Allergic rhinitis may significantly affect the patients' quality of life. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of nasal steroids alone, to nasal steroids plus Levocetirizine or Montelukast, on quality of life in persistent allergic rhinitis. This is a prospective, randomized study and included 56 patients with moderate to severe persistent allergic rhinitis. All patients had house dust mite allergy on skin prick test and we divided the patients into three groups. 1 month long medical treatment was; topical Mometasone furoate 200 mcg/day in the first group (n:14), Mometasone furoate 200 mcg/day plus oral Levocetirizine 5 mg/day in the second group (n:21), and Mometasone furoate 200 mcg/ day plus oral Montelukast 10 mg/day in the third group (n:21). We evaluated the patients before treatment and at the first month after treatment with mini rhinoconjunctivitis quality of life questionnaire (miniRQLQ) and nasal symptom scores. In the first group nasal symptom and mini RQLQ scores were not improved but in second and third group, both scores were improved significantly (p \ 0.05). Nasal obstruction symptom score was better in the third group after treatment (p \ 0.01), but other nasal symptom scores (rhinorrhea, sneezing and nasal itching) were better in the second group (For each symptom p \ 0.05). Improvement of quality of life scores in the second group were better than the third group (p \ 0.05). In persistent allergic rhinitis, combination of levocetirizine or montelukast to nasal steroids was better than the topical mometasone furoate alone in terms of quality of life.

ABSTRACT

ObjectivesTo investigate the effect of rhinophototherapy with medical therapy on quality of life in persistent allergic rhinitis.MethodsA prospective, randomized study was being performed between December 2009 and March 2010. The study included 65 patients with persistent allergic rhinitis. The diagnosis was confirmed with positive skin tests. All of the patients had house dust mite allergies. We divided the patients into two groups. First group (n=33) was given topical mometasone furoate 200 mcg/day and levocetirizine 5 mg/day for a month. Rhinophototherapy was applied with the same medical therapy to the second group (n=32), twice a week for three weeks continuously. Rhinophototherapy included visible light, ultraviolet A and ultraviolet B. We evaluated patients before the treatment, at the first month and at the third month after treatment with rhinoconjunctivitis quality of life questionnaire, nasal symptom scores and visual analogue scale (VAS) scores.ResultsImprovements of all variables of the quality of life questionnaire, nasal symptom scores and VAS were statistically significant in the second group both on the first and the third months when compared with the first group.ConclusionAllergic rhinitis is a social problem and impairs quality of life. Rhinophototherapy with medical therapy improves the quality of life in allergic rhinitis.

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