Intranasal betamethasone valerate in seasonal rhinitis

A double-blind study comparing betamethasone valerate and placebo aerosols was carried out in 40 patients with a history of seasonal allergic rhinitis and positive skin tests to grass pollens. Analysis of the symptoms recorded on a daily record card for a period of one month indicated that the mean monthly symptom-score was lower for all symptoms in the group on active therapy and that this reached statistical significance for the symptom of sneezing. Significantly more antihistamine tablets were used by the placebo group as compared with the active group (p less than 0-05). The patients' assessment of their treatment was in favour of betamethasone valerate (p less than 0-05). No clinically significant side-effects were associated with the treatment, which was well tolerated.