Quality of life in patients with persistent allergic rhinitis treated with montelukast alone or in combination with levocetirizine or desloratadine.
BACKGROUND
Persistent allergic rhinitis often impairs quality of life.


OBJECTIVE
We assessed the extent to which treating persistent allergic rhinitis with montelukast, desloratadine, and levocetirizine alone or in combination improved quality of life.


METHODS
A 32-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study was performed in 2 arms: 20 patients received montelukast 10 mg/d and/or desloratadine 5 mg/d or placebo; 20 patients received montelukast 10 mg/d and/or levocetirizine 5 mg/d or placebo. The treatment periods were separated by 2-week washout periods. Quality of life was assessed on the day before starting treatment and on the last day of each treatment period using the Rhinoconjunctivitis Quality of Life Questionnaire. Sleep problems were also assessed.


RESULTS
In the desloratadine plus montelukast arm, the mean (SEM) quality of life score before treatment was 3.1 (0.41). After placebo, this score was 2.16 (0.43), after desloratadine it was 1.79 (0.38), after montelukast it was 1.48 (0.37), and after montelukast plus desloratadine it was 1.59 (0.37). In the montelukast plus levocetirizine arm, the mean quality of life score before treatment was 2.58 (0.49). After placebo it was 1.78 (0.46), after levocetirizine it was 1.38 (0.42), after montelukast it was 1.36 (0.37), and after montelukast plus levocetirizine it was 1.26 (0.39).


CONCLUSIONS
Placebo, montelukast, desloratadine and levocetirizine significantly improved quality of life. Combining montelukast with either levocetirizine or desloratadine gave additional benefits in comparison to each agent alone and could be considered for patients whose quality of life is impaired by persistent allergic rhinitis.
Ciebiada
M
M
Medical University of Lodz, Department of Pneumology and Allergy, Lodz, Poland. maciejciebiada@op.pl
Ciebiada
M Gorska
MG
Kmiecik
T
T
DuBuske
L M
LM
Gorski
P
P
D000085:Acetates / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017332:Cetirizine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D003521:Cyclopropanes; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004347:Drug Interactions / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D039563:Histamine H1 Antagonists, Non-Sedating / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D020024:Leukotriene Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D017336:Loratadine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D011804:Quinolines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology*; D006255:Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology*; D013440:Sulfides; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000085:Acetates; D003521:Cyclopropanes; D039563:Histamine H1 Antagonists, Non-Sedating; D020024:Leukotriene Antagonists; D011804:Quinolines; D013440:Sulfides; C472067:levocetirizine; D017336:Loratadine; C121345:desloratadine; C093875:montelukast; D017332:Cetirizine