Journal article
Effects of Fexofenadine, Diphenhydramine, and Alcohol on Driving Performance: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial in the Iowa Driving Simulator
Annals of internal medicine, Vol.132(5), pp.354-363
03/07/2000
DOI: 10.7326/0003-4819-132-5-200003070-00004
PMID: 10691585
Abstract
Background:
Sedating antihistamines may impair driving performance as seriously as alcohol.
Objective:
To compare the effects of fexofenadine, diphenhydramine, alcohol, and placebo on driving performance.
Design:
Randomized, double-blind, double-dummy, four-treatment, four-period crossover trial.
Setting:
The Iowa Driving Simulator.
Participants:
40 licensed drivers with seasonal allergic rhinitis who were 25 to 44 years of age.
Intervention:
One dose of fexofenadine (60 mg), diphenhydramine (50 mg), alcohol (approximately 0.1% blood alcohol concentration), or placebo, given at weekly intervals before participants drove for 1 hour in the Iowa Driving Simulator.
Measurements:
The primary end point was coherence, a continuous measure of participants' ability to match the varying speed of a vehicle that they were following. Secondary end points were drowsiness and other driving measures, including lane keeping and response to a vehicle that unexpectedly blocked the lane ahead.
Results:
Participants had significantly better coherence after taking alcohol or fexofenadine than after taking diphenhydramine. Lane keeping (steering instability and crossing the center line) was impaired after alcohol and diphenhydramine use compared with fexofenadine use. Mean response time to the blocking vehicle was slowest after alcohol use (2.21 seconds) compared with fexofenadine use (1.95 seconds). Self-reported drowsiness did not predict lack of coherence and was weakly associated with minimum following distance, steering instability, and left-lane excursion.
Conclusions:
Participants had similar performance when treated with fexofenadine or placebo. After alcohol use, participants performed the primary task well but not the secondary tasks; as a result, overall driving performance was poorer. After participants took diphenhydramine, driving performance was poorest, indicating that diphenhydramine had a greater impact on driving than alcohol did. Drowsiness ratings were not a good predictor of impairment, suggesting that drivers cannot use drowsiness to indicate when they should not drive.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Effects of Fexofenadine, Diphenhydramine, and Alcohol on Driving Performance: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial in the Iowa Driving Simulator
- Creators
- John M. Weiler - University of IowaJohn R. Bloomfield - HormelGeorge G. Woodworth - University of IowaAngela R. Grant - HormelTeresa A. Layton - University of IowaTimothy L. Brown - HormelDavid R. McKenzie - HormelThomas W. Baker - HormelGinger S. Watson - Hormel
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Annals of internal medicine, Vol.132(5), pp.354-363
- DOI
- 10.7326/0003-4819-132-5-200003070-00004
- PMID
- 10691585
- NLM abbreviation
- Ann Intern Med
- ISSN
- 0003-4819
- eISSN
- 1539-3704
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 03/07/2000
- Academic Unit
- Statistics and Actuarial Science; Pharmaceutical Sciences and Experimental Therapeutics; Biostatistics; Industrial and Systems Engineering; Injury Prevention Research Center; Immunology; Internal Medicine
- Record Identifier
- 9984627214402771
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