Abstract
Introduction
The rates of allergic rhinitis, allergic asthma, and atopic eczema range from 6% to 16% globally. Second-generation antihistamines have been shown to be safe and effective for the treatment of symptoms of allergic disease. This study investigated the efficacy and safety of desloratadine, a nonsedating second-generation antihistamine, in the treatment of common allergy symptoms.
Methods
In this open-label, uncontrolled, non-randomized, observational study, subjects (N = 973) with allergy symptoms were given desloratadine 5 mg daily for 3 weeks. Nasal, ocular, and dermal symptom severity was rated as asymptomatic, mild, moderate, or severe; changes in the percentage of subjects in each severity category were assessed. Overall efficacy and tolerability of desloratadine treatment were evaluated separately by physicians and subjects.
Results
Allergic rhinitis was the most frequent diagnosis, occurring in 59.0% of subjects. Approximately 40% of subjects had received previous treatment with other antihistamines, systemic/topical glucocorticosteroids, or beta-sympathicomimetics. Slightly more than half of subjects received concomitant medication during the study; 263 (53.0%) of those used intranasal steroids. A significant reduction in severity scores was observed in all symptom subgroups (P < 0.001). Desloratadine efficacy was judged to be excellent or good by 90.2% of physicians and 88.6% of subjects; 82.5% of investigators and 80.9% of subjects considered it more effective than previous therapy. The tolerability of desloratadine was rated excellent or good by 97.0% of both groups. Thirty-one subjects (3.2%) experienced adverse events.
Conclusions
In an open-label, uncontrolled, non-randomized, observational study allergy symptoms improved significantly in subjects treated with desloratadine.
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