Azelastine nasal spray in treating perennial allergic rhinitis: a randomly double-blind trial

AIM: To evaluate the therapeutic efficacy and safety of azelastine nasal spray in treating perennial allergic rhinitis. METHODS: Thirty-eight patients with moderate to severe perennial allergic rhinitis were qualified for the random, double-blind, comparative research. They were divided into two groups: azelastine group (nineteen patients) was treated with azelastine nasal spray, one puff per nostril twice daily for 4 wk (one puff=140 μg azelastine), and levocabastine group (nineteen patients) was treated with levocabastine nasal spray 2 puff per nostril twice daily as the control. At the end of 2 wk and 4 wk treatment, the comprehensine evaluation of effect was made according to the subjective symptom score and objective examination. RESULTS: The total effect rate was 95 %, and 84 %, in azelastine group and in the levocabastine group, respectively (P 0.05). The differences of symptom score (pre-treatment score-post-treatment score) of sneezing, discharge, itching of nose and nasal blockage between the two groups decieased and those were 1.4±0.8 and 1.3±1.0, 1.0±0.7 and 0.8±0.9, 1.3±0.6 and 1.4±0.7, 0.7±0.7 and 0.7±0.8, 0.8±0.8 and 0.5±0.7, respectively (P0.05). No remarkable adverse reaction was observed. CONCLUSION: Azelastine nasal spray has similar therapeutic efficacy and tolerability to levocabastine nasal spray in the treatment of perennial allergic rhinitis.