Background: Allergic rhinitis is characterized by an inflammatory response consequent to allergen exposure. Intranasal corticosteroids represent a first line treatment, but there is no adequate knowledge concerning the duration of symptomatic and antiinflammatory effects after their suspension. Thus, we aimed at investigating this issue.
Methods: Twelve children with persistent allergic rhinitis were treated with FPANS for 30 days and were followed for 12 days after its suspension. Nasal symptoms, considered as TSS, and inflammatory cells, recovered by nasal scraping, were evaluated.
Results: FPANS significantly reduced TSS (p<0.0001), neutrophils (p<0.001), and eosinophils (p<0.0001) after 4 days of treatment. Symptoms and cellular infiltrate quickly reappeared after suspension (respectively after 3 days for symptoms (p<0.05), after 4 days for neutrophils (p<0.05), and 6 days for eosinophils (p<0.001).
Conclusion: These findings suggest that nasal corticosteroid treatment is highly effective in nasal symptoms' relief and inflammation's control, but its suspension induces a rapid reappearance of them.