OBJECTIVE: To investigate clinical efficacy and safety of oral loratadine combined with physiological seawater nasal irrigation in the treatment of intermittent allergic rhinitis. METHODS: Totally 300 patients with intermittent allergic rhinitis were chosen from the Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University during Jan. 2013-Jun. 2015, and then divided into group A, B, C according to lottery method, with 100 cases in each group. Group A was given Loratadine tablets 10 mg, po, qd. Group B received nasal irrigation with physiological seawater nasal spray, every morning and evening. Group C was given oral loratadine combined with physiological seawater nasal irrigation. Treatment courses of 3 groups lasted for 28 d. Clinical efficiencies of 3 groups were compared as well as symptom and sign scores, respiration function indexes and inflammatory factor levels before and after treatment, and the clinical recurrences were followed up for 12 months. RESULTS: The total response rates of group A, B, C were 80.00%, 78.00%, 96.00%, respectively, and that of group C was significantly higher than that of group A and B, with statistical significance (P<0.05). Before treatment, there was no statistical significance in symptom and sign scores, respiration function indexes and inflammatory factor levels among 3 groups (P>0.05). After treatment, symptom and sign scores, the rates of PEF diurnal variation, TNF-α, INF-γ and IL-4 in 3 groups were significantly lower than before treatment, and the levels of PEF and IL-12 were significantly higher than before treatment. Above indexes of group C were significantly better than those of group A and B, with statistical significance (P<0.05). Clinical recurrence rates of group A, B, C were 21.00%, 23.00%, 6.00%, and group C was significantly lower than the group A and B, with statistical significance (P<0.05). There was no statistical significance in above indexes between group A and group B (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Oral loratadine combined with physiological seawater nasal irrigation in treatment of intermittent allergic rhinitis can efficiently relieve the nasal symptoms and signs, improve expiratory function, reduce the inflammatory response levels and be helpful to reduce the long-term recurrence risk.