Rupatadine improves nasal symptoms, quality of life (ESPRINT-15) and severity in a subanalysis of a cohort of Spanish allergic rhinitis patients.

BACKGROUND According to current guidelines, new second-generation oral Hi-antihistamines, as well as intranasal corticosteroids (ICSs), are recommended for the treatment of allergic rhinitis (AR) in adults and children. OBJECTIVE To assess changes in AR severity, in addition to nasal symptoms and health-related quality of life (HRQoL), after 4 weeks of treatment with rupatadine in a cohort of AR patients. METHODS A subanalysis of a longitudinal, observational, prospective, multicenter Spanish study was carried out in spring-summer 2007. Enrolled patients had a clinical diagnosis of AR of at least 2 years' evolution, a total nasal symptom score (TNSS) of at least 5, and had not received antihistamines in the previous week or ICSs in the previous 2 weeks. HRQoL (ESPRINT-15 questionnaire), disease severity (using both the original and modified Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma [ARIA] classifications), and nasal symptoms (TNSS) were measured at baseline and after 4 weeks of rupatadine treatment. RESULTS Data from a cohort of 360 patients treated with rupatadine were analyzed (57.2% women, 42.5% with intermittent AR, 36.4% with asthma, and 61.7% with conjunctivitis). After 4 weeks of treatment, the patients showed a significantly lower mean (SD) TNSS (8.2 [1.9] vs 3.1 [2.1], P < .001), a significant improvement in HRQoL (3.0 [1.2] vs 1.0 [0.9], P < .001) and significantly reduced AR severity (P < .0001). CONCLUSIONS In addition to an improvement in nasal symptoms and HRQoL, rupatadine reduced AR severity after 4 weeks of treatment.