HELLENIC JOURNAL OF NUCLEAR MEDICINE, cilt.12, sa.2, ss.119-122, 2009 (SCI-Expanded)
The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of levocetirizine (xyzal) on salivary glands function in patients with allergic rhinitis using technetium-99m pertechnetate (Tc-99m-P) salivary gland scintigraphy. The study population consisted of 67 patients with allergic rhinitis and 31 healthy controls (14 males and 17 females, mean age 30.1 +/- 6.8 years). The patients were divided into two groups: an untreated patient Group of 32 patients, 17 males and 15 females, mean age 29.9 +/- 6.5 years and a levocetirizine-treated with 5mg.day(-1) for 4 weeks patient Group, consisted of 35 patients, 16 males and 19 females, mean age 33.5 +/- 7.8 years. All patients and healthy controls underwent salivary glands scintigraphy. After the intravenous administration of 185MBq of Tc-99m-P, dynamic salivary glands scintigraphy was performed for 25min. By the time-activity curves, the following glandular function parameters were calculated for the parotid and submandibular salivary glands: uptake ratio, maximum accumulation, and ejection fraction. Our results showed. All functional parameters obtained for the untreated patient Group were significantly lower than for the levocetirizine-treated patient Group and healthy controls (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in any functional parameters between the levocetirizine-treated patient Group and healthy controls (P>0.05). In conclusion, results of our study indicate that patients with allergic rhinitis treated with levocetirizine showed a significantly higher salivary glands function compared with untreated patients and healthy controls. Levocetirizine treatment showed no side effects on salivary glands function.