title: Effects of corticosteroids on hyposmia in persistent allergic rhinitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To asses the effects of two topical nasal corticosteroids sprays on hyposmia in patients with persistent allergic rhinitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was a prospective clinical trial and it included twenty four patients with persistent allergic rhinitis (PER) and hyposmia (H). The patients were divided into two groups depending on the type of corticosteroid topical nasal spray treatment: group A, 200 micrograms dose of mometasone furoate (MF) and group B, 110 micrograms dose of fluticasone furoate (FF) both administered in the morning for 4 weeks. The olfactory function of the patients was evaluated with the extended Test battery "Sniffin' Sticks". The visual analogue scale (VAS) was used for the assessment of hyposmia, nasal discharge. The level of the nasal obstruction, before and after the treatment, was evaluated through the anterior rhinomanometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The comparisons between the two types of topical corticosteroids showed a significant improvement separately between scores of the odor threshold (OT), odor discrimination (OD) and odor identification (OI) and also on the final olfactory score (SDI) before and after 4 weeks of the treatment. The comparisons of the VAS scores pre and post treatment showed a significant improvement in hyposmia and nasal obstruction. The nasal airflow and the nasal discharge scores were improved, but the differences were not statistically significant between the groups. The final statistical analysis found no significant differences between the two patients groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study concludes that fluticasone furoate and mometasone furoate have quite the same effects on hyposmia and on the classical symptoms from PER.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Iuliu Haţieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Emergency County Hospital, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
authors.forename: Iuliu V
authors.initials: IV
authors.lastname: Catana
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Iuliu Haţieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Emergency County Hospital, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
authors.forename: Magdalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chirila
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Smell and Taste Clinic, Carl Gustav University of Dresden Medical School, Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Negoias
authors.affiliation: Allergology and Imunology Private Praxis, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
authors.forename: Ramona
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bologa
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Iuliu Haţieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Emergency County Hospital, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
authors.forename: Marcel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cosgarea
keywords: Sniffin’ Sticks; hyposmia; smell disorder; topical steroids