Efficacy of Brompheniramine Maleate for the Treatment of Rhinovirus Colds

• Published in: Clinical infectious diseases Vol. 25; no. 5; pp. 1188 - 1194
• Main Authors: Gwaltney, Jack M., Druce, Howard M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chicago, IL The University of Chicago Press 01-11-1997; University of Chicago Press
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Allergies; Antiviral Agents - adverse effects; Antiviral Agents - therapeutic use; Biological and medical sciences; Brompheniramine - adverse effects; Brompheniramine - therapeutic use; Clinical Articles; Common Cold - drug therapy; Common Cold - physiopathology; Cough; Female; Human viral diseases; Humans; Infectious diseases; Male; Medical sciences; Medications; Nasal Mucosa - metabolism; Perennial allergic rhinitis; Placebos; Rhinovirus; Rhinovirus - drug effects; Secretion; Severity of Illness Index; Sneezing; Symptoms; Viral diseases; Viral diseases of the respiratory system and ent viral diseases; Viruses; Nose disease; Rhinitis; Picornaviridae; Toxicity; Treatment efficiency; Common cold; Infection; Virus; Brompheniramine; Chemotherapy; Treatment; Viral disease; Secondary effect; ENT disease; Bromine Organic compounds; Inhibitor; H1 Histamine receptor; Rhinovirus
• ISSN: 1058-4838; 1537-6591
• DOI: 10.1086/516105

We tested the efficacy of brompheniramine maleate in a large randomized, controlled trial of volunteers with experimental rhinovirus colds. Brompheniramine (12 mg) or placebo was administered at 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. for ⩽4 days after the onset of symptoms (24, 36, or 48 hours after virus challenge). During the first 3 days of treatment (the first 4 days after virus challenge), nasal secretion weights were lower for infected evaluable subjects receiving brompheniramine (n = 113) than for controls (day 1: 4.3 g vs. 6.8 g; day 2: 4.8 g vs. 7.7 g; and day 3: 3.3 g vs. 5.3 g) (P ⩽ .03), as were rhinorrhea scores (day 1: 0.6 vs. 0.8; day 2: 0.5 vs. 0.8; and day 3: 0.3 vs. 0.5) (P < .03), sneeze counts (day 1: 1.8 vs. 3.6; day 2: 2.1 vs. 5.1; and day 3: 1.3 vs. 3.3) (P ⩽ .001), and sneeze severity scores (day 1: 0.3 vs. 0.6; day 2: 0.25 vs. 0.7; and day 3: 0.2 vs. 0.4) (P < .001) (n = 112). Cough counts were lower after day 1 of treatment for the brompheniramine group than for controls (4.7 vs. 7.9) (P = .05) (day 2 after virus challenge), and other symptoms were modestly reduced or were unaffected in the brompheniramine group. Total symptom scores were also lower for the brompheniramine group than for controls on treatment days 1 (4.8 vs. 6.0) (P = .03) and 2 (4.1 vs. 5.6) (days 2 and 3 after virus challenge) (P = .003). Treatment with brompheniramine was associated with the adverse effects of somnolence (n = 3) and confusion (n = 1). Brompheniramine was efficacious treatment for the sneezing, rhinorrhea, and cough associated with rhinovirus colds.