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Protective effect of different doses of terfenadine on the conjunctival provocation test
Author(s) -
Ciprandi G.,
Buscagiia S.,
Iudice A.,
Caica G. W.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
allergy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.363
H-Index - 173
eISSN - 1398-9995
pISSN - 0105-4538
DOI - 10.1111/j.1398-9995.1992.tb02059.x
Subject(s) - terfenadine , provocation test , medicine , placebo , allergen , allergy , anesthesia , itching , gastroenterology , dermatology , immunology , pathology , alternative medicine
The protective effect of terfenadine on inOammatory processes following the early phase of conjunctival provocation tests by specific allergen was assessed in 24 patients suffering from seasonal allergic rhinoconjunctivitis, in a single‐blind, randomized, placebo‐controlled, parallel‐group study. Patients were randomly assigned to four treatment groups, each being given terfenadine 60, 120, 180 mg daily, or placebo, respectively, for 7 days, out of the pollen season. Clinical severity (burning, itching, lacrimation and hyperemia), and number of inflammatory cells obtained by conjunctival scraping (neutrophils, eosinophils, lymphocytes, and monocytes) were evaluated before and after treatment. Pre‐treatment with terfenadine resulted in a significantly higher allergen threshold dose than placebo (p<0.01), regardless of drug dose. Patients given terfenadine experienced a significant reduction (p<0.03) in conjunctival symptom severity, as compared with placebo, following conjunctival challenge. Accordingly, the number of inflammatory cells in terfenadine‐treated patients was significantly lower (p<0.01) than in the placebo‐treated after the conjunctival provocation test. The results of this study suggest that terfenadine has a significant protective effect on the early‐phase cellular and clinical events of conjunctival reaction induced by allergen challenge in atopic patients.