title: Loratadine provides early symptom control in seasonal allergic rhinitis.
abstract: Allergic rhinitis (AR) affects approximately 500 million people worldwide, and prevalence is increasing. Second-generation nonsedating antihistamines are first-line treatments for seasonal AR (SAR). This study was performed to evaluate early SAR symptom relief with second-generation antihistamines through a retrospective analysis of previously published data. In this study, 835 subjects aged 12-60 years with a > or = 2-year history of SAR were randomized to receive loratadine, 10 mg, once daily; fexofenadine, 60 mg, twice daily; or placebo for 7 days. Each subject recorded the severity of five symptoms of SAR on a scale of 0-3. This primary post hoc efficacy analysis was the mean change from baseline in daily average A.M./P.M. reflective and instantaneous total symptom score (TSS) on days 2 and 3. Significantly greater mean reductions from baseline were shown with loratadine compared with fexofenadine in average A.M./P.M. reflective TSS on days 2 (-3.51 versus -2.84, respectively; p < 0.002) and 3 (-3.80 versus -3.19, respectively; p = 0.007) and in average A.M./P.M. instantaneous TSS on day 3 (-3.68 versus -3.15, respectively; p = 0.022). Similar results were noted in average A.M./P.M. reflective and instantaneous total nasal symptom scores and for 10 of 20 individual symptom time points (p < 0.05). Loratadine was significantly more effective than placebo for all time points (p < 0.001). Early, sustained symptom relief was seen with loratadine, suggesting that it may be more effective for treating SAR symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Research Institute, Minneapolis, MN 55402, USA. hbk@allergy-asthma-docs.com
authors.forename: Harold B
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Kaiser
authors.forename: Gokul
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gopalan
authors.forename: Weiyuan
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Chung
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D018926:Anti-Allergic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017336:Loratadine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D006255:Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D016593:Terfenadine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D018926:Anti-Allergic Agents; D017336:Loratadine; D016593:Terfenadine; C093230:fexofenadine