Terfenadine reduces skin and conjunctival reactivity in grass pollen allergic children

Area of Science:

• Allergy and Immunology
• Pediatric Medicine
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Allergic rhinoconjunctivitis is common in children, often triggered by seasonal allergens like grass pollen.
• Effective management of pediatric allergic rhinitis requires treatments that address both specific allergen reactivity and general ocular/nasal symptoms.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy and safety of terfenadine suspension in children aged 6-12 with grass pollen-induced allergic rhinoconjunctivitis.
• To assess terfenadine's impact on specific allergen sensitivity and non-specific ocular/nasal provocation responses.

Main Methods:

• A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled cross-over study involving 25 children.
• Treatment involved terfenadine suspension (30 mg twice daily) or placebo over two 7-day periods with a 4-day wash-out.
• Efficacy assessed via skin-prick tests, conjunctival provocation tests, and symptom scoring.

Main Results:

• Terfenadine significantly reduced the size of skin weals from grass pollen allergen and histamine compared to placebo.
• Terfenadine treatment increased allergen tolerance tenfold and significantly improved tolerance to conjunctival provocation.
• No significant differences were observed in alertness or salivation scores between terfenadine and placebo.

Conclusions:

• Terfenadine effectively reduces both specific and non-specific reactivity in children with grass pollen allergies.
• Terfenadine demonstrates a favorable safety profile with few reported side effects in pediatric patients.
• The study supports terfenadine as a beneficial treatment option for seasonal allergic rhinoconjunctivitis in children.