[Acceptability of local treatment of allergic rhinitis with a combination of a corticoid (beclomethasone) and an antihistaminic (azelastine)].
A prospective multicentre study involving 219 patients with seasonal or aperiodic rhinitis was performed to assess the acceptability of a local treatment combining antihistamine (azelastine) and corticoid (beclomethasone) drugs. The drugs were administered either together (morning and evening, with a 5-minute interval) or separately (azelastine in the morning and evening, and beclomethasone later during the morning and in the afternoon) for 15 days. Treatment acceptability was measured by a nine-fold questionnaire (7-point scale, mean score per question). Patient participation, protocol and therapy compliance, and treatment efficacy and tolerance were also studied. The acceptability of the association was satisfactory (mean score for general facility of treatment: 4.7/6) and did not differ between administration schedules. Patients found treatment easy, and were not bothered by the bulk of the bottles or the risk of mixing them up. This acceptability was confirmed by the low percentage (4%) of patients refusing to be included in the study (refusing any treatment by nasal spray). The general acceptability was confirmed by the results for therapy compliance, general efficacy and tolerance: 94.9% of the patients took more than 75% of the administrations prescribed, 77.6% of the patients and 85.2% of the practitioners judged treatment efficacy as good or excellent, and 84.6% of the patients and 91.4% of the practitioners judged tolerance as good or excellent. Moreover, most of the adverse events consisted of minor signs of local intolerance, and were identical to those observed when the two treatments were administered alone.
Laboratoire Asta Medica, avenue du Président Kennedy, F-33700 Mérignac, France.
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Portmann
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Le Gal
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Jessent
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JL
Verrière
D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000328:Adult; D001507:Beclomethasone / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D010793:Phthalazines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006255:Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D010793:Phthalazines; D001507:Beclomethasone; C020976:azelastine