EFFICACY OF BROMPHENIRAMINE MALEATE FOR THE TREATMENT OF RHINOVIRUS COLDS

We tested the efficacy of brompheniramine maleate in a large randomize d, controlled trial of volunteers with experimental rhinovirus colds. Brompheniramine (12 mg) or placebo was administered at 8:00 A.M. and 8 :00 P.M. for less than or equal to 4 days after the onset of symptoms (24, 36, or 48 hours after virus challenge). During the first 3 days o f treatment (the first 4 days after virus challenge), nasal secretion weights were lower for infected evaluable subjects receiving brompheni ramine (n = 113) than for controls (day 1: 4.3 g vs. 6.8 g; day 2: 4.8 g vs. 7.7 g; and day 3: 3.3 g vs. 5.3 g) (P less than or equal to .03 ), as were rhinorrhea scores (day 1: 0.6 vs. 0.8; day 2: 0.5 vs. 0.8; and day 3: 0.3 vs. 0.5) (P < .03), sneeze counts (day 1: 1.8 vs. 3.6; day 2: 2.1 vs. 5.1; and day 3: 1.3 vs. 3.3) (P < .001), and sneeze sev erity scores (day 1: 0.3 vs. 0.6; day 2: 0.25 vs. 0.7; and day 3: 0.2 vs. 0.4) (P < .001) (n = 112). Cough counts were lower after day 1 of treatment for the brompheniramine group than for controls (4.7 vs. 7.9 ) (P = .05) (day 2 after virus challenge), and other symptoms were mod estly reduced or were unaffected in the brompheniramine group. Total s ymptom scores were also lower for the brompheniramine group than for c ontrols on treatment days 1 (4.8 vs. 6.0) (P = .03) and 2 (4.1 vs. 5.6 ) (days 2 and 3 after virus challenge) (P = .003). Treatment with brom pheniramine was associated with the adverse effects of somnolence (n = 3) and confusion (n = 1). Brompheniramine was efficacious treatment f or the sneezing, rhinorrhea, and cough associated with rhinovirus cold s.