title: Comparison of nasal cytology and symptom scores in patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis, before and after treatment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate symptom scores and nasal smear cytology findings in seasonal allergic rhinitis patients, before and after treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-nine consecutive adult patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis were evaluated prospectively. They received mometasone furoate nasal spray and cetirizine for 21 days. Nasal and ocular symptom scores were recorded before and after treatment. Nasal cytology was also assessed as a means of determining treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The combined use of an intranasal corticosteroid and an oral antihistamine caused a significant improvement in nasal and ocular symptom scores. Cytological evaluation revealed significant reduction in nasal eosinophil, neutrophil and goblet cell counts after three weeks' treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Symptom scoring systems are widely used for the evaluation of drug efficacy in allergic rhinitis treatment. When investigating the disease and evaluating treatment efficacy, objective as well as subjective methods are needed. Nasal cytological assessment is a simple, objective method which provides valuable information about the nasal mucosa.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, İzmir Atatürk Training and Research Hospital, Turkey.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Özgür
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Arslanoğlu
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Etıt
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Demıray
authors.forename: H K
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Önal
mesh_terms: D000281:Administration, Intranasal; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018926:Anti-Allergic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017332:Cetirizine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006098:Granulocytes; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000068656:Mometasone Furoate; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000166:cytology*; D015508:Nasal Obstruction; D011244:Pregnadienediols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D006255:Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D018926:Anti-Allergic Agents; D011244:Pregnadienediols; D000068656:Mometasone Furoate; D017332:Cetirizine