EFFECTIVENESS OF LEVOCABASTINE EYEDROPS IN CHILDREN WITH ALLERGIC CONJUNCTIVITIS - A DOUBLE-BLIND-STUDY

A randomized, crossover double-blind, placebo-controlled study was con ducted to evaluate the effectiveness of levocabastine (LEV) eyedrops o n top of oral terfenadine in 23 children with allergic conjunctivities due to Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (DPT). After determination of t he baseline allergic reaction threshold, a conjunctival provocation te st with a DPT extract at increasing concentration was performed after an oral dose of terfenadine (T) and the instillation of either LEV or placebo (P) eyedrops in each eye. In 74% of the children treated with LEV on top of T, the threshold allergen concentration shifted from 10, 000 to 100,000 SQ-U/ml, the highest dose used, versus 57% of the child ren treated with T and P (p<0.001). Moreover, 43% of the children unde r T and LEV did not experience ocular symptoms with the top dose versu s 26% of children treated with T and P (p<0.001). The results of this study indicate that LEV eyedrops added to oral T increase the conjunct ival threshold dose of the specific allergen in children with allergic conjunctivitis to DPT. These data indicate an additive effect of a to pical antihistamine (LEV) on top of oral antihistamine (T) treatment.