Triamcinolone acetonide aqueous nasal spray improves nocturnal rhinitis-related quality of life in patients treated in a primary care setting: the Quality of Sleep in Allergic Rhinitis study.

BACKGROUND

Sleep disturbances due to allergic rhinitis can contribute to daytime fatigue, impair mood, and decrease daytime functioning.

OBJECTIVE

To measure allergic rhinitis patients' nocturnal rhinitis-related quality of life using a new, validated disease-specific instrument, the Nocturnal Rhinoconjunctivitis Quality of Life Questionnaire (NRQLQ).

METHODS

This open-label study was conducted in a primary care setting. Adult patients with seasonal or perennial allergic rhinitis rated nocturnal rhinitis-related quality of life using the NRQLQ and sleep disturbances using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) at baseline and after 3 weeks of treatment with triamcinolone acetonide aqueous nasal spray (TAA AQ), 220 microg/d. Changes from baseline in overall and individual domain scores for both the NRQLQ and PSQI were evaluated using t tests for paired differences.

RESULTS

The majority of the patients (N = 651) were female (58%), were white (85%), and shared a bed with a partner (63%). Mean +/- SD patient age was 45.7 +/- 15.5 years. TAA AQ treatment was associated with significant improvements in overall NRQLQ score (mean +/- SD change, -1.5 +/- 1.3; P < .001) and in individual domain scores (P < .001 for sleep problems, symptoms during sleep, symptoms upon waking in morning, and practical problems). Similarly, overall and individual PSQI domain scores were statistically significantly improved (P < .001). There were strong correlations between NRQLQ and PSQI scores (all comparisons P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

Treatment with TAA AQ for 3 weeks resulted in statistically significant improvements in nocturnal rhinitis-related quality of life and sleep quality in allergic rhinitis patients treated in a primary care setting.