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Improvement of quality of life by treatment with cetirizine in patients with perennial allergic rhinitis as determined by a French version of the SF-36 questionnaire.

AbstractBACKGROUND AND AIM:
Perennial allergic rhinitis impairs social life, but it is not known whether quality of life may be improved when patients are treated with an H1-blocker. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was carried out with cetirizine to assess the effect of this drug on quality of life.
METHODS:
Two hundred seventy-four patients with perennial allergic rhinitis were tested. Quality of life was measured by using the Medical Outcome Study Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) questionnaire. After a 2-week run-in period, cetirizine, 10 mg once daily, (136 patients) or placebo (138 patients) was given for the next 6 weeks. The SF-36 questionnaire was administered after the run-in period (at the start of treatment) and after 1 and 6 weeks of treatment. Symptom-medication scores were measured daily during the study.
RESULTS:
After the run-in period (baseline), there were no significant differences between the cetirizine and placebo groups in terms of symptoms or quality-of-life scores. After 6 weeks of treatment, percentage of days without rhinitis or with only mild rhinitis symptoms was significantly greater in the cetirizine group in comparison with the placebo group (p < 0.0001, Mann-Whitney U test). All of the nine quality-of-life dimensions were significantly improved (from p = 0.01 to p < 0.0001, Mann-Whitney U test) after 1 and 6 weeks of cetirizine treatment compared with placebo. There was no improvement in the placebo group.
CONCLUSIONS:
This study is the first to demonstrate that an H1-blocker, cetirizine, can improve quality of life for patients with perennial allergic rhinitis.
AuthorsJ Bousquet, J Duchateau, J C Pignat, C Fayol, P Marquis, S Mariz, J E Ware, B Valentin, B Burtin
JournalThe Journal of allergy and clinical immunology (J Allergy Clin Immunol) Vol. 98 Issue 2 Pg. 309-16 (Aug 1996) ISSN: 0091-6749 [Print] United States
PMID8757208 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Comparative Study, Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial)
Chemical References
  • Cetirizine
Topics
  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Belgium
  • Cetirizine (adverse effects, therapeutic use)
  • Double-Blind Method
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • France
  • Health Surveys
  • Humans
  • Middle Aged
  • Patient Compliance
  • Quality of Life
  • Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial (drug therapy, physiopathology, psychology)
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Treatment Outcome

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