Muhammad Umer, Amir Akbar, Asif Bhatti, Aamir Afzal.
Comparsion of Topical Corticosteroid Nasal Spray / Second Generation Antihistamine with Topical Corticosteroid Nasal Spray.
Ann Pak Inst Med Sci Jan ;14(1):69-73.

Objective: To compare the effectiveness of topical nasal corticosteroids alone and in combination with second generation oral antihistamine in the treatment of moderate to severe allergic rhinitis. Study design: Randomized control trial Duration of study: One year from 15th June 2011 to 15th June 2012, E.N.T outpatient department Fauji foundation hospital Rawalpindi. Methodology: 200 cases meeting the inclusion and exclusion criteria were taken from the outpatient E.N.T Department Fauji Foundation Hospital Rawalpindi and informed consent was taken from each of them for using their data in this study. My study variables are age, gender, the effectiveness of treatment given to each of the two groups, rhinorrhoea, sneezing, nasal blocking, nasal itching, post nasal drip and condition of nasal mucosa. Nasal speculum is used to examine the nose with the head light and post nasal drip is seen with the help of tongue depressor. There were 200 patients divided into two groups of 100 patients each. Group I treated with topical nasal corticosteroid spray (flunisolide) and group II receiving second generation oral antihistamine tablet (loratadine) in addition to the topical nasal corticosteroid (flunisolide). Results: 200 patients were included in the study from E.N.T outpatient department in Fauji foundation hospital Rawalpindi. On the basis of treatments, intranasal corticosteroid spray (INCS) alone and in combination with second generation oral antihistamine patients were divided into two groups of 100 patients in each group and evaluated for effectiveness of each treatment. Effectiveness was assessed by improvement score in symptoms for both the types of treatments to see which treatment of the two was more effective. Conclusion: The comparative study of Intranasal corticosteroids spray alone and in combination with second-generation antihistamines proved that combination treatment of INCS with antihistamine is better therapy than intranasal corticosteroid spray alone in allergic rhinitis.

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