Ebastine improves nasal symptoms and airflow and affects response to decongestion test in patients with persistent allergic rhinitis: a pilot study.

Nasal obstruction is the main symptom in patients with allergic rhinitis and it may be measured by rhinomanometry. Moreover, a decongestion test evaluates its reversibility. Some new antihistamines have been shown capable of improving this symptom. The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate nasal symptoms, nasal airflow, and the response to decongestion tests in patients with persistent allergic rhinitis (PER), before and after treatment with ebastine. Twenty patients with PER were evaluated, 15 male and 5 female patients (mean age, 28.2 +/- 6.7 years). All of the patients received ebastine (20 mg/day) for 3 weeks. Total nasal symptom score (including rhinorrhea, itching, sneezing, and obstruction), rhinomanometry, and decongestion tests were evaluated in all subjects before and after treatment. Patients evaluated weekly nasal and ocular symptoms by diary card. Ebastine treatment induced significant symptom relief (p = 0.0013), including obstruction (p = 0.0025) and significant increase of nasal airflow (p = 0.0001). Moreover, the response to the decongestion test was significantly affected by ebastine treatment (p = 0.0003). This pilot study showed the effectiveness of ebastine treatment in (i) improving nasal airflow and (ii) exerting decongestant activity in patients with PER. However, this pilot study was not suitable in assessing the effectiveness of ebastine on nasal symptoms. Additional controlled studies need to be conducted to confirm these findings.