The aim of the study was to examine the level of sICAM-1 in serum of patients suffering from allergic rhinitis treated with fexofenadine or fluticasone. The study was performed after two weeks' duration of the pollen season. Thirty -eight patients sensitized to grass pollen were participated in this study: 15 patients were treated for 10 days with oral fexofenadine (dose: 120 mg/d), 13 patients were treated with intranasal fluticasone (dose: 200 mcg/d), 10 patients were given oral placebo. Blood sample were collected both in the first and the last day of the treatment. The efficacy was evaluated with the use of symptom score. sICAM-1 level in serum was measured with ELISA method.
The results: Mean sICAM-1 level in serum was: in group treated with fexofenadine- 224,5 ng/ml before treatment, 228 ng/ml - after treatment; in group treated with fluticasone- 212 ng/ml before treatment, 214 ng/ml- after treatment; in placebo group- 226 ng/ml before treatment, 229 ng/ml- after treatment. There was no difference in statistical analysis between sICAM-1 values. (p > 0.05). In 7 patients treated with fexofenadine serum levels of sICAM-1 significantly decreased from 212 ng/ml to 185 ng/ml (p < 0.05), the same decrease was observed in 7 patients treated with fluticasone: from 233 ng/ml to 209 ng/ml (p < 0.01), and in 6 patients from placebo group: from 219 ng/ml to 205 ng/ml (p < 0.01). However in the rest of patient's level of sICAM-1 significantly increased after treatment. Patients treated with fexofenadine showed significant improvements of clinical symptoms (mean symptom score before treatment: 11, 3, after treatment-5, 3) and symptoms evaluated during laryngological examination (mean symptom score before treatment: 9, 5, after treatment- 5, 5). Significant improvement of clinical symptoms was also observed in patients treated with fluticasone (mean symptom score before treatment: 10, 7, after treatment 3, 6) and symptoms evaluated during laryngological examination (mean symptom score before treatment: 9, 2, after treatment- 5, 0). No changes were noticed in placebo group (mean clinical symptom score before treatment: 9, 0, after treatment 10, 3 and mean laryngological symptom score before treatment: 7, 5, after treatment 7, 7).