Experiences of treating allergic rhinitis with intra-nasal beclomethasone dipropionate. Short-term trials and long-term follow-up.

The effect of locally acting intra-nasal beclomethasone dipropionate was observed in 42 patients suffering from seasonal allergic rhinitis and 50 patients suffering from perennial rhinitis. The study consists of three parts: 1) a simple double-blind trial in seasonal rhinitis, 2) a double-blind crossover trial in perennial rhinitis, 3) a 1-year follow-up of the perennial group. The active drug was significantly superior to placebo when comparing subjective symptoms, nasal resistance and secretion eosinophilia in the patients. In long-term use it was possible to reduce the initial dose considerably. On objective examination no significant changes were seen in the epithelium following long-term use. No suppression of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis was observed after 1 year's regular use of beclomethasone dipropionate. The side effects were mild, the most common complaint being irritation of the nasal mucous membrane, apparently caused by the propellant gas.