TOPICAL VERSUS SYSTEMICAL TREATMENT WITH ANTIHISTAMINES IN SEASONAL ALLERGIC RHINITIS - EFFICACY AND COMPATIBILITY OF AZELASTIN NASAL SPRAYIN COMPARISON WITH CETIRIZINE TABLETS

A controlled, double-blind, randomised multi-center trial was carried out to compare the efficacy and safety of Azelastin nasal-spray with o rally administered Cetirizine in seasonal allergic rhinitis. A total o f 40 patients with history and clinical findings of pronounced seasona l allergic rhinitis mostly with symptoms of pronounced seasonal allerg ic rhinitis mostly with symptoms of conjunctivitis were treated for a two weeks period in double-dummy technique with either Azelastin-nasal -spray 0, 14 mg per nostril twice daily or a single oral dose of Cetir izine 10 mg in the morning. Nasal and ocular symptom-scores were docum ented twice daily in a diary. Every week control examinations includin g rhinoscopy and anterior rhinomanometry were performed by the investi gator. Global assessments of efficacy were performed by patient and in vestigator at the end of the study. Statistical analysis detected no s ignificant differences between both treatment regimens at the end of t he study regarding relief of symptoms in physicians (p = 0, 198) as we ll as patient's (p = 0,278) rating. Vigilance increased in both treatm ent groups. Tolerability of both medications as scaled to be ''good'' or ''very good'' because of missing side-effects. No drug related adve rse events were reported.