 weeks of treatment. This paper further investigates the extent to which cetirizine continues to improve quality of life after a long-term treatment (6 weeks) compared to a shorter treatment (1 week). The analyses show that, despite the significant improvement found after 1 week of treatment with cetirizine compared to placebo, a further 5-week course of therapy not only maintains this improvement but continues to enhance quality of life significantly above and beyond this.
Burtin
B
B
UCB, SA Pharmaceutical Sector, Braine l'Alleud, Belgium.
Duchateau
J
J
Pignat
J C
JC
Donnelly
F
F
Bousquet
J
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018926:Anti-Allergic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017332:Cetirizine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006634:Histamine H1 Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D018926:Anti-Allergic Agents; D006634:Histamine H1 Antagonists; D017332:Cetirizine