Combined intranasal ipratropium bromide and oxymetazoline in experimental rhinovirus infection.

The topical anticholinergic ipratropium bromide and topical decongestant oxymetazoline were tested to determine whether oxymetazoline alone and the combination were well tolerated and reduced rhinorrhea and middle ear pressure abnormalities during experimental rhinovirus infection. The study was double-blind, placebo-controlled, and double dummy in design. Healthy volunteers (n = 109) with low serum neutralizing antibody titer (≤1:2) were. Treatments inoculated with rhinovirus (type 39 or Hank's strain) and randomized to treatment with ipra-tropium bromide 0.06% two sprays per nostril (84 μg per treatment) and oxymetazoline 0.05% two sprays per nostril, oxymetazoline alone, or placebo. Treatments were self administered twice daily for 5 days beginning 1 day after rhinovirus inoculation. The overall infection rate was 83% and of those infected, 88% felt that they had a cold. During the 3-hour period after dosing, the increase in nasal discharge was significantly lower in the combined ipratropium and oxymet...