EFFECT OF RIMANTADINE TREATMENT ON CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS AND OTOLOGIC COMPLICATIONS IN ADULTS EXPERIMENTALLY INFECTED WITH INFLUENZA-A (H1N1) VIRUS

Susceptible adults (n = 105) were enrolled into a randomized double-bl ind study of rimantadine treatment of experimental influenza A infecti on. Subjects were cloistered for 8 days and challenged with a rimantad ine-sensitive strain of influenza A H1N1 virus at the end of the first day. Forty-eight hours after challenge and for 8 days, 54 subjects re ceived placebo and 51 received rimantadine (100 mg orally, twice a day ). Symptoms, signs, and pathophysiologies were monitored. Nine subject s were not infected. Seventeen subjects (38%) in the rimantadine and 2 6 (53%) in the placebo group became ill. A beneficial effect of rimant adine was documented for virus shedding, symptom lend, and sinus pain. Rimantadine had no effect on nasal patency, mucociliary clearance, na sal signs, or on symptoms and signs of otologic complications. These r esults do not support a preventive effect of rimantadine on the develo pment of otologic manifestations of influenza A infection in adults.