Cough is one of the most frequent global complaints with significant morbidity, affecting quality of life and lifestyle of the patients. It requires medical attention and is also considered as one of the most common cause of a clinician’s visit repeatedly throughout the year. Allergic rhinitis is one of the most common aetiology of unproductive or dry cough which can be treated by the combination of dextromethorphan hydrobromide and chlorpheniramine maleate.

To validate these findings, the current open-labelled, multicentric study assessed the safety and efficacy of combination of dextromethorphan hydrobromide (10 mg) and chlorpheniramine maleate (2 mg) per 5 ml syrup in the treatment of dry cough caused due to allergic rhinitis.  The study recruited a total 200 patients, among which 146 patients completed the trial. The efficiency of the treatment was evaluated by reduction in cough severity score (CSS) extrapolated to four point Likert-type scales while safety profile was determined was done by analysing the adverse events occurred throughout the study.

The results demonstrated a reduction in mean CSS from 6.157 at baseline to 3.335 at day 3 to 1.034 at day 5. One point reduction was seen in Likert-type symptom scale from moderate to mild in just 3 days. A decrease in CSS by 45.828% and 83.203% was reported at visit 2 and 3, respectively in contrast to baseline. Incidence of mild intensity adverse events occurred in the duration of clinical trial.

To conclude, a combination of dextromethorphan hydrobromide and chlorpheniramine maleate is regarded as an efficient therapy with well tolerable profile for the treatment of dry/unproductive cough caused due to allergic rhinitis.

Source: Mayuresh K, Pawaskar L, Shaheen S. Efficacy and safety for the combination of dextromethorphan hydrobromide and chlorpheniramine maleate for the treatment of unproductive cough: a phase IV clinical trial. 2019. Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/331222929_EFFICACY_AND_SAFETY_FOR_THE_COMBINATION_OF_DEXTROMETHORPHAN_HYDROBROMIDE_AND_CHLORPHENIRAMINE_MALEATE_FOR_THE_TREATMENT_OF_UNPRODUCTIVE_COUGH_A_PHASE_IV_CLINICAL_TRIAL