Intranasal topical flunisolide therapy in children with seasonal allergic rhinitis

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Abstract
Summary: This study tested the effectiveness of flunisolide in the treatment of children with seasonal allergic rhinitis. Thirty‐five children between the ages of 5 and 14 years used an intransal preparation of either flunisolide (200 μg/day) or placebo for a 6‐week double‐blind parallel trial consisting of a 2‐week baseline phase and a 4‐week treatment phase, conducted during a period of ‘high’ pollen counts in Adelaide, South Australia.Flunisolide was effective in reducing four symptoms of hay fever: sneezing, stuffy nose, runny nose and eye itch. Sixty‐four percent of the flunisolide‐treated group and 33% of the placebo‐treated group noted substantial or total control of their hay fever symptoms (P <0.05).The effect of the intranasal administration of flunisolide on the pituitary‐adrenal axis was monitored by performing plasma cortisol measurements (a.m. and p.m.) and 24‐hr urinary free cortisol excretion studies for each patient. The data confirmed that 200 μg/day intranasal flunisolide does not suppress the pituitary‐adrenal‐axis in this young patient population.