Efficacy and Tolerability of Ebastine at Two Dose Levels in the Treatment of Seasonal Allergic Rhinitis

Abstract

The efficacy and tolerability of 2 different dose levels of the selective H1-antagonist, ebastine (10 and 20mg once daily), were compared in 101 patients with acute seasonal allergic rhinitis in a randomised double-blind parallel study. The causative allergens were Parietariae, Gramineae or ash tree pollen. The results from nasal provocation tests and assessment of symptom intensities before and after treatment for 7 days showed that both doses of ebastine provided significantly greater clinical improvement and protection against the causative allergen than placebo. Treatment was considered effective by the physician in 64% of patients receiving ebastine 20mg, in 72% of those receiving ebastine lOmg and 33% of placebo recipients. Ebastine was well tolerated, with similar numbers of patients reporting side effects in each treatment group. No statistically significant differences were found between treatment with ebastine 10 and 20mg in terms of efficacy or tolerability. The results of this study suggest that the therapeutic efficacy of ebastine lOmg once daily is not surpassed by that of 20mg once daily in the treatment of patients with acute seasonal allergic rhinitis.