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Title: Favorable Rhinitis Responses to Azelastine Nasal Spray: Presented at ACAAI

"Favorable Rhinitis Responses to Azelastine Nasal Spray: Presented at ACAAI"

By Paula Moyer NEW ORLEANS, LA -- November 19, 2003 -- Patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis or nonallergic (vasomotor) rhinitis experience relief when treated with azelastine (Astelin) nasal spray, according to findings presented here November 9th at the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology's 2003 Annual Meeting. "This nasal spray controlled nasal symptoms regardless of rhinitis type," according to investigator Phil Lieberman, MD. "These were patients who had had an unsatisfactory response to previous oral antihistamine therapy." Dr. Lieberman is a professor of medicine and paediatrics at the University of Tennessee College of Medicine in Memphis, Tennessee, United States. He conducted an open-label study of azelastine nasal spray in order to assess its efficacy in patients with rhinitis of a variety of aetiologies. Physicians from 1,081 sites were asked to enrol up to 10 patients each and to provide information regarding the patients' demographics, rhinitis history, diagnosis, and medication history. Among 5,073 patients recruited from 1,081 sites, the data were evaluable from 4,364 completed questionnaires. Among these patients, 17% had nonallergic rhinitis; 32% had seasonal allergic rhinitis; and 52% had mixed allergic and nonallergic rhinitis. Regardless of the type of rhinitis, 46% of the patients said that their oral antihistamine had not adequately controlled their rhinitis in the past 12 months. The patients were an average of 49 years old, and 61% were women. They reported that their most bothersome rhinitis symptoms were nasal congestion (reported by 53%) and postnasal drip (cited by 22%). The patients were treated with a dosage of two sprays per nostril twice daily for two weeks. After the treatment period, the patients completed a questionnaire that assessed the therapy's onset of action, the degree of symptom improvement they experienced, their overall satisfaction with treatment, and their quality of life. At the end of the study, 81-89% of the patients reported somewhat or complete control of several common rhinitis symptoms: nasal congestion, postnasal drip, runny nose, sneezing, and itchy nose. Among these patients, 63% reported an onset of action within 30 minutes of administration. Among the 4,364 patients, 88% said that their nasal symptoms were either somewhat or greatly improved, and 70% said that the study treatment was better than their previous rhinitis medication. Of those who had reported rhinitis-related difficulty in sleeping or impairment of daily activities, 85% reported improvement in their sleep, and 87% reported that their ability to work and participate in leisure activities had improved. Dr. Lieberman reported that those with nonallergic rhinitis had responses that were similar to those with allergic and mixed rhinitis. [Study title: Open-Label Study of Azelastine (Astelin) Nasal Spray in Patients With Seasonal Allergic Rhinitis or Chronic Nonallergic (Vasomotor) Rhinitis. Abstract P59]

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