The effects of oral pseudoephedrine on nasal patency in the common cold: adouble-blind single-dose placebo-controlled trial

A placebo-controlled double-blind randomized trial was carried out to asses s the efficacy of pseudoephedrine in relieving nasal congestion in the comm on cold. Fifty-four previously healthy persons who had a common cold for at least 5 days or less at the start of the study with moderate to severe nas al congestion were recruited, 52 completed the trial. Following a single do se of oral pseudoephedrine (60 mg capsule) or placebo, symptoms of congesti on improved significantly compared with placebo at times 60, 90, 120, and 1 50 min after the dose. Total nasal minimum cross-sectional area and nasal v olume measured by acoustic rhinometry increased significantly compared to p lacebo (P = 0.018 and P = 0.003, respectively) after the dose. There was no significant change in nasal area as measured by active posterior rhinomano metry after pseudoephedrine compared to placebo. We conclude that in the ac ute common cold, a single 60 mg dose of pseudoephedrine produces significan t increases in the dimensions of the nasal cavity compared to placebo and t his is associated with a reduction in the symptom of congestion.