Cedar and cypress pollinosis and allergic rhinitis: quality of life effects of early intervention with leukotriene receptor antagonists.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Allergic rhinitis involves inflammation of the nasal passages. The use of nasal steroids is generally very effective in providing significant symptom relief. However, compliance for their use is sometimes poor.

METHODS:

To examine the efficacy of early intervention (before pollen dispersal) with oral cysteinyl leukotriene receptor antagonists (LTRA) on pollinosis in patients with allergy to cedar and Japanese cypress pollens, groups of subjects were treated with LTRA or a placebo for 4 weeks at the beginning of the cedar pollen dispersal season. Subsequently, all patients received nasal steroid therapy concomitantly with LTRA throughout the remaining period of the pollen dispersal season. The effects of such early treatment with LTRA on pollinosis were investigated using symptom scores from an allergy diary and quality of life (QOL) scores.

RESULTS:

Sneezing and nasal congestion scores were significantly lower in the LTRA-pretreated subjects than observed in the placebo-pretreated patients between weeks 4 and 6 and weeks 3 and 5, respectively. QOL scores improved significantly in all domains after concomitant therapy with nasal steroids. The percent improvement in the nasal congestion score after the concomitant therapy was significantly higher in the LTRA group (69%) than in the placebo group (41%).

CONCLUSION:

Significant differences observed in symptoms and in QOL effects between LTRA- and placebo-pretreated patients and the absence of major adverse effects noted in these studies suggest that early intervention with LTRA is beneficial and safe and should be considered in the management of pollinosis-associated allergic rhinitis.

• Authors: Keita Sasaki, Yoshitaka Okamoto, Syuji Yonekura, Toru Okawa, Shigetoshi Horiguchi, Hideaki Chazono, Minako Hisamitsu, Daiju Sakurai, Toyoyuki Hanazawa, Kimihiro Okubo
• Journal: International archives of allergy and immunology (Int Arch Allergy Immunol) Vol. 149 Issue 4 Pg. 350-8 ( 2009) ISSN: 1423-0097 [Electronic] Switzerland
• PMID: 19295239 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: Copyright (C) 2009 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Chemical References

• Chromones
• Leukotriene Antagonists
• pranlukast

Topics

• Administration, Oral
• Adult
• Aged
• Chromones (therapeutic use)
• Cryptomeria (immunology)
• Cupressus (immunology)
• Female
• Humans
• Leukotriene Antagonists (therapeutic use)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Pollen (immunology)
• Quality of Life
• Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal (drug therapy, immunology, prevention & control)
• Surveys and Questionnaires