A non-comparative trial of the efficacy and safety of fexofenadine for treatment of perennial allergic rhinitis.

An open-label, non-comparative study was performed in three Otolaryngology centers in Bangkok, Thailand, to assess the efficacy, safety and tolerability of fexofenadine in Thai patients with perennial allergic rhinitis. Altogether 101 perennial allergic rhinitis patients were included, 33 males and 68 females. Mean age was 33 years, average duration of symptoms was 6 years. All patients received fexofenadine hydrochloride 120 mg once daily (OD) in the morning for 2 weeks. Patients recorded their allergy symptoms daily using a 5 point rating scales in the diary card. At the end of 2 weeks, patients and investigators assessed the overall efficacy of treatment. Adverse events and onset of symptom relief were also recorded by every patient. Blood test and ECG were performed before and after treatment in one center (Siriraj Hospital). Total symptom scores and nasal scores decreased significantly from a baseline at 1 week and 2 weeks after treatment (p < 0.05). The mean onset of symptom relief was 2 hours and 12 minutes. The global assessment of the treatment by patients and investigators showed significant concordance. There was no significant change in either the vital signs, laboratory tests or ECG. The incidence of treatment related adverse events was 8% but all were mild and easily tolerated. Drowsiness was reported from only one patient. This study suggests that fexofenadine 120 mg once daily was an effective, safe and well tolerated treatment for perennial allergic rhinitis in Thai patients.

Epidemiology of rhinitis in Thais: characteristics and risk factors.

A questionnaire survey was performed on 3,124 subjects living in Bangkok and its vicinity. The cumulative prevalence of chronic rhinitis (CR) was 13.15% (95% CI = 13.13-13.17). The characteristics of CR subjects, i.e. age group, current occupation, associated allergy, family history of atopy, cigarette smoking and drinking habits were totally different from the non CR group, except for sex preponderance. The possible risk factors for developing CR in this group were high income occupation, presence of associated allergy, family history of atopy, smoking and drinking habits. When CR subjects were further classified into "allergic" and "non-allergic" CR groups by using the presence of associated eye symptoms and known provoking factors as the differential criteria, there was no significant difference in all parameters compared between the two groups, i.e. age, sex, current occupation, associated allergy, family history of atopy, smoking and drinking habits, frequency of occurrence of each nasal symptom, seasonal variation of the symptoms, effect of moving to live in the big city, presence of pets in the house and effect of changing occupation, except for the number of nasal symptoms which was significantly higher in the "allergic" CR group.