Fluticasone propionate (Flonase), a corticosteroid nasal spray, was found effective by a team of researchers from the University of Chicago when compared to a combination of popular anti-allergy drugs loratidine (Claritin) and montelukast (Singulair) for treating seasonal allergies.

Robert Naclerio, M.D., professor of surgery at the University of Chicago and director of the study, said that the inflammation measures were significantly better for patients with hay fever administered with fluticasone propionate.

The study was presented at the 58th annual meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.

From News.Bio-Medicine.Org:

“Because of the effect on inflammation, we prefer fluticasone,” he added, “but for patients, the choice may come down to cost and whether they would prefer a pill or a spray.”

Since one out of five people in the United States suffers from seasonal allergies, such preferences have financial implications. Antihistamines are prescribed three times as often, even though intranasal corticosteroids are less expensive than the non-sedating antihistamines. Combining loratidine with montelukast increases the cost difference.

A daily dose of Claritin, the leading antihistamine, costs $2.92 at the University of Chicago Hospitals pharmacy. Singulair, which works by blocking leukotrienes – substances that trigger inflammation — costs $4 per day. Flonase, the leading prescription nasal spray, costs $2.21 per day.

It was found out during the study that the usage of nasal sprays result in less of patients’ nasal passages. It was also suggested that patients using steroid nasal sprays showed minimal side effects and lower levels of eosinophil cationic protein, an inflammation sign. It was remarked by Naclerio that fluticasone truly shows its worth because of its unmatched benefits and low cost.