DOSE-RELATED CONTROL OF ALLERGIC RHINITIS SYMPTOMS BY A H1-RECEPTOR ANTAGONIST - FINDING THE PROPER DOSIS OF DIMETHINDENE MALEATE IN PATIENTS WITH ALLERGIC RHINITIS

The aim of the study was to evaluate the efficacy and duration of two doses of dimethindene, in a sustained release pellet formulation, with a standardized grass pollen provocation model (Vienna Challenge Chamb er, VCC). The study of 12 grass pollen-allergic volunteers (verified b y case history, skin prick test and RAST) was carried out in a placebo -controlled, double-blind, cross-over design. 12 h before a 4-hour con tinuous challenge with permanent 1,000 Dactylis grass pollen/m(3) of a ir in the VCC, 4 or 8 mg of dimethindene (Fenistil(R) pellets) or an i dentically appearing placebo was administered in three sessions. Nasal flow and resistance, nasal secretion and subjective symptoms were rec orded at 15-min intervals during this long-term challenge under reprod ucible conditions. In comparison to placebo, dimethindene leads to a s tatistically significant reduction (p < 0.05) in nasal response and cl inical symptoms for at least 16 h after treatment. The efficacy of 8 m g dimethindene was superior to that of 4 mg dimethindene; however, the differences between both active treatments were not statistically sig nificant. Therefore 4 mg dimethindene once a day is adequate for usual pollinotic disease conditions.