INTRANASAL TREATMENT OF PERENNIAL ALLERGIC RHINITIS - COMPARISON OF AZELASTINE NASAL SPRAY AND BUDESONIDE NASAL AEROSOL

The efficacy and tolerability of azelastine (CAS 58581-89-8) nasal spr ay (0.14 mg/nostril b.i.d.) and budesonide (CAS 51333-22-3) nasal aero sol (0.05 mg/nostril b.i.d.) were compared in a 6-week, multicentre, p arallel group study of 193 patients suffering from perennial allergic rhinitis. Total rhinitis symptom complex (TSC) scores derived from 10 rhinitis symptoms improved during treatment by a mean of 11.4 +/- 6.8 with azelastine and 10.8 +/- 6.4 with budesonide. Response rates, defi ned as a decrease in TSC of at least 50 % at the end of therapy, was 7 9 % with azelastine and 73 % with budesonide. There were no significan t differences between the treatment groups with respect to either targ et variable. Objective measurements of nasal flow rate showed a return to normal values during the 6-week therapy. Signs of rhinitis identif ied by rhinoscopic examination improved in parallel to symptoms. Both medications were well tolerated. The incidence of adverse events of po ssibly causal relationship to therapy was low. The most frequent event in azelastine treated patients was the experience of an ''unpleasant' ' taste or smell. Occasional epistaxis occurred in both treatment grou ps but more frequently with budesonide. Results indicate that with the dose used azelastine nasal spray is an effective treatment for perenn ial allergic rhinitis comparable to that of budesonide nasal aerosol.