Contact:
Rachel Otto
Phone: 314.977.8018
ottorl@slu.edu

May 5, 2006

ST. LOUIS – Will combining two popular medications to treat seasonal allergies be more effective than either alone? That’s the question Saint Louis University researchers hope to answer in a new study.

SLU is recruiting up to 30 participants for the study, which will test a combination of an antihistamine and an antileukotriene against a decongestant alone and a placebo in seasonal allergy sufferers, says Mark Dykewicz, M.D., professor in the allergy and immunology division of Saint Louis University School of Medicine.

“Both of these medications have been shown to be beneficial in treating allergic rhinitis,” Dykewicz says. “However, antihistamines tend to be less effective for nasal congestion, so we’re hoping that the combination treatment will be more effective for congestion and compare favorably to a decongestant.”

More than 20 percent of Americans suffer from seasonal allergies. In addition to nasal congestion, symptoms include runny nose, itching and sneezing during allergy season. Dykewicz adds that while pseudoephedrine is an effective decongestant, it can disrupt users’ sleep.

“It would be nice to have a tablet alternative that gives similar relief for congestion without the side effects,” he says.

Participants must be 15 or older and have a documented history of seasonal allergic rhinitis, which worsens in the spring. Participants must also have a positive skin prick test response to at least two seasonal allergens and be clinically symptomatic at the screening visit. Other exclusions may apply. For more information or to enroll in the study, call (314) 977-4440.