title: Desloratadine improves quality of life and symptom severity in patients with allergic rhinitis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Desloratadine is associated with decreased signs and symptoms and improved nasal airflow in multiple clinical trials in patients with allergic rhinitis (AR). The effect of desloratadine on quality of life (QOL) in AR has not been widely reported to date. We compared the effects of desloratadine and placebo on QOL in seasonal AR using validated, disease-specific measures.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a multicenter, double-blind, randomized, parallel-group study of desloratadine 5 mg or placebo daily for 2 weeks in patients with symptomatic seasonal AR. QOL was assessed at baseline and at day 14 using the Rhinoconjunctivitis Quality of Life Questionnaire (RQLQ). AR signs/symptoms and the global response to therapy were measured at baseline and at day 14; signs/symptoms were also rated AM/PM in patient diaries. Adverse events (AE) were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall 234 patients received desloratadine and 249 received placebo. At day 14 desloratadine was associated with a significantly larger improvement from baseline in the mean total RQLQ score vs placebo (P = 0.0003). Desloratadine also led to significant improvements from baseline in all RQLQ sub-domains (P < or = 0.043). At day 14 significant decreases from baseline were noted in the desloratadine group for total nasal (P = 0.0003), total non-nasal (P = 0.001) and total symptoms scores (P = 0.0001). Morning AR symptoms were significantly decreased in the desloratadine group after 1 day of treatment. Desloratadine was well tolerated, with an AE rate similar to placebo.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Significant reductions in signs and symptoms of AR with desloratadine treatment were accompanied by improved disease-specific QOL measures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Hôpital Louis Mourier, Colombes Cedex, France.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pradalier
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Neukirch
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Dreyfus
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Devillier
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D039563:Histamine H1 Antagonists, Non-Sedating / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D017336:Loratadine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D011788:Quality of Life; D006255:Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D039563:Histamine H1 Antagonists, Non-Sedating; D017336:Loratadine; C121345:desloratadine