Background & Objectives: Vasomotor rhinitis (VMR) is a chronic non-allergic rhinitis without the increased Ig E level and eosinophilia. Azelastine hydrochloride is a second generation anti-histamine medication with anti-inflammatory properties that inhibits the synthesis of inflammatory materials. There are reports that azelastine hydrochloride can be effective in the treatment of VMR. Therefore, this study examined the clinical efficacy of intranasal azelastine hydrochloride spray in comparison with placebo for the treatment of VMR.
Materials and Method: This study was a prospective double blind randomized test. The subjects consisted of 84 VMR patients. Among them, 54 patients were treated with intranasal azelastine hydrochloride for 4 weeks and 30 patients with intranasal normal saline. Following the treatment, an analysis of the symptom score was performed in order to compare the treatment effects between the study group and the control group.
Results: In the study group, the symptom score was significantly improved in the areas of sneezing (1.38 to 0.72), rhinorrhea (1.57 to 0.76), nasal obstruction (1.76 to 1.01) and postnasal drip (1.43 to 0.65). In the control group, however, the symptom score was significantly improved in a single area of rhinorrhea (1.73 to 0.65). Patients in the study group, thus, displayed greater improvements in the areas of sneezing, rhinorrhea, nasal obasturction and postnasal drip comparative to the control group. Consequently, the study group patients were more satisfied with their quality of life than those of the control group.
Conclusion: Azelastine chloride is a useful medicine for the treatment of VMR, especially in controlling sneezing, rhinorrhea, nasal obstruction and postnasal drip.
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