Long-Term Follow-up of Intra-Nasal Beclomethasone Treatment a Clinical and Histologic Study

A follow-up study was carried out in 87 patients who received intra-nasal BDP therapy during 1–6 years (mean 5 years) for perennial allergic rhinitis. The initial dose of BDP was 400 μg/day but in long-term use a dose of 2–300 μg/day was sufficient to maintain control of nasal symptoms in 69 % of the patients. 74/87 patients remained completely or almost symptomfree when continuing BDP therapy. 13 patients used antihistaminics in addition to BDP. BDP caused no adverse effects in 44 patients while the commonest side-effect in the remaining 43 was drying of the nasal mucosa. In randomly selected patients mucosal biopsies and plasma Cortisol measurements were carried out before, during and after 6 years' therapy. No signs of mucosal atrophy nor significant changes in plasma cortisol levels were observed.