A double‐blind comparison of oxatomide (R 35 443) and diphenhydramine in the treatment of hay fever

Ninety‐one hay fever patients received either 0.5 mg/kg oxatomide b.i.d. or 0.4 mg/kg diphenhydramine b.i.d. in a two‐month double‐blind study. If necessary this dose could be doubled. The results showed that fewer oxatomide patients needed to double this starting dose and to use a nasal spray. Oxatomide proved to be more effective than diphenhydramine in limiting the severity of the hay fever attacks, as evidenced by the findings that oxatomide patients had fewer complaint‐days, and that more of these patients were rated by the investigators to have excellent or good results. Apart from daytime fatigue, transient in several patients, no oxatomide‐induced side‐effects were found.