EFFECTS OF SEMPREX-D AND DIPHENHYDRAMINE ON LEARNING IN YOUNG-ADULTS WITH SEASONAL ALLERGIC RHINITIS

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that learning ability is impaired in patients with seasonal allergic rhinit is relative to untreated individuals and to evaluate a combination com pound (acrivastine 8 mg + pseudo-ephedrine 60 mg) for attenuation of t he learning impairment in these patients. Background: In a previous st udy employing the same method it was shown that young children (10 to 12 yrs) suffering from seasonal allergic rhinitis performed significan tly worse on tests of learning and using knowledge after acute treatme nt with a sedating antihistamine (diphenhydramine 50 mg) or placebo as compared with nontreated healthy controls. This effect was partially reversed by treatment with loratadine. Methods: Sixty-seven young adul ts suffering from seasonal allergic rhinitis and 28 matched controls w ere trained on didactic simulation for three consecutive days. Atopic subjects were treated differentially during training according to a do uble-blind, randomized, parallel group design with either diphenhydram ine hydrochloride 50 mg, a combination compound (acrivastine 8 mg + ps eudoephedrine 60 mg, A + P), or placebo, administered qd. After traini ng, all atopic subjects were maintained on A + P treatment for 14 days at which time all groups returned for examination. Results: Mean perf ormance at the end of training was worse for all atopic subjects combi ned compared with normal subjects. Subjects treated with diphenhydrami ne performed significantly worse than either normals (P < .001) or tho se treated with A + P (P < .001). At the examination, the diphenhydram ine group's performance differed significantly from those of the norma l (P < .001) and A + P groups (P < .001). Conclusion: The study suppor ts our previous finding that allergy symptoms reduce learning ability which is further reduced by diphenhydramine. Atopic subjects with alle rgies treated with acrivastine + pseudoephedrine learned as well as no rmal subjects.