The effect of a combined therapy with a histamine H1 antagonist and a chemical mediator release inhibitor on allergic conjunctivitis.

Hiroshi Fujishima, Kazumi Fukagawa, Mari Tanaka, Eiichi Uchio, Etsuko Takamura, Yayoi Nakagawa, Dai Miyazaki, Atsuki Fukushima, Shigeki Okamoto, Norihiko Yokoi

Index: Ophthalmologica 222(4) , 232-9, (2008)

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Abstract

To evaluate the efficacy of a combined therapy with levocabastine hydrochloride ophthalmic suspension and pemirolast potassium ophthalmic solution compared to single therapy with levocabastine hydrochloride ophthalmic suspension alone.Thirty-two allergic conjunctivitis patients were randomized to combined-treatment (n = 15) or single-treatment groups (n = 17). The improvement of subjective symptoms as well as objective findings were evaluated.The degree of improvement was significantly higher in the combined-treatment group for lacrimation (p = 0.008) among the subjective symptoms, for conjunctival edema (p = 0.030), eyelid edema (p = 0.032) and conjunctival papilla formation(p = 0.040) among the objective findings.Both objective assessments and subjective symptoms of allergic conjunctivitis showed the greatest improvements when patients were treated with combined therapy as compared to single-agent therapy. The enhanced benefits of combined therapy may result from these agents having different mechanisms of action.(c) 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel.