THE EFFICACY AND TOLERABILITY OF FLUTICASONE PROPIONATE AQUEOUS NASAL SPRAY IN CHILDREN WITH SEASONAL ALLERGIC RHINITIS

Fluticasone propionate aqueous nasal spray (FPANS) contains fluticasone propionate, which is a new topically active glucocorticoid with approximately twice the potency of beclomethasone dipropionate. In this European multicentre study, 143 children with seasonal allergic rhinitis were recruited: 47 received FPANS 100 mu g once a day (od), 46 received FPANS 200 mu g od, and 50 patients received placebo od, for 4 weeks. Treatment efficacy was assessed using diary card nasal symptom scores for sneezing, rhinorrhoea, blockage and itching, and eye watering/irritation. Patients receiving FPANS 100 mu g or FPANS 200 mu g demonstrated statistically significant improvements in median nasal symptom scores in all the symptoms recorded, when compared with placebo. There were no statistically significant differences between the FPANS 100 mu g and FPANS 200 mu g groups in improvement in nasal symptom scores. There was no effect on eye watering/irritation symptoms which could be attributed to either FPANS 100 mu g or FPANS 200 mu g when compared with placebo. Use of rescue antihistamine medication was significantly reduced in the FPANS 100 mu g group when compared with placebo. The adverse events profile was similar in all three treatment groups, and the events reported were generally mild and related to the patients' rhinitis.