Concomitant Intranasal Antihistamine and Corticosteroid in Stepwise Treatment Strategy for Allergic Rhinitis

Therapeutic Role of Concomitant Intranasal Antihistamine and Corticosteroid in Patient With Perennial Allergic Rhinitis Whose Symptoms Are Not Controlled With Intranasal Corticosteroid

Patients with perennial allergic rhinitis whose symptoms are not controlled (visual analogue scale [VAS] ≥5) by 2-week treatment with intranasal corticosteroid will receive concomitant intranasal antihistamine and corticosteroid for 2 weeks. After 2-week treatment, changes in clinical parameters including VAS, total nasal symptom score (TNSS), total ocular symptom score (TOSS), rhinoconjunctivitis quality-of-life questionnaires (RQLQ) will be evaluated.

Patients with perennial allergic rhinitis whose symptoms are not controlled (visual analogue scale [VAS] ≥5) by 2-week treatment with intranasal corticosteroid will receive concomitant intranasal antihistamine and corticosteroid. In addition to VAS, total nasal symptom score (TNSS), total ocular symptom score (TOSS), rhinoconjunctivitis quality-of-life questionnaires (RQLQ) will be measured before treatment (baseline) and 2 week after treatment. The differences between parameters before treatment and those after 2-week treatment will be statistically analyzed using paired student t test, and p<0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Perinnial allergic rhinitis diagnosed by a doctor
• Positive for one or more of inhalant perinneal allergen in skin prick test or serum specific IgE measurement
• Age: 19 years or older
• Allergic rhinitis symptoms not controlled (VAS ≥5) by 2-week treatment with intranasal corticosteroid

Exclusion Criteria:

• Compliance for one or more drugs in last 2 weeks: <80%
• Use of oral corticosteroid, oral or intranasal decongestant in last 2 weeks
• Initiation of allergen-specific immunotherapy in last 12 months
• Seasonal allergic rhinitis
• Chronic rhinosinusitis other than allergic rhinitis
• Nasal polyposis
• Comorbid diseases including infectious, respiratory, cardiologic, renal, gastrointestinal, endocrinologic, oncologic, hemotologic and immunologic disorders which investigators judge to affect on the study significantly.
• Patients' rejection
• Pregenancy or lactation