LATE-PHASE INFLAMMATION DURING NASAL GRASS AND RAGWEED CHALLENGE IN ADOUBLE-BLIND PLACEBO-CONTROLLED TRIAL WITH ASTEMIZOLE

Citation
M. Frieri et al., LATE-PHASE INFLAMMATION DURING NASAL GRASS AND RAGWEED CHALLENGE IN ADOUBLE-BLIND PLACEBO-CONTROLLED TRIAL WITH ASTEMIZOLE, American journal of rhinology, 9(3), 1995, pp. 169-173
Citations number
NO
Categorie Soggetti
Otorhinolaryngology
ISSN journal
10506586
Volume
9
Issue
3
Year of publication
1995
Pages
169 - 173
Database
ISI
SICI code
1050-6586(1995)9:3<169:LIDNGA>2.0.ZU;2-B
Abstract
Allergic rhinitis is an IgE-mediated inflammatory reaction characteriz ed by an early ''classic'' immediate hypersensitivity response and/or a subsequent late phase response. Nasal provocation to antigen challen ge is a useful method of evaluating this dual response. Several H-1 an tagonists may exhibit anti-inflammatory properties by diminishing hist amine release or inhibiting eosinophil chemotaxis. To determine whethe r astemizole has any anti-inflammatory characteristics, we studied 20 patients with allergic rhinitis in a double-blind placebo-controlled f ashion after a 4-week course of treatment with this H-1 antagonist. Na sal provocation over 30 minutes was performed out of season using incr easing concentrations of grass or ragweed extract from 10-1000. PNU Pa tients were evaluated for their clinical response, and nasal lavage se cretions were analyzed over 6 hours by ELISA for alpha interleukin-1, interleukin-8, albumin, and histamine levels. Total sneezing and other symptom scores for rhinorrhea, nasal congestion, and pruritus were de creased in astemizole-treated compared to placebo-treated patients bot h at 30 minutes (early phase), and at 3 and 6 hours (late phase) after nasal provocation. However, these results did not reach statistical s ignificance. Nasal alpha IL-1 levels diminished from diluent control l avage to a significantly greater degree in astemizole than in placebo- treated patients (P < 0.05). This diminution in late phase alpha IL-1 suggests that astemizole may possess anti-inflammatory properties.