Mizolastine is effective and well tolerated in long-term treatment of perennial allergic rhinoconjunctivitis

The aim of this study was to determine the long-term efficacy and safety of mizolastine, a new second-generation antihistamine with European approval, in the treatment of perennial allergic rhinoconjunctivitis. In this study, 141 patients were treated with once-daily mizolastine 10 mg or 15 mg in a 5-month open-label extension of a 1-month double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, which assessed once-daily mizolastine 10 mg. Mizolastine significant ly reduced the nasal subscore (sneezing, rhirrorrhoea, itch; end-baseline /- SD, -2.5 +/- 6.3), nasal obstruction (-1.2 +/- 2.6) and rhinoscopy score s (-1.3 +/- 2.6), and improved ocular and total nasal scores after 6 months ' treatment. Improvement was maintained for the duration of the study with no loss of drug efficacy. Adverse effects were mild with no specific effect s associated with prolonged use. These results clearly demonstrate that miz olastine is effective and well tolerated in the long-term treatment of pere nnial allergic rhinoconjunctivitis. The significant clinical improvement in nasal blockade may reflect mizolastine's histamine/5-lipoxygenase dual inh ibition.