[The efficacy and safety of a short course of budesonide inhalation suspension via transnasal nebulization in chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps].

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of a short course of nebulized budesonide via transnasal inhalation in chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps.

METHODS

Thirty patients with severe eosinophilic nasal polyps were randomized into experimental group (n=15) and control group (n=15). The experimental group received nebulised budesonide suspension (1 mg twice daily) via transnasal inhalation for one week and control group-received budesonide nasal spray (256 microg twice daily). Visual analogue scales (VAS)of nasal symptoms (including nasal obstruction, nasal discharge, loss of smell, and headache/facial pain) and endoscopic polyp scores (Kennedy scores) and morning serum cortisol concentration were performed to both groups before and after the treatment.

RESULTS

Nebulized budesonide inhalation caused a significant improvement in all nasal symptoms especially nasal obstruction (baseline: 8.4 +/- 0.7; after treatment: 4.0 +/- 0.8, P<0.01) and reduced polyp size compared with before treatment. Additionally, the patients treated with nebulized budesonide showed more obvious improvement in nasal symptoms and polyp size than control group. The morning serum cortisol concentration was mild decreased after one week treatment in nebulized steroid group [baseline: (17.6 +/- 2.4) microg/dl, after treatment: (14.8 +/- 2.6) microg/dl, P<0.01], but all values still were located in normal range (normal range: 5-25 microg/dl).

CONCLUSIONS

A short course of nebulized budesonide transnasal inhalation can rapidly improve nasal symptoms, reduce polyp size, and does not cause obvious HPA axis suppression. Based on these, it is recommend that transnasal inhalation with nebulized budesonide suspension should be performed as a pre-operative routine in patients with nasal polyp.