[Effects of methimazole on the evolution of the allergic rhinitis of patients with Graves' disease].
BACKGROUND
The methimazole has long been used for treating Graves' disease to decrease thyroid hormone production and obtain a thyroid normofunction, but this drug has also immunosuppressive and immunomodulation effects.


OBJECTIVE
To analyze in patients with Graves' disease treated with methimazole and allergic rhinitis, the clinical evolution of the allergic rhinitis with the immunosuppressive and immunomodulation effects of the methimazole.


METHODS
A comparative and observational study was done in the Mexico's General Hospital, in twenty-six patients with Graves' disease treated with methimazole 10 mg, thyroid profile was done, and when subjects obtained a thyroid normofunction continued with the same doses of methimazole and received also 12.5 mcg/day of levothyroxine. All the patients were diagnosed with allergic rhinitis, and they were divided into two groups (11 females and 2 males each). Both groups continued with the same treatment of methimazole and levothyroxine, but group II was given also antihistamines H1 of second-generation (loratadine) daily, and specific immunotherapy during six months. We described and compared the clinical evolution of the allergic rhinitis of the two groups with the treatment.


RESULTS
In the group I, changes in the clinical evolution of the allergic rhinitis after six months were not observed. In the group II, by week 10 the symptoms of the allergic rhinitis were controlled in 80% of the patients, and by week 14 all the patients of this group were asymptomatic.


CONCLUSIONS
In patients with allergic rhinitis and Graves' diseases with methimazole-thyroid normofunction we observed that there is not influence of methimazole on clinical evolution of the allergic rhinitis.
Valencia Zavala
Martha Patricia
MP
Servicio de Alergia e Inmunología Clínica Hospital General de México, SS. mipsins@hotmail.com
Cortinas López
Leonides
L
Sánchez Olivas
Jesús Alberto
JA
Sánchez Olivas
Manuel Anastasio
MA
Montes Montes
José
J
Duarte Díaz
Rosa Janet
RJ
León Oviedo
Cristóbal
C
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018926:Anti-Allergic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013956:Antithyroid Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003888:Desensitization, Immunologic; D005260:Female; D006111:Graves Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017336:Loratadine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008713:Methimazole / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy; D013974:Thyroxine / Q000627:therapeutic use
D018926:Anti-Allergic Agents; D013956:Antithyroid Agents; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D008713:Methimazole; D017336:Loratadine; D013974:Thyroxine