Effect of irrigation of the nose with isotonic salt solution on adult patients with chronic paranasal sinus disease

In a prospective, randomized, controlled, double-blind trial we compared th e effectiveness of endonasal irrigations with Ems salt solution to that wit h sodium chloride solution in the treatment of adult patients with chronic paranasal sinus disease. Subjects (n = 40) were randomly allocated to treat ment either with isotonic Ems salt solution or with isotonic sodium chlorid e solution. The treat ment consisted of endonasal irrigation twice daily an d additional nasal spray as required. Nasal endoscopy, plain radiography of the paranasal sinuses, olfactometry, anterior rhinomanometry, and a saccha rin-clearance test were carried out on days 1 and 7. Patients recorded rati ng scales of general discomfort, nasal airway obstruction, agreeableness of the irrigation, duration of improved nasal resistance after each irrigatio n, and the amount of additional nasal spray in a diary. Nasal air flow was not improved significantly. Subjective complaints, endonasal endoscopy, and radiography results revealed a significant improvement in both groups (P = 0.0001). In comparison, the two groups were not significantly different in outcome. Endonasal irrigations with salt solutions are effective in the tr eatment of chronic sinusitis, and a significant difference between Ems salt and sodium chloride was not observed.