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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2020 Jun 10.
Published in final edited form as: Int Forum Allergy Rhinol. 2018 Feb;8(2):108–352. doi: 10.1002/alr.22073

TABLE IX.B.5.

Evidence for the use of disodium cromoglycate in the treatment of allergic rhinitis

Study Year LOE Study design Study groups Clinical endpoint Conclusion
Lejeune et al.1356 2015 1b DBRCT PAR, adults:

  1. DSCG QID (n = 14);

  2. Placebo (n = 7)

 Symptom scores, nasal cytology, allergic mediators DSCG performed better than placebo.
Meltzer1370 2002 1b DBRCT SAR, over 12 years old:

  1. DSCG 4%, 1 spray q4–6 hours (n = 580);

  2. Placebo (n = 570)

 Nasal symptoms DSCG performed better than placebo.
Schuller et al.1371 1990 1b DBRCT SAR, 12–65 years old:

  1. Nedocromil 1% (n = 80);

  2. DSCG 4%, 1 spray QID (n = 7);

  3. Placebo (n = 77)

 Nasal symptoms Nedocromil was equivalent to DSCG. Both performed better than placebo.
Chandra et al.1372 1982 1b DBRCT, crossover SAR, 9–41 years old (n = 47):

  1. DSCG 4%, 1 spray q3-4 hours;

  2. Placebo

 Nasal symptoms, medication use DSCG performed better than placebo.
Brown et al.1367 1981 1b RCT SAR:

  1. DSCG 2.6 mg 6 times per day (n = 29);

  2. Flunisolide 25 μg BID (n = 38)

 Nasal symptoms Flunisolide performed better than DSCG.
Craig et al.1373 1977 1b DBRCT SAR (n = 39):

  1. DSCG 5.2 mg 6 times per day (n = 22);

  2. Placebo (n = 17)

 Nasal symptoms, medication use No difference between DSCG and placebo.
Handelman et al.1374 1977 1b DBRCT SAR, 6–51 years old:

  1. DSCG 62.4 mg 6 times per day (n = 45);

  2. Placebo (n = 45)

 Symptom score, medication use DSCG performed better than placebo.
McDowell & Spitz1358 1977 1b DBRCT, crossover PAR, 17–71 years old (n = 13):

  1. DSCG 2.5 mg 6 times per day;

  2. Placebo

 Nasal symptoms, cytology No significant difference in majority of patients.
Nizami & Baboo1375 1977 1b DBRCT, crossover SAR, 7–59 years old (n = 92):

  1. DSCG 10 mg QID;

  2. Placebo

 Nasal symptoms DSCG performed better than placebo.
Posey & Nelson1376 1977 1b DBRCT SAR, 12–54 years old:

  1. DSCG 4%, 6 times per day (n = 17);

  2. Placebo (n = 17)

 Symptom score, medication use No difference, except for in-season use of medications in DSCG group.
Warland & Kapstad1359 1977 1b DBRCT, crossover PAR, 15–57 years old (n = 17):

  1. DSCG 10 mg QID;

  2. Placebo

 Nasal symptoms No difference between DSCG and placebo.
Cohan et al.1360 1976 1b DBRCT, crossover PAR, 16–37 years old:

  1. DSCG 4%, 6 times per day;

  2. Placebo

 Symptom score, medication use DSCG performed better than placebo.
Knight et al.1377 1976 1b DBRCT SAR:

  1. DSCG 10 mg QID (n = 35);

  2. Placebo (n = 41)

 Nasal symptoms DSCG performed better than placebo.
Lange et al.1361 2005 2b RCT, no placebo SAR, 18–65 years old:

  1. MF 200 μg QD (n = 41);

  2. Levocabastine 200 μg BID (n = 40);

  3. DSCG 5.6 mg QID (n = 42)

 Symptom scores, nPIF MF performed best.
Fisher1362 1994 2b RCT, blinded, no placebo SAR, 6–15 years old:

  1. DSCG 31.2 mg, 6 times per day (n = 26);

  2. Budesonide BID, 400 μg/day (n = 30)

 Nasal symptoms Budesonide performed better than DSCG.
Bousquet et al.1363 1993 2b DBRCT, no placebo SAR:

  1. FP 200 μg QD (n = 110);

  2. DSCG 5.2 mg QID (n = 108)

 Nasal/ocular symptoms, medication use FP better in all except nasal discharge. No difference in medication use.
Welsh et al.1364 1987 2b RCT, blinded

  1. BDP 2 sprays BID, 336 μg/day;

  2. Flunisolide 2 sprays BID, 200 μg/day;

  3. DSCG 1 spray QID, 41.6 mg/day;

  4. Placebo

 Symptom score, medication use All medications were better than placebo. DSCG was the least effective.
Bjerrum & Illum1365 1985 2b DBRCT, no placebo SAR, 15–55 years old:

  1. Budesonide 200 μg BID (n = 22);

  2. DSCG 5.2 mg, 5 times per day (n = 21)

 Nasal symptoms Budesonide was better than DSCG.
Morrow-Brown et al.1366 1984 2b RCT, no placebo SAR, 11–71 years old:

  1. BDP 2 sprays BID, 400 μg/day (n = 47);

  2. DSCG 2.6 mg, 6 times per day (n = 39)

 Symptom score, medication use BDP performed better than DSCG. No difference in rescue medications.
Tandon & Strahan1357 1980 2b DBRCT, crossover, no placebo PAR, 13–45 years old (n = 14):

  1. BDP 50 μg QID;

  2. DSCG 10 mg QID

 Nasal symptoms BDP performed better than DSCG.
Wilson & Walker1368 1976 2b RCT, no placebo SAR, adults:

  1. DSCG 10 mg QID (n = 10);

  2. BV 100 μg BID (n = 10)

 Nasal symptoms BV performed better than DSCG.
Frankland & Walker1369 1975 2b DBRCT, no placebo SAR, adults:

  1. DSCG 80 μg, 6 times per day (n = 14);

  2. BV 100 μg BID (n = 18)

 Nasal symptoms, nPIF BV performed better than DSCG for symptoms. The 2 medications performed the same for nPIF.

BDP = beclomethasone dipropionate; BID = 2 times daily; BV = betamethasone valerate; DBRCT = double-blind randomized controlled trial; DSCG = disodium cromoglycate; FP = fluticasone propionate; LOE = level of evidence; MF = mometasone furoate; nPIF = nasal peak inspiratory flow; PAR = perennial allergic rhinitis; QD = once daily; QID = 4 times daily; RCT = randomized controlled trial; SAR = seasonal allergic rhinitis.