Loratidine/pseudoephedrine for nasal symptoms in seasonal allergic rhinitis: A double-blind, placebo-controlled study

Abstract

In this double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover, parallel study, we treated 20 adults who had seasonal allergic rhinitis with once-daily fixed- combination loratadine/pseudoephedrine sulfate to observe its effect on relieving symptoms, primarily nasal congestion. Acoustic rhinometry detected a trend toward improvement in nasal patency, although the difference between pre- and posttreatment measures was not statistically significant. Endoscopic inferior turbinate photography documented that treatment led to statistically significant reductions in the amount of nasal edema and nasal secretions. The results of a quality-of-life questionnaire suggested that treatment alleviated nasal and ocular symptoms of rhinoconjunctivitis. An analysis of subjective visual analog scale scores showed a trend toward improvement in most but not all nasal symptoms. We conclude that once-a-day fixed- combination Ioratadine/pseudoephedrine is effective in relieving nasal congestion in patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis.