EFFECT OF SMOKING ON LEVOCETIRIZINE TREATMENT IN PATIENTS WITH ALLERGIC RHINITIS
1Fatih Sultan Mehmet Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi, KBB Kliniği, İstanbul, Türkiye Introduction: Levocetirizine dihydrochloride is one of the preparations used in treatment and proven efficacy for suppressing allergic symptoms of patients with allergic rhinitis in otorhinolaryngology practice. It's known that smoking affects mucociliary transport, sense of smell and many other nasal parameters negatively. The purpose of this study is to show the effect of smoking on response to allergic rhinitis treatment.Material and Methods:The study was carried out on 48 patients with allergic rhinitis in the age range of 18-61 years, containing 20 smokers and 28 non-smokers. On the first day of the study, all the patients' identification information, allergic stories and rhinologic findings were recorded. In addition, nasal obstruction score index (NOSE score) and rhinoconjunctivitis quality of life scale (RQLQ) were applied. After one month of levocetirizine treatment, the patients were recalled for control examination and the same history, physical examination and questionnaire evaluations were repeated. The effects of smoking on allergic rhinitis and levocetirizine treatment were investigated by comparing the pre- and post-treatment findings of active smoking and non-smoking groups.
Results:After one month of treatment, there was a statistically significant decrease in sneezing, watery nasal discharge, nasal itching and eye irritation in both smokers and non-smokers compared to before treatment. There was a statistically significant decrease in rhinologic examination scores in both smokers and non-smokers. A statistically significant improvement was observed in the NOSE score and RQLQ evaluation in both smoker and non-smoker groups when compared with post-treatment and pre-treatment. However, no significant difference was found between the smokers and non-smokers in terms of controlling allergic symptoms and signs of one month of levocetirizine therapy in none of the evaluated parameters.
Conclusion: According to the results of our study, levocetirizine treatment in patients with allergic rhinitis provided a statistically significant improvement in both the smoker and non-smoker group. Smoking does not affect success in the treatment of levocetirizine.
Keywords : Allergy, levocetirizine, antihistaminic, cigarette, smoking, asthma, allergic rhinitis