title: The health-related quality of life effects of once-daily cetirizine HCl syrup in children with seasonal allergic rhinitis.
abstract: Seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR) can adversely impact children's physical, psychological, and social functioning and well-being, that is, their health-related quality of life (HRQL). This study assessed HRQL in children 6 to 11 years treated with cetirizine HCl syrup, while concurrently assessing symptomatic relief and safety. In an open-label, non-comparative study, 544 children from 124 centers in the United States were instructed to take cetirizine HCl syrup (10 cc of 1 mg/mL) each evening for 4 weeks. Children experienced statistically significant improvements in HRQL with significant reductions in mean symptom score (p < 0.001) during the treatment period. Results were consistent across age groups (6-7, 8-9, 10-11 years). These results suggest that the symptomatic relief and tolerability profile of cetirizine HC1 syrup daily translates into improvements in the HRQL of children with SAR. This 4-week open label study is among the first to evaluate the effect of antihistamine treatment on HRQL outcomes in children.
authors.affiliation: CHOC Pediatric Subspecialty Faculty, Division of Allergy and Immunology, Children's Hospital of Orange County, Orange, CA 92868, USA.
authors.forename: Sherwin A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Gillman
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Blatter
authors.forename: John J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Condemi
authors.forename: Millicent
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Collins
authors.forename: Abayomi O
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Olufade
authors.forename: Nancy Kline
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Leidy
authors.forename: Douglass
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chapman
authors.forename: Benjamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kramer
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D017677:Age Distribution; D018926:Anti-Allergic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects*; D017332:Cetirizine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D006255:Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D018926:Anti-Allergic Agents; D017332:Cetirizine