Clinical effects of intranasal corticosteroids on nasal symptoms in subjects with chronic rhinitis during COVID-19

Abstract

Background: The clinical effects of intranasal corticosteroids (INC) on nasal symptoms and the clinical course of coronaviObjective: To evaluate the clinical effects of INCs on nasal symptoms in subjects with CR and with COVID-19. Methods: In subjects with CR and diagnosed with COVID-19 at four tertiary centers, quality of life and nasal symptoms subjects with allergic rhinitis, nasal symptoms were also assessed on the total symptom score-6 (TSS-6) scale. The subjects were then allocated into two groups according to whether or not they used INCs while infected with the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (group 1 and group 2, respectively). The subjects in group 2 were divided into two subgroups according to the use of antihistamines and/or leukotriene receptor antagonist or not (group 2a and group 2b, respectively). All Results: A total of 71 subjects (21 in group 1, 24 in group 2a, and 26 in group 2b) were enrolled. The total scores of the SNOT22 increased remarkably in all the groups during the infection when compared with the pre-COVID-19 scores (p 0.001 in each group). However, the difference between the pre-COVID-19 and COVID-19 values revealed a lower decrease in the senses of smell and/or taste in group 1 than in group 2a and group 2b (p = 0.015, adjusted p = 0.045; and p = 0.001, adjusted p = 0.002, respectively). There were no significant differences in other COVID-19 findings, VAS, and TSS-6 scores among the groups (all p 0.05). Conclusion: INCs in subjects with CR seemed protective against the decrease in smell and/or taste observed during (Allergy Asthma Proc 43:106-115, 2022; doi: 10.2500/aap.2022.43.210116)