Table 1.
Patients' characteristics at entry to study
| Characteristic | Butterbur (n=61) | Cetirizine (n=64) |
|---|---|---|
| Demographics: | ||
| Mean (SD) age (years) | 39 (12) | 35 (14) |
| Mean (SD) height (m) | 1.72 (0.08) | 1.71 (0.09) |
| Mean (SD) weight (kg) | 71 (14) | 69 (15) |
| No (%) of women | 38 (62) | 46 (72) |
| No (%) of smokers | 20 (32) | 24 (37) |
| Diagnostic characteristics: | ||
| Sneezing (No (%) moderate or worse) | 47 (77) | 51 (79) |
| Rhinorrhoea (No (%) moderate or worse) | 56 (92) | 55 (86) |
| Itchy nose or eyes (No (%) moderate or worse) | 43 (71) | 49 (76) |
| Nasal congestion (No (%) moderate or worse) | 45 (74) | 50 (78) |
| Mean (SD) SF-36 item score (main outcome measures): | ||
| Physical function | 78 (19) | 82 (21) |
| Emotional function | 77 (38) | 75 (39) |
| Vitality | 54 (23) | 52 (26) |
| Mental health | 72 (20) | 70 (20) |
| General health | 60 (24) | 60 (22) |
| Physical activity | 46 (39) | 46 (40) |
| Social functioning | 71 (24) | 70 (26) |
| Pain | 69 (22) | 71 (25) |
| Secondary outcome measures: | ||
| Mean (SD) clinical global impression score (severity of condition) | 5.6 (0.8) | 5.6 (0.8) |
| SF-36 score for overall status (No (%) worse or much worse than 1 year ago) | 27 (44) | 32 (50) |