Clinical results of sfericase (AI-794) in chronic parasinusitis

Forty patients with chronic sinusitis were treated orally with sfericase tablets (each tablet = 10,000 units), a proteolytic enzyme preparation, at a daily dosage of six tablets for adults and three tablets for children in three divided doses after each main meal for 4 weeks. As regards subjective symptoms, very favorable results were obtained after 4-week treatment with sfericase as evidenced by an efficacy rate of 81.6% for postnasal rhinorrhea, 66.7% for rhinorrhea, and 43.6% for nasal obstruction. However, with respect to objective symptoms, the efficacy rate was 28.9% for redness and 30.8% for swelling of the nasal mucosa, with a somewhat lower rate than that obtained for subjective symptoms. According to the patient's and physician's global assessments, sfericase was effective in 65 and 57.5% of the cases. None of the cases showed undesirable reactions to sfericase.