[ comparative evaluation of the effects of new antihistaminic drugs [loratadine and claritin] in treatment of allergic rhinitis]

ABSTRACT

Allergic rhinitis is one of the most important diseases that occurs commonly in east IRAN specially northeast, Khorasan. Approximately 10-15% of general population suffers from it. One of the best methods of treatment of allergic rhinitis, that is the most usual, is the usage of classic antihistaminic drugs [such asChlorpheniramine], but their side effects, specially somnolence and malaise, made a few patients to discontinue such treatment. More than a decade has showed that the Non Sedating Anti Histaminic Drugs [Terfenadin, Astemizole andLoratadine] are free from these side effects and do not show the CNS and anticholinergic disorders. The evaluation of their efficacy in the epidemiology of IRAN, beside the comparison of generic products with the registrated ones, is the main goal of this research. In this clinical study, the efficacy and adverse reactions of the Loratadine and its registratedproduct called Claritin are compared with Chlorpheniramine on 90 patients. It has been performed in northeast IRANand the study is a kind of double blind, prospective studies. 30 patients have received Chlorpheniramine, as the same for Loratadine and Claritin. Then the results are compared with each other by Chi- square test. According to results and the P. value for each controlled sign and symptoms, it seems that all the three drugs act effectively in this setting. On the other hand, there is a suitable growth in their efficacy from Chlorpheniraminetoward Loratadine and then Claritin. Also for the side effects, there is a meaningful difference in somenolence, headache, giddiness and xerostomia between Chlorpheniramine with the others and also a decline in these side effects from Loratadine toward Claritin. The results suggest that in the geographic condition of IRAN, Loratadine and specially Claritin can be use as the powerful and effective nonsedating antihistamines that do not cross the blood brain barrier to show adverse disorders and will be a successful treatment of Allergic rhinitis in the first line, specially in patients who are sensitive to other antihistaminic drugs. Claritin due to acceptable clinical efficacy and lower side effects is preferred toLoratadine and makes the drug managers to pay more attention to quality improvement of the generic products