Publication:

A randomized study comparing the efficacy of mometasone furoate and fluticasone furoate on the ocular and nasal symptoms of allergic rhinitis

Background Ocular symptoms like itching, redness and congestion are common in patients with allergic rhinitis. These symptoms affect the quality of life and increase the burden on the healthcare cost. Intranasal steroids are effective in reducing the nasal and ocular symptoms of allergic rhinitis. We aim to compare the efficacy of mometasone furoate nasal spray and fluticasone furoate nasal spray in reducing the nasal and ocular symptoms of allergic rhinitis.

Methods 90 patients with perennial allergic rhinitis and ocular symptoms were randomly divided into 2 groups. Group A (n=46) received 200 µg of mometasone furoate nasal spray once daily and Group B (n=44) received 110 µg of fluticasone furoate nasal spray daily. The patients were assessed by total ocular symptom score [TOSS] and total nasal symptom score [TNSS] at 2, 6 and 12 weeks interval.

Results There was a statistically significant reduction in both the groups in respect to the TOSS and TNSS scores. However the improvement in the TOSS score in the fluticasone furoate group was more than the mometasone furoate group by 6 weeks (p=0.0009), which continued till the 12 weeks (p=0.045).

Conclusions Fluticasone furoate is more effective than mometasone furoate in managing the ocular and nasal symptoms of allergic rhinitis.