Background: According to current guidelines, new second-generation oral H1-antihistamines, as well as intranasal corticosteroids (ICSs), are recommended for the treatment of allergic rhinitis (AR) in adults and children.

Objective: To assess changes in AR severity, in addition to nasal symptoms and health-related quality of life (HRQoL), after 4 weeks of treatment with rupatadine in a cohort of AR patients.

Methods: A subanalysis of a longitudinal, observational, prospective, multicenter Spanish study was carried out in spring-summer 2007.
Enrolled patients had a clinical diagnosis of AR of at least 2 years’ evolution, a total nasal symptom score (TNSS) of at least 5, and had not received antihistamines in the previous week or ICSs in the previous 2 weeks. HRQoL (ESPRINT-15 questionnaire), disease severity (using both the original and modified Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma [ARIA] classifications), and nasal symptoms (TNSS) were measured at baseline and after 4 weeks of rupatadine treatment.

Results: Data from a cohort of 360 patients treated with rupatadine were analyzed (57.2% women, 42.5% with intermittent AR, 36.4% with asthma, and 61.7% with conjunctivitis). After 4 weeks of treatment, the patients showed a significantly lower mean (SD) TNSS (8.2 [1.9] vs 3.1 [2.1], P<.001), a significant improvement in HRQoL (3.0 [1.2] vs 1.0 [0.9], P<.001) and significantly reduced AR severity (P<.0001).

Conclusions: In addition to an improvement in nasal symptoms and HRQoL, rupatadine reduced AR severity after 4 weeks of treatment.

Key words: Allergic rhinitis. Quality of life. Severity. Oral H1-antihistamines. Rupatadine.