Treatment with a topical glucocorticoid, budesonide, reduced the variability of rhinomanometric nasal airway resistance.

BACKGROUND: Previous rhinomanometry studies have shown significant long-term variability of the nasal airway resistance and questioned the clinical validity of rhinomanometry.

RESEARCH QUESTION: Could treatment with a topical glucocorticoid, budesonide, influence the long-term variability of active anterior rhinomanometry?

METHODS: Eight healthy volunteers participated in an unblinded controlled trial without, and later with, nasal budesonide once a day for 5 months. Their nasal airway resistance was measured every two weeks with active anterior rhinomanometry before and after decongestion with xylometazoline hydrochloride. In addition, subjective nasal obstruction was evaluated on a Visual Analogue Scale before each measurement. The participants had a year earlier been investigated with rhinomanometry every two weeks during 5 months but without budesonide treatment. We compared the variability of nasal airway resistance during the two periods with and without treatment with topical budesonide.

RESULTS: Budesonide significantly reduced mean nasal airway resistance and the standard deviation of the mean after decongestion for 6 of 8 participants. The mean reduction of the nasal airway resistance was 40% for the decongested nasal cavity compared to the period without treatment with nasal budesonide. Subjective nasal obstruction assessed by Visual Analogue Scale was reduced in 3 of the 8 participants.

CONCLUSION: The variability of nasal airway resistance was significantly reduced by treatment with topical budesonide for 6 out of 8 healthy volunteers participating in an unblinded repeated 5 month trial where the participants served as their own controls.