Methods: This single blind controlled study was conducted in 120 subjects (2-60 years of age, mean age 38.5) with allergic rhinitis, 66 men and 54 women. All participants had a positive medical history for allergic rhinitis. They were randomized to 1 puff mometasone furoate followed by 1 puff of commercially available micronized cellulose powder in the morning, and only 1 puff micronized cellulose powder in the evening (test treatment, TT) or 1 puff mometasone furoate, Bid (reference treatment, RT). Participants were allowed to take oral antihistamine or eye drops they wished. The symptom scores were recorded before and after the treatment. Mean values for the sum of all scores were calculated. The pre- vs post-treatment differences were compared using t-test. Also the decrease of the symptom scores between groups were compared using t-test. The efficacies were analyzed using Chi-2 tests.
Results: Both treatments could reduce the symptom scores significantly (P<0.001), and the improvement rates were similar (P=0.052). Total efficacies of RT and TT were 95% and 100% respectively without significant differences (P=0.244). There were no adverse reaction found in both groups.
Conclusions:The combination of micronized cellulose powder and locally applied glucocorticoids could reduce the dose of glucocorticoids, and the treatment is safe.