title: Treatment of ragweed pollen seasonal allergic conjunctivitis (SAC) with b.i.d. nedocromil sodium 2% ophthalmic solution.
abstract: An eight-week multicenter double-masked placebo-controlled group comparison was carried out in 86 patients (age 13-60 years) to determine efficacy and safety of b.i.d. nedocromil sodium 2% ophthalmic solution in ragweed SAC. Treatment was timed to coincide with the predicted ragweed pollen season, taking the two to three weeks of peak pollen counts as the period for analysis. Clinical efficacy was measured from group mean symptom scores (0-4 scale of severity) recorded by the patients on daily diary cards, and the results of clinic examinations made before and after a one-week baseline and following one, three, five and eight weeks of treatment. During the peak pollen season, use of nedocromil sodium reduced all symptoms, with statistically significant differences from placebo, for itching, tearing/watering, overall eye condition and the total symptom summary score (itching+tearing+burning). Clinical assessments of nedocromil sodium showed significant relief of tearing, conjunctival injection and edema. Overall opinions also demonstrated significant benefit with nedocromil sodium, 61% of patients rating active treatment at least moderately effective compared with 36% for placebo (clinicians' opinions were respectively 46% vs 21%). Nedocromil sodium 2% ophthalmic solution b.i.d. caused no major side-effects and was more effective than placebo in relieving major symptoms of SAC.
authors: Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI.
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Cohen
authors: S R
authors: SR
authors: Hirsch
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Melamed
authors: R H
authors: RH
authors: Schwartz