MOMETASONE FUROATE - A REVIEW OF ITS INTRANASAL USE IN ALLERGIC RHINITIS

Mometasone furoate is a synthetic corticosteroid which has been evalua ted for intranasal use in the treatment of adults and children with al lergic rhinitis. In several large, well-controlled clinical trials, mo metasone furoate 200 mu g administered once daily as an aqueous intran asal spray was significantly more effective than placebo in controllin g the symptoms associated with moderate to severe seasonal or perennia l allergic rhinitis. Mometasone furoate was as effective as twice-dail y beclomethasone dipropionate or once-daily fluticasone propionate in the treatment of perennial allergic rhinitis, and was as effective as twice-daily beclomethasone dipropionate and slightly more effective th an once-daily oral loratadine in the treatment of seasonal allergic rh initis. Mometasone furoate was also as effective as twice-daily beclom ethasone dipropionate or once-daily budesonide, and significantly more effective than placebo in the prophylaxis of seasonal allergic rhinit is. The onset of action of mometasone furoate was approximately 7 hour s in patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis. Mometasone furoate was as well tolerated as beclomethasone dipropionate, fluticasone propiona te and budesonide in clinical trials, with an overall incidence of adv erse events similar to placebo. Adverse events were generally mild to moderate and of limited duration. The most common adverse events assoc iated with mometasone furoate therapy were nasal irritation and/or bur ning, headache, epistaxis and pharyngitis. Intranasal or oral mometaso ne furoate had no detectable effect on hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis function in studies of less than or equal to 1 year in duration. Conclusions: Mometasone furoate is a well tolerated intranasal cortico steroid with minimal systemic activity and an onset of action of less than or equal to 7 hours. It is effective in the prophylaxis and treat ment of seasonal allergic rhinitis and the treatment of perennial alle rgic rhinitis in patients with moderate to severe symptoms.