Intranasal Mometasone Furoate Alleviates the Ocular Symptoms Associated with Seasonal Allergic Rhinitis: Results of a Post Hoc Analysis

Abstract

Background: Burdensome symptoms of allergic rhinitis (AR) include nasal and ocular symptoms such as itching, tearing and redness. Intranasal corticosteroids are efficacious in the treatment of nasal symptoms of AR. Objective: It was the aim of this study to determine the efficacy of the intranasal corticosteroid mometasone furoate nasal spray (MFNS) in relieving ocular symptoms associated with seasonal AR (SAR). Methods: Ocular symptom data were analyzed for subjects ≧12 years of age, randomized to MFNS 200 µg q.d. (n = 176) or placebo (n = 177) in a placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trial. Post hoc efficacy analysis assessed the mean change from baseline in subject-reported total ocular symptom scores (TOSS) averaged over the treatment period. Results: Mean baseline TOSS was 4.91 for the MFNS group and comparable (5.05) for the placebo group – combined average for individual symptoms such as itching, tearing and redness ranged from 0 (no symptoms) to 9 (all symptoms, severe). Mean change from baseline in TOSS averaged over days 1–15 was –1.42 for the MFNS group and –0.94 for the placebo group (p = 0.02), for an observed treatment difference of 0.49 (statistical data rounded to 2 decimal positions). Improvement in individual symptoms (eye itching, tearing and redness) contributed to this treatment effect; the greatest improvement occurred with tearing, which decreased –0.52 from the baseline score 1.59 in the MFNS group and –0.31 from 1.67 in those receiving placebo (p < 0.01), for an observed treatment difference of 0.21. Treatment with MFNS was safe and well tolerated. Conclusion: MFNS is effective in reducing ocular symptoms of SAR, in addition to its established efficacy in reducing nasal symptoms of SAR.

Fluticasone Furoate Inhibits Cytokine Secretion from Nasal Epithelial Cells and Reduces Eosinophil Survival in an in vitro Model of Eosinophilic Inflammation

“…The safety and efficacy of FF nasal sprays to treat AR have been demonstrated in several clinical studies [30,31,32,33,34,35]. It has been demonstrated, for example, that FF inhibits GM-CSF and IL-8 production in primary bronchial airway epithelial cells, the human lung adenocarcinoma epithelial cell line (A 549) and SV40-immortalised airway bronchial epithelial cell line (BEAS-2B) [36,37].…”

Dissolution in nasal fluid, retention and anti‐inflammatory activity of fluticasone furoate in human nasal tissue ex vivo

“…The latest glucocorticoid that has been approved for the treatment of AR is fluticasone furoate (FF). FF has yielded promising clinical data with regard to the improvement of nasal and ocular symptoms of seasonal and perennial allergic rhinitis [2][3][4][5][6].…”

Nasal-Ocular Reflexes and Their Role in the Management of Allergic Rhinoconjunctivitis With Intranasal Steroids

“…A similar post hoc analysis of the effect of mometasone furoate on ocular symptoms was performed on the results of a placebo controlled clinical trial performed in 353 subjects with seasonal allergic rhinitis[32]. The subjects recorded symptoms of ocular itching, tearing, and redness and these were combined into a total ocular symptom score (TOSS) for analysis.…”