To print: Select File and then Print from your browser's menu --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Title: Saline Irrigations More Effective Than Saline Spray for Short-Term Relief of Nasal Symptoms URL: http://www.pslgroup.com/dg/2178CA.htm Doctor's Guide November 20, 2007
ANN ARBOR, MI -- November 20, 2007 -- Saline irrigation treatments have greater efficacy than saline spray for providing short-term relief of chronic nasal symptoms, according to a new study from University of Michigan Health System researchers. The treatments are inexpensive, safe, and easy. In the United States, 36 million people are affected by chronic rhinosinusitis each year, and millions more are affected by other types of allergic and non-allergic rhinitis. Treatments including antibiotics, antihistamines, and anti-inflammatory drugs can be helpful, but for many patients, symptoms persist. Treatment with saline irrigations often is recommended by otolaryngologists for a variety of sinus conditions. It has long been used as a treatment following sinus surgery, and more recently is becoming common in non-surgical patients. Saline sprays are often used as an alternative to irrigations because spray "is often perceived to be equivalent to and better tolerated than irrigation," the researchers note. But the effectiveness of sprays has not been proven in clinical trials. Of the 121 adults in this study -- all of whom have chronic nasal and sinus symptoms -- 60 were treated for 8 weeks with saline irrigation and 61 were treated with saline spray. The severity of their symptoms was measured with the 20-Item Sino-Nasal Outcome Test, and the frequency of symptoms was measured with a questionnaire. "It's clear from our results that both treatments led to a decrease in frequency and severity of symptoms, but the difference is that the salt water flush led to substantial improvement," says lead author Melissa A. Pynnonen, MD, clinical assistant professor in the U-M Department of Otolaryngology. "The irrigation group achieved a clinically significant improvement in quality of life in terms of the severity of their symptoms, whereas the spray group did not." And while 61% of the spray group reported having symptoms "often or always" after the 8-week study, just 40% of the irrigation group did. Both groups experienced adverse effects, with more reported in the irrigation group. Most were minor, however, and none required that the treatment be stopped. The most commonly reported adverse effect was post-treatment drainage. The findings appear in the new issue of the Archives of Otolaryngology -- Head & Neck Surgery. "One of the greatest benefits of the nasal irrigation we are using is that it is very cheap and very safe," Pynnonen says. The authors of this study say their findings suggest that otolaryngologists and primary care physicians should recommend saline irrigation treatment to their patients more often. SOURCE: University of Michigan --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright © 1999 P\S\L Consulting Group Inc. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of P\S\L content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of P\S\L. P\S\L shall not be liable for any errors, omissions or delays in this content or any other content on its sites, newsletters or other publications, nor for any decisions or actions taken in reliance on such content. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This news story was printed from *Doctor's Guide to the Internet* located at http://www.docguide.com --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Return to News Story Page This site is maintained by webmaster@pslgroup.com Please contact us with any comments, problems or bugs. All contents Copyright (c) 1998 P\S\L Consulting Group Inc. All rights reserved.