The Effect of Combined Medical Treatment on Quality of Life in Persistent Allergic Rhinitis

Allergic rhinitis may significantly affect the patients’ quality of life. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of nasal steroids alone, to nasal steroids plus Levocetirizine or Montelukast, on quality of life in persistent allergic rhinitis. This is a prospective, randomized study and included 56 patients with moderate to severe persistent allergic rhinitis. All patients had house dust mite allergy on skin prick test and we divided the patients into three groups. 1 month long medical treatment was; topical Mometasone furoate 200 mcg/day in the first group (n:14), Mometasone furoate 200 mcg/day plus oral Levocetirizine 5 mg/day in the second group (n:21), and Mometasone furoate 200 mcg/day plus oral Montelukast 10 mg/day in the third group (n:21). We evaluated the patients before treatment and at the first month after treatment with mini rhinoconjunctivitis quality of life questionnaire (miniRQLQ) and nasal symptom scores. In the first group nasal symptom and mini RQLQ scores were not improved but in second and third group, both scores were improved significantly (p < 0.05). Nasal obstruction symptom score was better in the third group after treatment (p < 0.01), but other nasal symptom scores (rhinorrhea, sneezing and nasal itching) were better in the second group (For each symptom p < 0.05). Improvement of quality of life scores in the second group were better than the third group (p < 0.05). In persistent allergic rhinitis, combination of levocetirizine or montelukast to nasal steroids was better than the topical mometasone furoate alone in terms of quality of life.