Abstract / Description of output
INTRODUCTION: Hay fever is found throughout the world. Epidemiological evidence suggests considerable geographical variation in itsprevalence. Symptoms are caused by an IgE-mediated type 1 hypersensitivity reaction to airborne allergens such as pollen or fungal spores,and may also cause eye, sinus, respiratory, and systemic problems. METHODS AND OUTCOMES:We conducted a systematic reviewand aimed to answer the following clinical question:What are the effects of treatments for hay fever in adolescents and adults? We searched:Medline, Embase, The Cochrane Library, and other important databases up to April 2008 (Clinical Evidence reviews are updated periodically;please check our website for the most up-to-date version of this review).We included harms alerts from relevant organisations such as theUS Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).RESULTS:We found211 systematic reviews, RCTs, or observational studies that met our inclusion criteria.We performed a GRADE evaluation of the quality ofevidence for interventions. CONCLUSIONS: In this systematic review we present information relating to the effectiveness and safety of thefollowing interventions: intranasal corticosteroids, oral antihistamines, intranasal antihistamines, oral leukotriene receptor antagonists, systemiccorticosteroids, intranasal ipratropium bromide, oral decongestants, and combinations of these treatments.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | Clinical evidence |
| Volume | 11 |
| Publication status | Published - 18 Nov 2009 |