Treatment of allergic rhinitis can improve blood pressure control

J Hum Hypertens. 2006 Nov;20(11):888-93. doi: 10.1038/sj.jhh.1002088. Epub 2006 Sep 7.

Abstract

Owing to high prevalence of arterial hypertension (AH) and allergic rhinitis (AR), these diseases frequently coexist. The study aimed to assess whether improvement of AR by conventional treatment can improve blood pressure (BP) control in this population. Sixty-eight subjects of both sexes aged 35-60 years with AR and AH were randomized into two groups to receive in addition to their antihypertensive medications: treatment group (n=34) Fluticasone nasal 50 microg/spray b.i.d. and Fenoxifenadine 180 mg tablets q.d., and control group (n=34) 0.9% NaCl nasal drops b.i.d. Office BP and AR severity (using the Relative Quality of Life Questionnaire (RQLQ)) and high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) were measured at study entry and after 8 weeks in both groups, without changing of antihypertensive medications. In Treatment group an improvement in RQLQ, significant reduction of systolic BP (SBP) (DSBP 7.4 +/- 4.3 mm Hg, P=0.006) and reduction of hs-CRP level (DCRP 2.05 +/- 1.08; P=0.028) were observed, whereas diastolic BP (DBP) remained unchanged (DDBP 0.9 +/- 1.7 mm Hg, P=0.7). There was a significant correlation between DRQLQ and DSBP (r=0.86; P=0.019) and between DCRP and DSBP (r=0.56; P=0.027). No statistically significant changes of RQLQ, BP and CRP were observed in the control group. In patients with coincidence of AH and AR, medications meant to improve AR attenuate low-grade systemic inflammation and can lower SBP, but not DBP.

Publication types

  • Randomized Controlled Trial

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Analysis of Variance
  • Androstadienes / therapeutic use*
  • Anti-Allergic Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Antihypertensive Agents / therapeutic use
  • Biomarkers / blood
  • Blood Pressure / drug effects*
  • C-Reactive Protein / drug effects
  • C-Reactive Protein / metabolism
  • Female
  • Fluticasone
  • Humans
  • Hypertension / blood
  • Hypertension / complications
  • Hypertension / physiopathology
  • Hypertension / prevention & control
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Quality of Life
  • Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / blood
  • Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / complications
  • Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / drug therapy*
  • Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / physiopathology*
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Sodium Chloride / administration & dosage
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Terfenadine / analogs & derivatives*
  • Terfenadine / therapeutic use
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Androstadienes
  • Anti-Allergic Agents
  • Antihypertensive Agents
  • Biomarkers
  • Sodium Chloride
  • Terfenadine
  • C-Reactive Protein
  • Fluticasone
  • fexofenadine