Effects of Emedastine on Japanese Cedar Pollinosis —A Multicentered, Double-Blind Study—

Abstract

To evaluate the effectiveness, safety and utility of Emedastine difumarate (ED) in the treatment of Japanese cedar pollinosis, a multicentered, double-blind comparative study was performed in 290 patients in 1994. Patients with Japanese cedar pollinosis were divided into two groups; the first group was treated with ED at a dose of 4 mg/day starting two weeks before the season and continuing for the whole season. The second group was given an inactive placebo instead of ED during the pre-season and the early portion of the season and then replaced with ED during the later portion of the season. As a result, the final improvement rate was significantly higher in the first group than that in the second group. All subjective symptoms such as sneezing, nasal discharge, nasal obstruction and eye itching were suppressed due to ED treatment. In conclusion, it was better to continuously administer ED to patients with pollinosis from the preseasonal period till the end of the season. However, when the ED treatment was started in the mid season, the outcome was good, although less satisfactory than the outcome of continuous treatment given throughout the entire pollen season. © 1995, The Society of Practical Otolaryngology. All rights reserved.