[Efficacy and safety of fexofenadine and cetirizine in the treatment of allergic rhinitis]. / Eficacia y seguridad de la fexofenadina y la cetirizina en el tratamiento de la rinitis alérgica.

BACKGROUND: Allergic rhinitis affects 20 million of people in United States and a higher figure all around the world. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of fexofenadine compared with certirizine in the treatment of allergic rhinitis. MATERIAL AND METHOD: It was carried out a prospective, double blind, comparative, randomized and multicentric study in patients with allergic rhinitis, with ages between 12 and 65 years. In the first phase, placebo was administered during three days to all the patients; and then, they were randomly allocated to receive fexofenadine 120 mg or cetirizine 10 mg in one dose a day during 14 days. Laboratory and cabinet tests at the beginning and at the end were performed to value security, as well as a global evaluation of the researcher to estimate effectiveness. RESULTS: 176 patients were included, 63.6% were women, average age was 27 years (+/- 12), 47.7% received fexofenadine and 52.2%, cetirizine. There was not significant difference in parameters of effectiveness nor of security in the studied group. CONCLUSION: The results of the present study confirm the efficacy and safety of the antihistaminic fexofenadine in the treatment of allergic rhinitis.

[Clinical polymorphism in Epstein-Barr virus infection]. / Polimorfismo clínico en infección por virus de Epstein Barr.

Several diseases was associated with Epstein Barr virus (EBV) infection. In the next three cases, the clinical course was unusual . Case I: Polyclonal hypergammaglobulinemia, female 47 years old, she had systemic lupus erythematosus and clinical data of infectious mononucleosis but she evolved to a polyclonal gammopathy with IgM predominantly against EBV. Case II: Demyelinating encephalitis, male, 32 years old with central neurological alterations, IgM antibodies against EBV and demyelinating lesion in magnetic resonance image in brain steam. Case III. Villous leukoplakia, male, 40 years old developed right tonsil tumor. He had IgM antibodies against EBV. The antiviral and immunomodulator treatment (specific for each case) done a satisfactory clinical response in the three patients.