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Olfaction in chronic rhinosinusitis: comparing two different endonasal steroid application methods

  • Rhinology
  • Published:
European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Limited olfactory improvement after topical steroid therapy in chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) patients might result from restricted drug access to the olfactory cleft. The aim of our study was to investigate the difference between two methods to topically administer steroids with respect to olfaction: (1) conventional nasal spray and (2) a device using pressure and vibration to distribute steroid aerosol endonasally. A prospective study was performed in patients with olfactory impairment due to chronic rhinosinusitis with and without nasal polyps. While the first group used the conventional dexamethasone nasal spray, the second group used the device over a period of 12 days. Olfactory testing was done at 0, 2, and 8 weeks using Sniffin’ Sticks test. A significant olfactory improvement was found after 2 weeks of treatment with either steroid (p = 0.005). However, there was no significant difference between the different methods of steroid application. There is a significant olfactory improvement in CRS patients following topical dexamethasone therapy, but no obvious superiority of one of the two ways to administer the steroid.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by a grant from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft to TH (DFG HU441/18-1). SCP was supported by the Dresden Junior Fellowship Program (Exzellenzinitiative) of the “Technische Universität” (TU) Dresden. We also would like to thank Schumacher and Partner GmbH, Dausenau, Germany, for providing us with an AMSA® device to conduct this study.

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Correspondence to Thomas Hummel.

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Poletti, S.C., Batashev, I., Reden, J. et al. Olfaction in chronic rhinosinusitis: comparing two different endonasal steroid application methods. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 274, 1431–1435 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-016-4341-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-016-4341-6

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