Double blind cross over trial of ipratropium and placebo in chronic rhinorrhoea

Abstract

Watery rhinorrhoea in patients with perennial rhinitis responds poorly to treatment with topical beclamethasone diproprionate and disodium cromoglycate. Systemic antihistamines are effective in some cases but are associated with an unacceptable level of side effects. Ipratropium bromide, a topically active anticholinergic drug, inhibits rhinorrhea induced by metacholinic and produces symptomatic improvement in selected patients with perennial rhinorrhoea and abnormal reactivity to metacholine. We assessed its use in unselected patients presenting with chronic watery rhinorrhoea as their main symptom.