Rhinology future trends: 2017 EUFOREA debate on allergic rhinitis

Area of Science:

• Rhinology and Allergy
• Pharmacology
• Clinical Decision Support

Background:

• The European Forum for Research and Education in Allergy and Airways diseases (EUFOREA) held a debate on MP-AzeFlu for allergic rhinitis (AR) treatment.
• Current AR management guidelines and clinical decision support systems (CDSS) are evolving.
• Patient treatment preferences often involve as-needed and multi-drug approaches.

Purpose of the Study:

• To summarize the expert debate on MP-AzeFlu's role in AR treatment.
• To review recent data and expert interpretation of MP-AzeFlu's efficacy.
• To explore the integration of MP-AzeFlu into AR management guidelines and CDSS.

Main Methods:

• Summary of a debate from the 2nd Rhinology Future Debate (December 2017).
• Review of recent data on MP-AzeFlu.
• Analysis of expert opinions and guideline/CDSS recommendations.

Main Results:

• MP-AzeFlu is positioned as a first-line AR treatment by the Allergic Rhinitis & its Impact on Asthma (ARIA) guideline, preferred over intranasal corticosteroids (INSs) for the initial 2 weeks.
• The AR CDSS recommends MP-AzeFlu for patients with visual analogue scale (VAS) scores below 5/10 cm and alongside INS for scores 5/10 cm or higher.
• Experts agreed MP-AzeFlu offers rapid onset (5 mins), clinically relevant relief (15 mins), and fast AR control (<3 days), targeting nasal hyper-reactivity and outperforming INS monotherapy or INS + oral antihistamine.

Conclusions:

• MP-AzeFlu is a valuable option for AR management, particularly for rapid symptom relief and addressing breakthrough symptoms.
• A shift towards simpler AR management and acknowledging patient preferences for as-needed medication is needed.
• Further clinical data is required to confirm the impact of MP-AzeFlu on asthma control in co-morbid patients.