Treatment of Allergic Rhinitis with Ectoine Containing Nasal Spray and Eye Drops in Comparison with Azelastine Containing Nasal Spray and Eye Drops or with Cromoglycic Acid Containing Nasal Spray
Objectives. Allergic rhinitis is a common disease with increasing prevalence and high impact on economic burden and comorbidities. As treatment with pharmacological drugs is not always satisfactory due to side effects and incomplete efficacy, alternative treatment strategies are needed. Ectoine is an osmolyte with membrane stabilizing and inflammation reducing capacities. Nasal spray and eye drops containing ectoine are promising new treatment regimens for allergic rhinitis sufferers. Design and Methods. The current two noninterventional trials evaluated the efficacy and safety of ectoine containing nasal spray and eye drops for treating allergic rhinitis in comparison with either azelastine or cromoglycic acid containing products. Nasal and ocular symptom developments as well as judgment of tolerability and efficacy were assessed both by investigators and patients over a time period of one to two weeks. Results. Both trials confirmed that ectoine containing products reduced nasal and ocular symptoms in allergic rhinitis patients. Results clearly demonstrated good safety profiles of the ectoine products comparable to those of azelastine and even better to those of cromoglycate products. Conclusion. Ectoine containing nasal spray and eye drops are interesting new treatment strategies for sufferers of allergic rhinitis, combining both good efficacy and absence of side effects. 1. Introduction Allergic rhinitis is a common disease affecting 10–20% of the population [1]. Since it has great impact on patients’ quality of life, school performance, work productivity, and comorbid conditions such as asthma, it is considered as an important health problem. Allergic rhinitis is defined as an allergic reaction (most often IgE-dependent) to offending allergens such as dust mites, insects, animal dander, and pollens. Symptoms include rhinorrhea, nasal obstruction, nasal and nasopharyngeal itching, sneezing, and postnasal drip. Often, allergic rhinitis is accompanied by allergic conjunctivitis with ocular symptoms such as itchy and watery eyes, resulting in the term allergic rhinoconjunctivitis. According to its length of duration, allergic rhinitis is classified into intermittent (symptoms present <4 days a week of <4 weeks) and persistent (symptoms present ≥ 4 days a week and for at least 4 weeks) forms. Symptom severity is used to classify allergic rhinitis into mild or moderate-severe forms. A number of pharmacological treatments of allergic rhinitis exist, such as, for example, oral and topical antihistamines, leukotriene receptor antagonists, intranasal
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