Rhinocort, Flonase, and Nasonex are some of the steroid sprays presently prescribed and used for treating individuals afflicted with sinusitis but the use of these sprays is yet to be accepted on a universal basis.

Approximately 37 million people in the United States alone suffer from sinusitis, which is an inflammation of the mucous membranes.

From Medicalnewstoday.com:

“For every 100 patients treated with intranasal corticosteroids, seven additional patients had complete or marked symptom relief,” compared to those in the placebo group, the reviewers found.

Researchers pooled data from three of the four studies, excluding the lowest-quality study from the statistical analysis.

None of the studies reported serious side effects, and rates of sinusitis relapse were similar between the treatment and placebo groups.

Stronger doses of nasal steroids appeared to work better. Patients receiving daily doses of 400 micrograms were more likely to experience relief of sinusitis symptoms, than were patients receiving 200-microgram doses.

Although there is not enough evidence to suggest that nasal steroids can stand alone for acute sinusitis treatment, “the results of these studies and reviews support the current clinical rationale of adding an intranasal corticosteroid to antibiotic therapy,” reviewers say.

Allen Seiden, M.D., director of the University of Cincinnati Taste and Smell Center, said that more data are required before routine recommendations on intranasal corticosteroids can be made.

The review appeared in an issue of The Cochrane Library, which is a publication of The Cochrane Collaboration, an international organization that evaluates research in all aspects of health care.