[Efficacy and safety of fexofenadine and cetirizine in the treatment of allergic rhinitis].
BACKGROUND
Allergic rhinitis affects 20 million of people in United States and a higher figure all around the world.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the efficacy and safety of fexofenadine compared with certirizine in the treatment of allergic rhinitis.


METHODS
It was carried out a prospective, double blind, comparative, randomized and multicentric study in patients with allergic rhinitis, with ages between 12 and 65 years. In the first phase, placebo was administered during three days to all the patients; and then, they were randomly allocated to receive fexofenadine 120 mg or cetirizine 10 mg in one dose a day during 14 days. Laboratory and cabinet tests at the beginning and at the end were performed to value security, as well as a global evaluation of the researcher to estimate effectiveness.


RESULTS
176 patients were included, 63.6% were women, average age was 27 years (+/- 12), 47.7% received fexofenadine and 52.2%, cetirizine. There was not significant difference in parameters of effectiveness nor of security in the studied group.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of the present study confirm the efficacy and safety of the antihistaminic fexofenadine in the treatment of allergic rhinitis.
López García
A
A
Servicio de alergología e inmunología clínica, Hospital Universitario de Puebla.
Paz Martínez
D
D
Orea Solano
M
M
Hernández Valencia
G
G
Ramírez García
A
A
Ramírez Ojeda
H
H
Sánchez Medal
L F
LF
Soda Mehry
A
A
Velarde Domínguez
T
T
Betancourt Suárez
M A
MA
Méndez Vera
J L
JL
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018926:Anti-Allergic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017332:Cetirizine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006634:Histamine H1 Antagonists / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006255:Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012449:Safety; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016593:Terfenadine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D018926:Anti-Allergic Agents; D006634:Histamine H1 Antagonists; D016593:Terfenadine; C093230:fexofenadine; D017332:Cetirizine