Study for the Treatment of Intermittent Allergic Rhinitis With Desloratadine (Study P04683)

Inclusion Criteria

The subject must meet ALL of the criteria listed below for entry:

• For this study, the diagnosis of IAR is not based solely on the current episode of AR. Subjects must have at least a 2 year history of AR consistent with IAR (defined as symptoms of allergic rhinitis present less than four days per week or for less than four consecutive weeks per year); the current episode can count as the second year.
• Subjects must be 12 years of age and older, of either sex and of any race.
• At the Run-In Visit, subjects must be sufficiently symptomatic, with a T5SS 12-hour AM-PRIOR (reflective) symptoms severity score of at least 6.
• In order for a subject to qualify at the Baseline Visit, the sum of the daily averages of the diary recordings of the 12-hour AM PRIOR + PM-PRIOR (reflective) T5SS collected during Days -4 to -1 and the AM PRIOR T5SS on the morning of the Baseline Visit (Day 1) must be >= 30.
• Subjects must have a positive skin-prick test at screening to one or more allergens in the GA2LEN (or the usually used local) panel of seasonal and perennial allergens. Subjects must demonstrate an antigen-induced skin prick wheal at least 3 mm in diameter greater than diluent control. The positive tests must include the allergen(s) prevalent while this study is active.
• Subjects must be free of any clinically significant disease, other than IAR, which would interfere with the study evaluations.
• Subjects, or parents/legal guardians, must give written informed consent. Subjects must be able to adhere to dose and visit schedules and meet study requirements.
• In females of childbearing potential, the urine pregnancy test (hCG) must be negative at the Screening Visit.
• Nonsterile or premenopausal female subjects must be using a medically accepted method of birth control, that is, oral contraceptive, hormonal implant, medically prescribed intrauterine device (IUD), or depot injectable during the entire study. A female subject who is not currently sexually active must agree and consent to use one of the above-mentioned methods, if she becomes sexually active while participating in the study. A female subject who is not of childbearing potential must have a medical record of being surgically sterile (for example, hysterectomy and tubal ligation), or be at least 1 year postmenopausal.

Exclusion Criteria

The subject will be excluded from entry if ANY of the criteria listed below are met:

• Subjects with a history of anaphylaxis and/or severe local reaction(s) to skin testing with allergens.
• Subjects with intolerable symptoms that would make participating in the study unbearable.
• Subjects who have had an upper respiratory tract or sinus infection that required antibiotic therapy, and have not had at least a 14-day washout prior to the run-in period, or who have had a viral upper respiratory infection within 7 days prior to screening.
• Subjects with asthma who require chronic use of inhaled or systemic corticosteroids.
• Subjects with current or a history of frequent, clinically significant sinusitis or chronic purulent postnasal drip.
• Subjects on immunotherapy (desensitization therapy) unless on a regular maintenance schedule prior to Visit 1 and staying on this schedule for the remainder of the study.
• Subjects who, in the opinion of the investigator, are dependent on nasal, oral or ocular decongestants, nasal topical antihistamines or nasal steroids.
• Subjects who have used any drug or device in an investigational protocol in the 30 days prior to Visit 1.
• Female subjects who are pregnant or nursing.
• Subjects with a history of hypersensitivity to the study drug or to their excipients or known to not tolerate any antihistamines.
• Subject is a member of the Investigational Study Staff (currently involved with this study) or a member of the staff's family.
• Subjects with current evidence of clinically significant hematopoietic, cardiovascular, hepatic, renal, neurologic, psychiatric, autoimmune disea