Isotonic saline in children with perennial allergic rhinitis

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Allergy and Immunology
• Otolaryngology
• Clinical Research

Background:

• Children with house dust mite (HDM) allergy frequently experience perennial allergic rhinitis (PAR).
• PAR significantly impacts children's quality of life, affecting symptoms, sleep, and academic performance.
• Effective and safe management strategies for pediatric PAR are continuously sought.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of nasal lavage with isotonic saline in managing symptoms of HDM-dependent PAR in children.
• To assess the impact of nasal lavage on parental perception of rhinitis control, sleep quality, and school performance.
• To provide preliminary evidence for nasal lavage as a therapeutic option for pediatric PAR.

Main Methods:

• A pilot study involving 25 children (mean age 8.9 years) diagnosed with HDM-dependent PAR.
• Intervention consisted of nasal lavage using 0.9% isotonic saline.
• Outcomes measured included total nasal symptom scores, parental perception of rhinitis control, sleep quality, and school performance using visual analogue scales.

Main Results:

• Nasal lavage with isotonic saline led to statistically significant improvements in nasal symptom severity (p < 0.001).
• Parental perception of rhinitis control, sleep quality, and school performance also showed significant enhancement post-treatment.
• These beneficial effects demonstrated a trend towards persistence during the follow-up period.

Conclusions:

• Nasal lavage with isotonic saline is an effective intervention for relieving nasal symptoms in children with HDM-dependent PAR.
• The treatment positively influences parental perception of disease control, sleep, and school functioning.
• This study offers initial evidence supporting nasal saline lavage as a valuable, non-pharmacological approach for pediatric PAR management.