title: Treatment of allergic rhinitis can improve blood pressure control.
abstract: Owing to high prevalence of arterial hypertension (AH) and allergic rhinitis (AR), these diseases frequently coexist. The study aimed to assess whether improvement of AR by conventional treatment can improve blood pressure (BP) control in this population. Sixty-eight subjects of both sexes aged 35-60 years with AR and AH were randomized into two groups to receive in addition to their antihypertensive medications: treatment group (n=34) Fluticasone nasal 50 microg/spray b.i.d. and Fenoxifenadine 180 mg tablets q.d., and control group (n=34) 0.9% NaCl nasal drops b.i.d. Office BP and AR severity (using the Relative Quality of Life Questionnaire (RQLQ)) and high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) were measured at study entry and after 8 weeks in both groups, without changing of antihypertensive medications. In Treatment group an improvement in RQLQ, significant reduction of systolic BP (SBP) (DSBP 7.4 +/- 4.3 mm Hg, P=0.006) and reduction of hs-CRP level (DCRP 2.05 +/- 1.08; P=0.028) were observed, whereas diastolic BP (DBP) remained unchanged (DDBP 0.9 +/- 1.7 mm Hg, P=0.7). There was a significant correlation between DRQLQ and DSBP (r=0.86; P=0.019) and between DCRP and DSBP (r=0.56; P=0.027). No statistically significant changes of RQLQ, BP and CRP were observed in the control group. In patients with coincidence of AH and AR, medications meant to improve AR attenuate low-grade systemic inflammation and can lower SBP, but not DBP.
authors.affiliation: Internal Medicine 'B' Department, WHO Collaborative Center for Prevention of CVD, Barzilai Medical Center Campus, Ben-Gurion University of Negev, Ashkelon, Israel. elimgen2@netvision.net.il
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Magen
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yosefy
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Viskoper
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mishal
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000730:Androstadienes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018926:Anti-Allergic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D000068298:Fluticasone; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016593:Terfenadine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000730:Androstadienes; D018926:Anti-Allergic Agents; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D015415:Biomarkers; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D016593:Terfenadine; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D000068298:Fluticasone; C093230:fexofenadine