A before-after assessment of the efficacy of Narivent® in the treatment of symptoms associated with allergic rhinitis in a paediatric population

Abstract

Rationale and aim: Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a common disorder that affects people of all ages, peaking in childhood and in the teenage years. Although AR is not a serious disease, it is clinically relevant because underlies many symptoms and complications which severely affect children's quality of life. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of Narivent®, an osmotically acting medical device with anti-oedematous and anti-inflammatory effects, in the treatment of symptoms associated with allergic rhinitis in a paediatric population. Methods: A single-centre prospective study with a pre-post design was conducted with consecutive enrolment in an Italian Otolaryngology Department of 20 both genders children with allergic rhinitis. Patients received 1 puff of Narivent® into each nostril 2 times a day over the course of 4 weeks. The severity of major symptoms associated with AR, such as nasal congestion, rhinorrhoea, sneezing and nasal itching, was assessed subjectively as measured by a 0 to 10 visual analogue scale (VAS). Differences in subjective severity measures before and after treatment were compared using Paired-Sample Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test. Results: Nasal congestion, rhinorrhoea and sneezing significantly improve after treatment (p<0.001). Conclusion: Study results confirm the efficacy of Narivent® in the treatment of nasal congestion and other major symptoms in children with AR over a 4 weeks period. © Mansi et al.