Source: Spine  |  Posted 8 years ago

Patients who experience both nasal and ocular symptoms associated with seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR) may benefit from intranasal fluticasone propionate (FP) monotherapy, suggests a new study.

An estimated 20-40 million people in the United States are affected by allergic rhinitis. Although symptoms primarily involve the nasal passages, ocular symptoms are also common.

Treatment of symptoms commonly consists of intranasal corticosteroids for nasal symptoms and oral antihistamines for ocular symptoms. Results of previous studies have suggested that intranasal corticosteroids may also reduce ocular symptoms.

To assess the efficacy of intranasal FP in reducing ocular symptoms of SAR, Jeffrey DeWester, MD, of DeWester, Duggan, and DeWester Family Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States, conducted a retrospective analysis of pooled efficacy data from 7 randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies in which FP aqueous nasal spray, 200