NEDOCROMIL SODIUM 2-PERCENT EYE DROPS FOR TWICE-DAILY TREATMENT OF SEASONAL ALLERGIC CONJUNCTIVITIS - A SWEDISH MULTICENTER PLACEBO-CONTROLLED STUDY IN CHILDREN ALLERGIC TO BIRCH POLLEN

This was a multicentre, double-blind, randomized group comparative stu dy in which 77 children, aged 6-16 years, received 2% nedocromil sodiu m eye drops and 72 received placebo, one drop into each eye twice dail y. The treatment period was 4 weeks, covering the peak birch pollen se ason. Prior to the start of the season, patients who had attended the clinic the previous 2 years because of seasonal allergic conjunctiviti s (SAC) to birch pollen, entered a one week baseline period during whi ch symptoms were assessed, diary cards completed, and routine sampling of blood and urine carried out. The double-blind treatment period the n commenced at the onset of the birch pollen season. Patients/parents kept daily diary record cards of eye symptom severity and concomitant therapy. Conjunctivitis was mild in both treatment groups but nedocrom il sodium was more effective than placebo in controlling symptoms. Dur ing the 2-3 weeks of peak pollen counts, this therapeutic effect was s tatistically significant for itching (P < 0.01), watering (P < 0.05) a nd total symptom score (P < 0.01), but was not significant for grittin ess (P = 0.08) or redness (P = 0.06). Global opinions of efficacy show ed no difference between treatments, due to a high placebo effect (how ever, the diary card data indicated a significant improvement with ned ocromil sodium). We therefore conclude that nedocromil sodium 2% eye d rops, administered twice daily, is an effective treatment for SAC in c hildren.