Inhalation Aerosol Therapy in the Treatment of Chronic Rhinosinusitis: A Prospective Randomized Study

The purpose of the study was to compare treatment of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) with topical glucocorticoids and saline irrigation versus aerosol inhalation therapy. Patients diagnosed with CRS were randomly divided into 2 groups. In the first group, patients were treated with topical glucocorticoids (mometasone furoate, 100 µg in each nostril once daily) and saline irrigation (150 mL twice a day) for 2 weeks. In the second group, patients were treated with inhalation aerosol therapy composed of essential oils, saline, glucocorticoids, and antibiotics, once daily 5 times per week (Monday through Friday), for 2 weeks. The effect of the treatments was compared between the 2 groups. In the first group there was no significant improvement in the Glasgow Health Status Inventory (GHSI) (P = .29). In the second group the improvement in GHSI score was significant (P = .037). It was shown that in the first group the Glasgow Benefit Inventory score was significantly lower than in the second group (P = .002), which means that the improvement in the health status after the therapy was better in the second group. A Lund-Kennedy score showed statistical improvement in both groups (both P < .001). Improvement was also compared between the groups. The results were not significant (P = .11). The authors concluded that, in this preliminary research, inhalation aerosol therapy composed of essential oils, saline, glucocorticoids, and antibiotics led to better subjective results than intranasal glucocorticoid therapy and saline irrigation in the treatment of CRS. Further investigations with more participants, longer periods of treatment, and different validation tools are needed to confirm our results.