TOPICAL LEVOCABASTINE COMPARED WITH ORAL LORATADINE FOR THE TREATMENTOF SEASONAL ALLERGIC RHINOCONJUNCTIVITIS - SWEDISH-GP-ALLERGY-TEAM

This multicenter, double-blind, double-dummy, parallel-group trial was initiated to compare the efficacy and tolerability of two antihistami nes, topical levocabastine (eye-drops and nasal spray) and oral lorata dine, for the treatment of seasonal allergic rhinoconjunctivitis in th e primary care setting. A total of 95 adult patients participated in t he study with a treatment duration of 5 weeks. Forty-seven patients we re randomized to receive twice daily levocabastine eye-drops and nasal spray plus an oral placebo, and 48 to receive once daily oral loratad ine with placebo eye-drops and nasal spray. Naphazoline eye-drops and xylometazoline nasal spray were permitted as rescue medication: No sta tistically significant intergroup differences in therapeutic efficacy were observed. Symptom severity was comparable in the two treatment gr oups throughout the trial period. At the end of the study, 86% of levo cabastine-treated patients considered global therapeutic efficacy to b e excellent or good, as compared with 77% of those who received lorata dine. This difference was not statistically significant. There were no significant differences in the use of rescue medication or in the inc idence or severity of adverse events in the two treatment groups. In c onclusion, Health Care Center levocabastine eye-drops and nasal spray appear to be as effective and well tolerated as oral loratadine for th e treatment of seasonal allergic rhinoconjunctivitis.