Comparison of the efficacy of inhaled budesonide and oral choline in patients with allergic rhinitis

ABSTRACT

A single blind parallel group study was conducted to evaluate the effects of oral choline [given as tricholine citrate [TRI]] in patients with allergic rhinitis, and compare its efficacy with intranasal budesonide [BUD]. The study was conducted at the Department of Respiratory Medicine, Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute, Delhi, India from February 2001 to April 2002. Sixty patients were randomized into 2 groups after a run-in period of 2 weeks. Group A received intranasal BUD 200 mg twice daily and group B received TRI 500 mg thrice daily. The patients were reviewed every 2 weeks up to 8 weeks. The mean individual symptom score, total symptom score and drug score were significantly reduced in both groups [p<0.05] compared to baseline values, with maximum effect occurring within 4 weeks of therapy. Budesonide showed statistically significant reduction [p<0.05] in all the outcome parameters, when compared to TRI. Crossover study between the 2 treatment groups also showed similar results. Seventy-six% of patients with BUD and 43% of patients with TRI found the drug to be effective. Both intranasal BUD and oral TRI are effective in relieving symptoms of allergic rhinitis. Budesonide was found to be the statistically superior drug