Comprehensive evaluation of cetirizine in the management of seasonal allergic rhinitis: impact on symptoms, quality of life, productivity, and activity impairment.

Abstract

Improvement in patient daily functioning and well-being resulting from disease-related symptom relief is increasingly viewed as a clinically relevant therapeutic outcome. The objective of this study was to evaluate the health-related quality of life (HRQL) effects, safety and efficacy of cetirizine in the treatment of seasonal allergic rhinitis, and impact on self-reported work/school-related productivity and activity impairment (WPAI). This was a double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study. Adult patients (n = 865) were randomized to daily treatment for 2 weeks with cetirizine or placebo. Patient disease-specific HRQL and WPAI were assessed at baseline and weeks 1 and 2 of treatment using the Rhinoconjunctivitis Quality of Life Questionnaire (RQLQ) and Allergy-Specific Work Productivity and Activity Impairment (WPAI-AS) Instrument, respectively. Treatment with cetirizine resulted in greater (p < 0.001) improvement in overall RQLQ and individual domain scores (activities, sleep, non-nose/eye symptoms, practical problems, nasal symptoms, eye symptoms, emotional), as compared with placebo. Cetirizine therapy produced a 28.9% mean reduction in total symptom severity complex (TSSC) score versus 12.7% with placebo at study end. Work/school productivity and activity impairment were significantly (p < 0.001) decreased from baseline for cetirizine-treated patients compared with placebo. The incidence of treatment-related side effects was similar between groups. Cetirizine provides safe and effective symptomatic relief in adults with SAR while significantly improving HRQL and providing a positive impact on work/school-related productivity and activity impairment. These results provide a more comprehensive assessment of cetirizine, indicating that its benefits extend beyond conventional measures of clinical outcome.

• Authors: John J Murray, Robert A Nathan, Edwin A Bronsky, Abayomi O Olufade, Douglass Chapman, Benjamin Kramer
• Journal: Allergy and asthma proceedings (Allergy Asthma Proc) 2002 Nov-Dec Vol. 23 Issue 6 Pg. 391-8 ISSN: 1088-5412 [Print] United States
• PMID: 12528605 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Comparative Study, Journal Article, Multicenter Study, Randomized Controlled Trial)

Chemical References

• Histamine H1 Antagonists, Non-Sedating
• Cetirizine

Topics

• Activities of Daily Living (psychology)
• Adolescent
• Adult
• Aged
• Cetirizine (therapeutic use)
• Double-Blind Method
• Female
• Histamine H1 Antagonists, Non-Sedating (therapeutic use)
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Quality of Life (psychology)
• Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal (drug therapy, psychology)
• Severity of Illness Index
• Single-Blind Method
• Statistics as Topic
• Surveys and Questionnaires
• Task Performance and Analysis
• Treatment Outcome
• United States (epidemiology)